tal to the fortunes of Suraja Dowlah. When the news of the
death of his brave and faithful general reached him, he was struck
with terror. He had long suspected Meer Jaffier of treachery, but he
had now no one else to rely upon. Sending for that general he reminded
him, in touching terms, of the benefits which he had received at the
hands of his father; and conjured him to be faithful to him. Throwing
his turban upon the ground, he said:

"Jaffier, you must defend that turban."

Jaffier responded with assurances of his loyalty and sincerity, and
promised to defend his sovereign with his life. Then, riding off, he
at once despatched a messenger to Clive, informing him of what had
happened, and urging him to attack at once.

As long as Mir Mudin Khan lived, it is probable that Meer Jaffier was
still undecided as to the part he should play. While that general
lived it was possible, even probable, that the English would be
defeated, even should the traitors take no part against them. His
death, however, left the whole management of affairs in the hands of
the three conspirators, and their course was now plain.

Scarcely had Meer Jaffier left the nabob, than the unhappy young man,
who was still under twenty years old, turned to Rajah Dulab Ram for
counsel and advice. The traitor gave him counsel that led to his
destruction. He told him that the English could not be attacked in
their position; that his troops, exposed to the fire of their guns,
were suffering heavily and losing heart; and he advised him, at once,
to issue orders for them to fall back within their intrenchments. He
also advised him to leave the field himself, and to retire to
Moorshedabad, leaving it to his generals to annihilate the English,
should they venture to attack them.

Suraja Dowlah, at no time capable of thinking for himself, and now
bewildered by the death of the general he knew to be faithful to him,
and by his doubts as to the fidelity of the others, fell into the
snare. He at once issued orders for the troops to retire within their
intrenchments; and then, mounting a swift camel, and accompanied by
two thousand horsemen, he left the field, and rode off to
Moorshedabad.

The movement of retirement at once commenced. The three traitor
generals drew off their troops, and those of Mir Mudin Khan also
obeyed orders, and fell back. Saint Frais, however, refused to obey.
He saw the ruin which would follow upon the retreat, and he pluckily
conti