o make his innocence shine forth with redoubled
luster.

"Already this morning I went to the governor, to protest in favor of our
young prince. 'As it was through me,' I said, 'that those three great
criminals fell into the hands of the authorities, let them at least
show me some gratitude, by doing everything to render clear as day the
innocence of Prince Djalma, so interesting by reason of his misfortunes
and noble qualities. Most certainly,' I added, 'when I came yesterday to
inform the governor, that the Phansegars would be found assembled in
the ruins of Tchandi, I was far from anticipating that any one would
confound with those wretches the adopted son of General Simon, an
excellent man, with whom I have had for some time the most honorable
relations. We must, then, at any cost, discover the inconceivable
mystery that has placed Djalma in this dangerous position;' and, I
continued, 'so convinced am I of his innocence, that, for his own sake,
I would not ask for any favor on his behalf. He will have sufficient
courage and dignity to wait patiently in prison for the day of justice.'
In all this, you see, I spoke nothing but the truth, and had not to
reproach myself with the least deception, for nobody in the world is
more convinced than I am of Djalma's innocence.

"The governor answered me as I expected, that morally he felt as certain
as I did of the innocence of the young prince, and would treat him with
all possible consideration; but that it was necessary for justice to
have its course, because it would be the only way of demonstrating
the falsehood of the accusation, and discovering by what unaccountable
fatality that mysterious sign was tattooed upon Djalma's arm.

"Mahal the Smuggler, who alone could enlighten justice on this subject,
will in another hour have quitted Batavia, to go on board the 'Ruyter,'
which will take him to Egypt; for he has a note from me to the captain,
to certify that he is the person for whom I engaged and paid the
passage. At the same time, he will be the bearer of this long despatch,
for the 'Ruyter' is to sail in an hour, and the last letter-bag for
Europe was made up yesterday evening. But I wished to see the governor
this morning, before closing the present.

"Thus, then, is Prince Djalma enforced detained for a month, and, this
opportunity of the 'Ruyter' once lost, it is materially impossible that
the young Indian can be in France by the 13th of next February. You see,
the