ll the way
from your country here to amass a paltry sum of fifty thousand
rupees? Such a sum would not pay the expense of your establishment
here. I know well that you have a treasure somewhere hidden; but you
are resolved to keep it from me, the rightful master of this country.
I swear I will teach you that it is safer to stand in the path of a
mad elephant than to disobey the least command of Surajah Dowlah!"

He rolled his eyes savagely as he made these threats, which struck
dismay into the stoutest of us. Mr. Holwell attempted no further
answer, and presently the Nabob rose in a fury and marched out of the
hall, giving no orders concerning our disposal.

As soon as he was gone the general of his army, Meer Jaffier, came
down off the dais and approached us. He began offering some
expressions of sympathy to Mr. Holwell, and assured him that he would
use his influence with his nephew to procure our release.

While Meer Jaffier was talking to Mr. Holwell, I saw my cousin slowly
approaching me. I turned my back, so loth was I to hold intercourse
with him, but he came up, and persisted in addressing me.

"Athelstane, what has become of Marian Rising?" he asked abruptly.

"Nay, I leave that to you to find out, who delivered her to Surajah
Dowlah to be tortured and killed," I answered bitterly.

"See here, cousin," he said, infusing a touch of natural feeling into
his voice, "I swear to you, on the faith of a Ford, that I had not so
much as the least suspicion of the horrid treachery about to be
practised on you last night by these damned black devils. If I could
have had any notice of what was going forward, I would have returned
last night at all hazards, and delivered you. As regards Marian, I had
the most sacred pledges from both Meer Jaffier and Lal Moon that not
one hair of her head should be injured. I swear it."

"You swear very plentifully, it appears to me," I returned, preserving
a tone of mere contempt and hatred; "but I know not how your oaths can
serve you at the present time. Thanks to your evil persuasions, the
woman for whom you have many times pretended affection was last night
brought to the very door of death, and is now ill and captive among
the Moors. Me, your cousin, whom you first tempted to leave his home
and friends, and have since betrayed and misused and many times
attempted to slay, you see before you, in the power of those black
fiends, as you call them, who appear to be your good friend