ather
than to the lad, "that high office is a thing to be desired. It
means being mixed up in intrigues of all kinds, being the object of
jealousy and hatred, and running a terrible risk of ruin at every
change in the government here."

Then he turned again to Harry.

"And what are you thinking of doing?"

"I will speak frankly to your highness. I am not a Mahratta, as you
and everyone else suppose. I am the son of English parents."

And he then went on to give an account of the killing of his father
and mother, and of how he was saved by Soyera, and brought up as
her son; until such times as he might, with advantage, go down to
Bombay. Nana listened with great interest.

"It is a strange tale," he said, when Harry brought the story to a
conclusion, "and explains things which have, at times, surprised
me. In the first place, the colour of your eyes always struck me as
peculiar. Then your figure is not that of my countrymen. There are
many as tall as you; but they have not your width of shoulders, and
strong build. Lastly, I have wondered how a young Mahratta should
be endowed with so much energy and readiness, be willing to take
heavy responsibilities on his shoulders, and to be so full of
resource.

"Now that you have told me your story, I think you are right to go
down and join your own people. Everything is disturbed, and nothing
is certain from day to day here. I was a fugitive but a short time
ago and, ere long, I may again be an exile.

"Moreover, no one can tell what may happen to him. Your people are
quarrelling with Tippoo, as they quarrelled with his father, Hyder;
and I think that, before long, it is possible they will overthrow
him, and take possession of his territory.

"Were the various powers of India united, this could not be so; but
the English will always find some ready to enter into an alliance
with them, and will so enlarge their dominions. The Mahrattas may
laugh at the idea of their being overthrown, by such small armies
as those the English generals command; but our constant
dissensions, and the mutual jealousy between Holkar, Scindia, the
Peishwa, the Rajah of Berar, and others, will prevent our ever
acting together. It may be that we shall be conquered piecemeal.

"I have watched, very closely, all that has taken place in southern
India and in Bengal. I have seen a handful of traders gradually
swallowing up the native powers, and it seems to me that it may
well be that, in time, th