"But the Begum will expect her proportion," replied Paupiah.
"Let me alone to deal with her," said Middlemas. "Before the blow is
struck, she shall not know of our private treaty, and afterwards her
disappointment will be of little consequence. And now, remember my
stipulations--my rank to be restored--my full pardon to be granted."
"Ay," replied Paupiah, cautiously, "should you succeed. But were you to
betray what has here passed, I will find the dagger of a Lootie which
shall reach thee, wert thou sheltered under the folds of the Nawaub's
garment. In the meantime, take this missive, and when you are in
possession of Bangalore, despatch it to General Smith, whose division
shall have orders to approach as near the frontiers of Mysore as may be,
without causing suspicion."
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.
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