are executed on the merest excuse or, if not executed, are
murdered?"

"That is true enough," Ramdass said; "none of the three princes
would hesitate to put to death anyone who stood in his way, and it
seems strange to me that even the Brahmins, who would not take the
life even of a troublesome insect, yet support the men who have
killed scores of other people. But it is no use grumbling; the
thing has always been, and I suppose always will be. It is not only
so in the Deccan, but in the Nizam's dominions, in Mysore and, so
far as I know, in Oude and Delhi. It seems so natural to us that
the powerful should oppress the weak, and that one prince should go
to war with another, that we hardly give the matter a thought; but
though, as you say, the English in Bombay may rule wisely, and
dislike taking life, they are doing now just as our princes
do--they are making war with us."

"That is true but, from what I have heard when the English sahibs
were speaking together, it is everything to them that a prince
favourable to them should rule at Poonah for, were Holkar and
Scindia to become all powerful, and place one of their people on
the seat of the Peishwa, the next step might be that a great
Mahratta force would descend the Ghauts, capture Bombay, and slay
every white man in it."

"But they are a mere handful," Ramdass said. "How can they think of
invading a nation like ours?"

"Because they know, at least they believe, that Scindia, Holkar,
and the Peishwa are all so jealous of each other that they will
never act together. Then you see what they have done round Madras
and Bengal and, few as they are, they have won battles against the
great princes; and lastly, my mistress has told me that, although
there are but few here, there are many at home; and they could, if
they chose, send out twenty soldiers for every one there is here.

"Besides, it is not these alone who fight. The natives enlist under
them, and aid them in their conquests; and this shows, at least,
that they are well treated, and have confidence in the good faith
of the English."

"It is all very well, Soyera, to talk that way; but I would as
willingly believe that the stars will fall from the sky as that
these Englishmen, who simply live in Bombay because we suffer them
to do so, should ever conquer the Mahrattas, as they have subdued
other portions of India where, as everyone knows, the people are
not warlike, and have always been conquered without di