Thus parted this worthy pair; Paupiah to report to
his principal the progress of these dark machinations,
Middlemas to join the Begum, on her return to the
Mysore. The gold and diamonds of Tippoo, the importance
which he was about to acquire, the ridding himself
at once of the capricious authority of the irritable
Tippoo, and the troublesome claims of the Begum, were
such agreeable subjects of contemplation, that he
scarcely thought of the fate of his European victim,—unless
to salve his conscience with the hope that the sole
injury she could sustain might be the alarm of a few
days, during the course of which he would acquire
the means of delivering her from the tyrant, in whose
Zenana she was to remain a temporary prisoner.
He resolved, at the same time, to abstain from seeing
her till the moment he could afford her protection,
justly considering the danger which his whole plan
might incur, if he again awakened the jealousy of
the Begum. This he trusted was now asleep; and,
in the course of their return to Tippoo’s camp,
near Bangalore, it was his study to soothe this ambitious
and crafty female by blandishments, intermingled with
the more splendid prospects of wealth and power to
be opened to them both, as he pretended, by the success
of his present enterprise. [Footnote: It is scarce
necessary to say, that such things could only be acted
in the earlier period of our Indian settlements, when
the check of the Directors was imperfect, and that
of the crown did not exist. My friend Mr. Fairscribe
is of opinion, that there is an anachronism in the
introduction of Paupiah, the Bramin Dubash of the
English governor.—C. C.]
CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH.
It appears that the jealous and tyrannical Begum did
not long suspend her purpose of agonizing her rival
by acquainting her with her intended fate. By
prayers or rewards, Menie Gray prevailed on a servant
of Ram Sing Cottah, to deliver to Hartley the following
distracted note:—
“All is true your fears foretold—He
has delivered me up to a cruel woman, who threatens
to sell me to the tyrant, Tippoo. Save me if you
can—if you have not pity, or cannot give
me aid, there is none left upon earth.—M.
G.”
The haste with which Dr. Hartley sped to the Fort,
and demanded an audience of the Governor, was defeated
by the delays interposed by Paupiah.
It did not suit the plans of this artful Hindoo, that
any interruption should be opposed to the departure
of the Begum and her favourite, considering how much
the plans of the last corresponded with his own.
He affected incredulity on the charge, when Hartley
complained of an Englishwoman being detained in the
train of the Begum against her consent, treated the
complaint of Miss Gray as the result of some female
quarrel unworthy of particular attention, and when
at length he took some steps for examining further
into the matter, he contrived they should be so tardy,
that the Begum and her retinue were far beyond the
reach of interruption.
