t England. The Shahzada, however, thought
the opportunity a favourable one for another invasion, and on the
28th of February, 1760, Law again started to join him. Patna was
besieged, and, according to Broome, was very nearly captured, owing
to Law's skill and the courage of his Frenchmen. In fact, the French
were on the ramparts, when Dr. Fullerton and the English sepoys
arrived just in time to drive them back.[113]

The siege was raised, and the Prince's general, Kamgar Khan, led the
army about the country with apparently no object but that of
plunder. This suited the Marathas, but did not suit Law. On one
occasion he was ordered with his own troops and a body of Marathas
to capture the little fort of Soupy. The French stormed it at three
o'clock in the morning, but found that the Marathas, who had
carefully avoided the breach, had swarmed the walls, where there was
no one to oppose them, and were carrying off the plunder.

"My chief occupation and that of the officers, for more
than five hours during which we stayed in Soupy, was to
keep our soldiers and sepoys from bayoneting the Marathas,
who, without having incurred the least danger, had, by their
cleverness and lightness, carried off more than twenty times
as much as our own men, observing among themselves a
kind of order in their plundering, very like that of monkeys
when they strip a field."

In fact, Law had a personal altercation with the Maratha commander
about a young and beautiful Hindu woman, whom the Maratha wished to
seize, but whom Law was determined to restore unhurt to her
relations, who lived in a village close by.

For the capture of the fort, Law received from the Shahzada various
high-sounding titles and the right to have the royal music played
before him; but as he could not afford to entertain the native
musicians, he allowed the privilege to sleep.

In 1760 Mr. Vansittart assumed the Governorship of Bengal, and his
first act was to complete the project begun by his predecessor, Mr.
Holwell, namely, the dethronement of Mir Jafar. This was effected on
the 20th of October, 1760; the ex-Nawab went quietly to Calcutta,
and Mir Kasim reigned in his stead. The Shahzada had now become
Emperor by the death of his father, and had assumed the title of
Shah Alam. He was still hanging with his army round Patna, and Mir
Kasim and the English determined to bring him to book. Kamgar Khan
continued to lead the Imperial army aimlessly abou