The first person to whom I communicated my intention was Colonel Clive. He was at first astonished, and told me so.
“Why do you mean to leave me now, when all our affairs are prospering1, and you have nothing to do but to stay on and enrich yourself? I have had it in my mind to promote you; indeed, I think you know that I am your good friend.”
“I do, indeed, sir,” I answered, “and I am most grateful for all your kindness to me. But it is right that I should tell you I am here in consequence of wrong-doing, which has, as I can now see, pursued my steps and caused me to be harassed2 with troubles and misfortunes from the very beginning to this hour.”
“Why, what wrong have you been guilty of?” asked the Colonel, much interested. “I could [Pg 303]have sworn you were the most honest young man in my company.”
“I have run away from my home, sir. I have deceived and disobeyed my father and, I fear, caused great sorrow to my loving mother. I allowed myself to be tempted3 to leave them secretly, under cover of a falsehood, and to join a crew of privateers, who turned out to be pirates, the comrades of those whom you destroyed at Gheriah. In their company I fell into evil courses, and finally plunged4 into a murderous contest with one of my own flesh and blood. These things have long sat heavy on my mind. I have perceived their evil consequences, I have been visited with a bitter punishment, and I am now determined5 to go back to my parents and to obtain their forgiveness before it is too late.”
Colonel Clive looked at me with some sympathy, mingled6 with wonder.
“I believe you have decided7 rightly,” he said at last, when I had finished. “God forbid that I should keep you from making your peace with those who love you.” His tone softened8 as he added: “My story is different to yours. I didn’t run away; I was driven, pitchforked out of doors, and stuck into a miserable9 billet at Madras, where I nearly ate my heart out with loneliness and repining. When I returned to England it was not to ask forgiveness, but to give it, if a son can take it upon himself to forgive his parent. No matter, [Pg 304]all that is past now, and I believe my family have found out that I am worth the love they have to give me. Look here, my boy, I have no business to talk like this to you; but, after all, we can’t be always thinking of rupees and Moorish10 tricks. Since you are bent11 on going to England, you shall start in the ship which I am sending from Calcutta with the news of our late proceedings12, and I will give you a letter, which you are to deliver privately13 into the hands of Mr. Pitt.”
At this name I looked up with flushing cheeks.
“The great Mr. Pitt?” I exclaimed.
“Yes, the great Mr. Pitt,” returned Colonel Clive, with a slight inflection of bitterness in his tone. “But you are right, Ford14, he is a very great man, and though his battles have been won within the four walls of St. Stephen’s Chapel15, while we lesser16 men have to fight in very different scenes, far be it from me to grudge17 all honour to the man who was the first to do honour to me. He is fortunate in having for his theatre the senate of a great kingdom of Europe, I unfortunate in having for mine a remote country of which half Europe has never heard. Still, I recognise his merits, and it is for that reason I am addressing myself to him on a subject which is near to my heart.”
The Colonel paused for a few moments.
“But I cannot have you return to England empty-handed,” he resumed. “What is your share of the gratuity18 promised to the army I do not yet know, [Pg 305]but I tell you what you shall do: go into the treasury19, and help yourself while there is time.”
I stared at this permission, but Colonel Clive merely nodded his head, and turned to write the letter he had spoken of. Perceiving that he was in earnest, I went off to the Nabob’s palace, and made my way to the treasury, where I found Mr. Watts22 and some others busily engaged in taking an inventory23 of everything it contained, which was to be shipped down the river in boats to Calcutta.
I walked through the rooms looking about me. Never in my life have I seen, nor am I like to see such a sight again. So much treasure was there scattered24 around me, that I could scarce believe it when Mr. Watts told me that the whole was insufficient25 to meet the sums pledged by Meer Jaffier. In every room I feasted my eyes upon the light of countless26 jewels. Silver was heaped on every floor, and gold on every shelf. Great green jade27 jars contained nothing but uncut gems28. All kinds of weapons were there, their very shapes disguised under the gold and jewel-work which loaded them. There were chairs of ivory, and a table of solid agate-stone. Massy chains of gold trailed from drawers, and bricks of silver were built up into banks along the walls. It was a confusion of magnificence, a very litter of precious things.
I informed Mr. Watts of the permission which Colonel Clive had given me to help myself, and he confirmed it.
[Pg 306]
“Take what you please,” he said carelessly. “You will find the emeralds run larger than any other stone, but some of them are flawed. There is a pretty string of rubies30 somewhere that it might be worth while to choose. The biggest diamond is already promised, but there are several lesser ones, uncut, which I should judge to be worth from twenty to forty thousand rupees each.”
He returned to his catalogue, and I to my exploration. After rejecting many necklaces and crowns that I did not deem to be of sufficient splendour, I finally fixed31 upon a tulwar, which I found in a box of mother-of-pearl by itself. The handle was set with an enormous sapphire32, and the hilt incrusted with diamonds, some of them as big as my thumbnail. I was afterwards offered three thousand pounds for it by a Gentoo merchant in Calcutta, but preferred to bring it home with me, where it afterwards fetched more than double that sum at a goldsmith’s in Covent Garden.
Nor was this all that I brought away with me, for when I went to take leave of Meer Jaffier, he presented me, as a mark of his esteem33, with a very handsome dress of gold cloth, and a string of pearls, valued afterwards at a thousand pounds. So that I was now become a rich man.
We buried Marian at night, by the Nabob’s permission, in a corner of the garden of the seraglio. The chaplain of the thirty-ninth regiment34 conducted the service, and I caused a slab35 of marble to be set [Pg 307]up to mark the grave, inscribed36 simply with her name and the date of her death. This tomb, I have been told, still stands, and is pointed37 out to English visitors to Moorshedabad as the grave of the Englishwoman who was imprisoned38 in the Black Hole.
The following day, having received Colonel Clive’s letter, and bidden him an affectionate farewell, I embarked39 with Rupert upon one of the barges40 which were carrying the treasure down to Calcutta. The fleet started in procession, and went down the river, with music playing on deck, flying flags by day, and coloured lanterns by night, till we reached the English settlement. There I found old Muzzy, patiently waiting for me, and full of pride in the victory, in which he was prone41 to attribute a great share to me.
Five months later we sailed up the Thames, and set foot once more on English soil.
One thing only detained me in London. This was the delivery of the letter which Colonel Clive had entrusted42 to me for Mr. Pitt.
It was a privilege which I could not rate too highly to be thus made the intermediary between the two greatest Englishmen of my time, men of a type that seems now to be lost among us. Since Colonel Clive we have had no victorious43 captain, and since Mr. Pitt, no mighty44 minister, and hence it is that our country, which under the rule of a Cromwell or a Pitt, hath risen to be the arbiter45 of Europe, and held all nations in awe29, is now sunk, [Pg 308]under the sway of feeble intellects, to a precarious46 position, the mock of every power, and saved only by her fleets from absolute destruction.
I do not find it easy to describe my sensations when I was ushered47 into the presence of the Great Commoner, and saw before me that majestic48 figure, with the profile of a Roman conqueror49, and a glance hardly less terrible to encounter than the full blaze of the sun. When I have stood before the Nabob of Bengal, throned in the midst of his Court, I have seen in front of me nothing but a peevish50, debauched young man, but when I came into the room where Mr. Pitt was I felt that I was in the presence of a ruler of men. His attitude, his commanding gestures, and the stately manner he had of slowly moving his head round upon his neck to look at you, made a most tremendous impression; and I found it easy to believe the stories of men having risen to speak against him in the House of Commons, and then shrunk back miserably51 into their seats at a mere20 look from this extraordinary person.
Mr. Pitt’s manner of reading Colonel Clive’s despatch52 further impressed me. He broke the seals, seemed to do no more than give it a few devouring53 glances, and then laid it aside as though he were already master of its contents.
“You are Ensign Ford?” he demanded abruptly54, fixing his eye upon me.
“I am, sir.”
“Colonel Clive tells me in this letter that you [Pg 309]possess his confidence. Do you think, if I were to tell you my sentiments verbally, you could transmit them faithfully to your employer?”
“I will do my best, sir,” I replied, not a little astonished at this proposal. But I have considered the matter since, and I can see that there were many things which Mr. Pitt might not wish to write with his own hand, though he had no objection to their being repeated by me.
“In this letter,” he proceeded, “Colonel Clive makes a very startling proposal, which is no less than that English troops should be sent out sufficient to conquer the whole of Bengal, and that thereafter the administration of all the Indian territories should be taken out of the hands of the Company and brought immediately under the Crown. Now what I wish you to tell him from me in reply is this, that I am bound to consider his proposal not merely as it affects our situation abroad, but also as it bears upon our government at home. I am the minister, not of a despotic empire like France or Spain, but of a free people, and I must not suffer anything which may assist the Crown to encroach upon our liberties. Those liberties rest upon the necessity which our kings are under of asking us to tax ourselves for their support. Give them a foreign empire like that of Spain in the Americas, and you run a danger of rendering55 them independent. The wealth arising from the revenues of Indostan would enable the Crown to keep up a standing56 army in time of [Pg 310]peace, without the consent of Parliament. Moreover, the administration of these territories would give occasion for the creation of great numbers of offices and pensions, by means of which our people might be fatally corrupted57.
“I would have you further point out to Colonel Clive on my behalf,” continued Mr. Pitt, “that those Indians, whom he proposes to make our fellow subjects, are accustomed to be the slaves of a despot, and being such, they may become dangerous instruments to make slaves of us. I should dread58 to see the sovereigns of this country calling themselves emperors in the Indies, and valuing that character above that of kings of Great Britain. Believe me, young man, it is not easy for a nation to play the despot abroad without losing its freedom at home; as I have frequently observed that those who had returned to this country after holding great places in the East, have shown themselves indifferent to the rights of the subject here.”
All this, and much more, did Mr. Pitt say to me, of which I have preserved only these meagre recollections. But how feeble an image do the written words preserve of the eloquence59 with which he spoke21, the enthusiasm which kindled60 in his eye when he touched upon our liberties, and the warning emphasis he laid upon his expressions about the power of the Crown! I felt almost as though I had been the bearer of propositions for some unnatural61 treason, and I was not a little relieved when Mr. Pitt finally [Pg 311]concluded by bidding me thank Colonel Clive very heartily62 for his civility in writing to him, and promised to carefully consider of his suggestions.
To this he added some very high compliments to the Colonel’s great abilities and military glory, all of which I transmitted in a letter to Mr. Clive shortly afterwards. And I have set down the above warning of the great patriot63 minister in this place, for the instruction of posterity64, in case a time should ever arrive when the people of this country, in their too eager grasping after foreign conquests contrary to the nature of an island, which is to rest content within the borders of its own seas, shall find they have bartered65 away the priceless heritage of their own freedom, and sunk into a mere unheeded fraction of a dominion66 which they no longer wield67.
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1
prospering
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| 成功，兴旺( prosper的现在分词 ) | |
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harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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3
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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4
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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5
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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7
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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10
moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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11
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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12
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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13
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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15
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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16
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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17
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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18
gratuity
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| n.赏钱，小费 | |
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19
treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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20
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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21
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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22
watts
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| （电力计量单位）瓦，瓦特( watt的名词复数 ) | |
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23
inventory
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| n.详细目录，存货清单 | |
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24
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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25
insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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27
jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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29
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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30
rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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31
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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sapphire
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| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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36
inscribed
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| v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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38
imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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40
barges
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| 驳船( barge的名词复数 ) | |
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41
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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42
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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44
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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45
arbiter
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| n.仲裁人，公断人 | |
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46
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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47
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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49
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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50
peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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51
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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52
despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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53
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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54
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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55
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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56
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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57
corrupted
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| （使）败坏( corrupt的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏 | |
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58
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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59
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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60
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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61
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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62
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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63
patriot
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| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
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64
posterity
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| n.后裔，子孙，后代 | |
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65
bartered
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| v.作物物交换，以货换货( barter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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wield
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| vt.行使，运用，支配；挥，使用(武器等) | |
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