ved that he was mixed up with the fiddlers,
and was afraid of their being removed, or he would have carried his
Majesty's order for their dismissal into effect." He then advanced to
the King, shook him by the hand, apologized for intruding upon him
after his excuse of illness, and stated--"that his own character was
at stake, and he had been obliged to take this step to save it, and
requested that the minister might be told to retire during the
conversation, as he had already shown his partiality for the
characters whom his Majesty had stigmatized as low, intriguing, and
untrustworthy--as ruiners of his good name and his kingdom, and the
cause of ill-feeling between the British Government and himself. The
King expressed a wish that the minister might remain, that he might
have an opportunity to listen to what Captain Bird had to state, as
it appeared to be against him. Captain Bird replied, that he had no
complaint to make against the minister; that his object in coming
was, to claim the fulfilment of the promise which his Majesty had so
solemnly made to him, to dismiss Gholam Ruza and his sister, and
Kotub Allee, and send them across the Ganges; that he was induced to
demand this audience by the minister's visit of the preceding
evening, to ask him to excuse his Majesty's fulfilling the promise
which he had made; and by the written report given to him that
morning by the news-writer, stating, that his Majesty had changed his
mind, and pardoned the parties."

The King declared that he had never given Captain Bird any such
promise. Captain Bird then repeated to his Majesty the conversation
which had taken place on that occasion. The King seemed to be
staggered; but the minister came to his aid, and said--"that his
Majesty had ascertained from Sadik Allee himself, that Gholam Ruza
was not an accomplice in that affair." Captain Bird replied--"that
the King had told him, that the deception had been so fully proved,
that they were speechless; and that his Majesty had spit in their
faces." The King said "not in Gholam Ruza's. His sister and Kotub
Allee are alone guilty." Captain Bird urged, that all were alike
guilty, and he besought the King to fulfil his promise, saying,--"that
his, Captain Bird's, name was at stake; that if the parties were not
removed, the whole city would say, that the King had bribed him, and
bought off his promise." The King replied, "This is all nonsense; do
you wish me to swear that Gholam Ruza is i