I am a woman who has looked on more dying men than thou
hast killed deer and antelopes. Thou must traffic for greatness?--thou
hast thrust thyself like a five-years' child, into the rough sports of
men, and wilt only be borne down and crushed for thy pains. Thou wilt be
a double traitor, forsooth--betray thy betrothed to the Prince, in order
to obtain the means of betraying the Prince to the English, and thus
gain thy pardon from thy countrymen. But me thou shalt not betray. I
will not be made the tool of thy ambition--I will not give thee the aid
of my treasures and my soldiers, to be sacrificed at last to this
northern icicle. No, I will watch thee as the fiend watches the wizard.
Show but a symptom of betraying me while we are here, and I denounce
thee to the English, who might pardon the successful villain, but not
him who can only offer prayers for his life, in place of useful
services. Let me see thee flinch when we are beyond the Ghauts, and the
Nawaub shall know thy intrigues with the Nizam and the Mahrattas, and
thy resolution to deliver up Bangalore to the English, when the
imprudence of Tippoo shall have made thee Killedar. Go where thou wilt,
slave, thou shalt find me thy mistress."
"And a fair though an unkind one," said the counterfeit Sadoc, suddenly
changing his tone to an affectation of tenderness. "It is true I pity
this unhappy woman; true I would save her if I could--but most unjust to
suppose I would in any circumstances prefer her to my Nourjehan, my
light of the world, my Mootee Mahul, my pearl of the palace"----
"All false coin and empty compliment," said the Begum.
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