shut up in Tcheringham, was delivered over to his rival by a
Tanjore chieftain in whom he trusted; he was put to death; and the French
commandant, a nephew of Law's, surrendered to the English. Two French
corps had already been destroyed by Clive, who held the third army
prisoners. Bussy was carrying on war in the Deccan, with great
difficulty making head against overt hostilities and secret intrigues.
The report of Dupleix's reverses arrived in France in the month of
September, 1752.

[Illustration: Death of the Nabob of the Carnatic----174]

The dismay at Versailles was great, and prevailed over the astonishment.
There had never been any confidence in Dupleix's projects, there had been
scarcely any belief in his conquests. The soft-hearted inertness of
ministers and courtiers was almost as much disgusted at the successes as
at the defeats of the bold adventurers who were attempting and risking
all for the aggrandizement and puissance of France in the East. Dupleix
secretly received notice to demand his recall. He replied by proposing
to have M. de Bussy nominated in his place. "Never was so grand a fellow
as this Bussy," he wrote. The ministers and the Company cared little for
the grandeur of Bussy or of Dupleix; what they sought was a dastardly
security, incessantly troubled by the enterprises of the politician and
the soldier. The tone of England was more haughty than ever, in
consequence of Clive's successes. The recall of Dupleix was determined
upon.

The Governor of Pondicherry had received no troops, but he had managed to
reorganize an army, and had resumed the offensive in the Carnatic; Bussy,
set free at last as to his movements in the Deccan, was preparing to
rejoin Dupleix. Clive was ill, and had just set out for England: fortune
had once more changed front. The open conferences held with Saunders,
English Governor of Madras, failed in the month of January, 1754; Dupleix
wished to preserve the advantages he had won; Saunders refused to listen
to that. The approach of a French squadron was signalled; the ships
appeared to be numerous. Dupleix was already rejoicing at the arrival of
unexpected aid, when, instead of an officer commanding the twelve hundred
soldiers from France, he saw the apparition of M. Godeheu, one of the
directors of the Company, and but lately his friend and correspondent.
"I come to supersede you, sir," said the new arrival, without any
circumstance; "I have full powers fro