w two years since this untoward
catastrophe. With the crew I am conveyed hither and eat the bitter crust
of servitude. Some of the Dutchmen are consigned to other forts in
possession of the Pirate, and three serve here in his state barge."

Desmond glanced at the sleeping forms.

"No, sir, they are not here," said the Babu {equivalent to Mr.; applied
by the English to the native clerk}, catching his look. "They share
another apartment with your countrymen--chained? Oh, yes! These, my
bedfellows of misfortune, are Indians, not of Bengal, like myself; two
are Biluchis hauled from a country ship; two are Mussulmans from Mysore;
one a Gujarati; two Marathas. We are a motley crew--a miscellany, no
less."

"What do they do with you in the daytime?"

"I, sir, adjust accounts of the Pirate's dockyard; for this I am
qualified by prolonged driving of quill in Calcutta, to expressed
satisfaction of Honorable John Company and English merchants. But my
position, sir, is of Damoclean anxiety. I am horrified by conviction that
one small error of calculation will entail direst retribution. Videlicet,
sir, this week a fellow captive is minus a finger and thumb--and all for
oversight of six annas {the anna is the 16th part of a rupee}. But I hear
the step of our jailer; I must bridle my tongue."

The Babu had spoken throughout in a low monotonous tone that had not
disturbed the slumbers of his fellow prisoners. But they were all
awakened by the noisy opening of the door and the entrance of their
jailer. He went to each in turn, and unlocked their fetters; then they
filed out in dumb submission, to be escorted by armed sentries to the
different sheds where they fed, each caste by itself.

When the eight had disappeared the jailer turned to Desmond, and, taking
him by the sleeve, led him across the courtyard into the palace. Here, in
a little room, he was given a meager breakfast of rice; after which he
was taken to another room where he found Angria in company with a big
Maratha, who had in his hand a long bamboo cane. The Pirate was no longer
in durbar {council, ceremonial} array, but was clad in a long yellow robe
with a lilac-colored shawl.

Conscious that he made a very poor appearance in his tatters, Desmond
felt that the two men looked at him with contempt. A brief conversation
passed between them; then the Maratha salaamed to Angria and went from
the room, beckoning Desmond to follow him. They went out of the precinc