ay me now
you will cruelly tax and oppress your subjects to refill your coffers.
And many of your subjects are true believers, following the prophet,
upon whom be peace; and it is also written 'Thou shalt rob a stranger,
but thou shalt not rob a brother,'--and if I cause you to rob my
brethren is not the sin mine, and the atonement thereof? Now also has
the lawful interest on your bond mounted up to several lakhs of rupees.
But for the sake of my brethren who are in bondage to you, who are an
unbeliever and shall broil everlastingly in raging flames, I will yet
make a covenant with you, and the agreement thereof shall be this:

"You shall deliver into my hand, before the dark half of the next moon,
the man"--Isaacs lowered his voice to a whisper, barely audible in the
still room, where the only sound heard as he paused was the tread of the
sowar on the verandah outside-- "the man Shere Ali, formerly Emir of
Afghanistan, now hidden in your palace of Baithopoor. Him you shall give
to me safe and untouched at the place which I shall choose, northwards
from here, in the pass towards Keitung. And there shall not be an hair
of his head touched, and if it is good in my eyes I will give him up to
the British; and if it is good in my eyes, I will slay him, and you
shall ask no questions. And if you refuse to do this I will go to the
great lord sahib and tell him of your doings, and you will be arrested
before this night and shall not escape. But if you consent and put your
hand to this agreement, I will speak no word, and you shall depart in
peace; and moreover, for the sake of the true believers in your kingdom
I will remit to you the whole of the interest on your debt; and the bond
you shall pay at your convenience. I have spoken, do you answer me."
Isaacs calmly took from his pocket two rolls covered with Persian
writing, and lighting a cigarette, proceeded to peruse them carefully,
to detect any flaw or error in their composition. The face of the old
maharajah betrayed great emotion, but he bravely pulled away at his
hookah and tried to think over the situation. In the hope of delivering
himself from his whole debt he had rashly given himself into the hands
of a man who hated him, though he had discovered that hatred too late.
He had flattered himself that the loan had been made out of friendly
feeling and a desire for his interest and support; he found that Isaacs
had lent the money, for real or imaginary religious motives,