The next words of the Nawaub sounded
like music in the ear of Hartley.
``Carry the Feringi woman to the tent of the
Sirdar Belash Cassim, [the chief to whom Hartley
had been committed.] Let her be tended in all
honour, and let him prepare to escort her, with the
Vakeel and the Hakim Hartley, to the Payeen-Ghaut,
[the country beneath the passes,] answering
for their safety with his head.'' The litter was
on its road to the Sirdar's tents ere the Nawaub
had done speaking. ``For thee, Tippoo,'' continued
Hyder, ``I am not come hither to deprive
thee of authority, or to disgrace thee before the
Durbar. Such things as thou hast promised to this
Feringi, proceed to make them good. The sun
calleth not back the splendour which he lends to
the moon; and the father obscures not the dignity
which he has conferred on the son. What thou
hast promised, that do thou proceed to make good.''
The ceremony of investiture was therefore recommenced,
by which the Prince Tippoo conferred
on Middlemas the important government of the city
of Bangalore, probably with the internal resolution,
that since he was himself deprived of the fair
European, he would take an early opportunity to
remove the new Killedar from his charge; while
Middlemas accepted it with the throbbing hope
that he might yet outwit both father and son.
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