The city gates received the living torrent, which rolled
towards them; the clouds of smoke and dust were soon dispersed, and the
horizon was restored to serenity and silence.
The meeting between persons of importance, more especially of royal
rank, is a matter of very great consequence in India, and generally much
address is employed to induce the person receiving the visit, to come as
far as possible to meet the visitor. From merely rising up, or going to
the edge of the carpet, to advancing to the gate of the palace, to that
of the city, or, finally, to a mile or two on the road, is all subject
to negotiation. But Tippoo's impatience to possess the fair European
induced him to grant on this occasion a much greater degree of courtesy
than the Begum had dared to expect, and he appointed his garden,
adjacent to the city walls, and indeed included within the precincts of
the fortifications, as the place of their meeting; the hour noon, on the
day succeeding his arrival; for the natives seldom move early in the
morning, or before having broken their fast. This was intimated to the
Begum's messenger by the Prince in person, as, kneeling before him, he
presented the _mizzar_, (a tribute consisting of three, five, or seven
gold Mohurs, always an odd number,) and received in exchange a khelaut,
or dress of honour. The messenger, in return, was eloquent in describing
the importance of his mistress, her devoted veneration for the Prince,
the pleasure which she experienced on the prospect of their motakul, or
meeting, and concluded with a more modest compliment to his own
extraordinary talents, and the confidence which the Begum reposed in
him.
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