I showed him the written authority I had received from Meer Jaffier,
and then, in as few words as possible, told him the story of Rupert
and Marian, and of my resolution to deliver or avenge them.

"Go, my boy," he said when I had finished. "I will give you an order
in my own name, as well as that you have from the Meer Jaffier; and
God grant you may be in time to save your cousin and your sweetheart
from the fury of that young tiger we have driven into his lair."

It was late at night that I came for the last time, riding on an
elephant, into the city of Moorshedabad. Through the crowded streets I
urged my way, escorted by a handful of Meer Jaffier's horsemen, and
seeing on every hand the tokens of the anarchy which had followed upon
the news of Plassy. The people were abroad, lights gleamed in every
direction, men ran hither and thither, and doors stood open with no
one to guard the entrance.

As we drew near to the palace of the Nabob the confusion increased.
From the shouts of the crowd in answer to our questions we gathered
that Surajah Dowlah had entered the city secretly after his flight
from the field of battle, that he had called his parasites around him,
that there had been rumours of another levy and another battle, that
his heart had again failed him, that he was expected to fly once
more, that he might at that very moment be making his escape before
the approach of his successor.

As the palace came into view it was evident that if Surajah Dowlah
were not already gone, his presence had ceased to act as a restraint
on his former servants. The courtyard was crammed with a struggling
throng of palace menials and robbers out of the streets, all engaged
in the work of plunder. Some were staggering down the steps, entangled
in the folds of brocades and sumptuous shawls, others bore tulwars and
scymetars encrusted with gems, some were stripping the gold off robes,
others picking rubies and sapphires out of their sockets with the
points of daggers, and secreting them about their persons. The ground
was strewn with plunder thrown away in favour of something more
valuable, rich vessels of green jade lay broken in one place, and
silken garments were trodden underfoot in another. And all this was
merely the loot of the outer rooms of the palace, for the treasury was
not yet touched.

At our approach the work ceased. The rioters began to escape, and the
eunuchs and soldiers belonging to the palace shrank back to t