to the Nazim's tent; nor does any landholder or merchant of Oude
enter his tent without the pledges for personal security above
mentioned. Ramdut Pandee and the Rajah entered with only a few
personal servants, leaving all their other attendants outside the
outer curtain. This curtain surrounded the tent at a distance of only
a few yards from it, and the tent was pitched in the centre. They
were received with all due ceremony, and in the same friendly manner
as usual. The Rajah had no business to talk about, while the Nazim
and banker had; and, after a short conversation, he took leave to
return to his tents and break his fast, which he had kept that day
for some religious purpose. He left in the tent the Nazim, his
deputy, Jafir Allee, and his nephew and son-in-law, Allee Hoseyn,
sitting together on the carpet, on the right, all armed, and Ramdut
sitting unarmed, on the left, with a Brahmin lad, Jowahir, standing
at the door, with the banker's paundan and a handkerchief. Kurunjoo,
a second person, with the banker's shoes, and a third attendant of
his standing outside the tent door.

The Nazim and Ramdut talked for some time together, seemingly on the
most friendly and cordial terms; but the Nazim, at last, asked him
for a further loan of money, and further securities for landholders
of doubtful character, before he went to bathe. The banker told him,
that he could lend him no more money till he came back from bathing,
as he had lent him eighty thousand rupees only eight days before;
and, that he could not increase his pledges of security without
further consultation with the landholders, as he had not yet
recovered more than four out of the seven lacs of rupees which he had
been obliged to advance to the Treasury, on the securities given for
them during the last year. He then took leave and rose to depart. The
Nazim turned and made some sign to his deputy, Jafir Allee, who rose,
presented his gun and shot Ramdut through the right side close under
the arm-pit. Exclaiming "Ram! Ram!"--God! God!--the banker fell; and
the Nazim, seizing and drawing the sword which lay on the carpet
before him, cut the falling banker across the forehead. His nephew
and deputy drew theirs; and together they inflicted no less than
twenty-two cuts upon the body of Ramdut.

The banker's three attendants, seeing their master thus shot down and
hacked to pieces, called out for help; but one of the three ruffians
cut Jowahir, the Brahmin lad, acr