Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/157

Book VII. This opinion was probably suggested to him by the Seats, who knew the abilities of Omichund, and might apprehend that his influence with the English would interfere with their own, if he should have a leading part in the intended revolution. This restraint very much perplexed Mr. Watts: for Omichund had already been trusted too far, to be now treated with diffidence, without much risque to the scheme, i£ he should by other means discover the real cause, why no farther attention was had to the proposals of Yar Khan Latty. Mr. Watts soon found, that such evasions as men in his situation generally employed, could not elude his sagacity, and therefore told him the confederacy with Jaffier; but had delayed this confidence so long, that Omichund saw it was extorted by fear and necessity. From this hour implacable hatred arose between them, although they co-operated in the conduct of the confederacy. From his own experience of the practices of Indostan, Omichund had no doubt that Mr. Watts would be amply rewarded by Jaffier, if the revolution succeeded. At the same time he found that no advantage was intended for himself more than restitution in common with the other Gentoo merchants of Calcutta, but that he should run the same risque of his person as Mr. Watts, which to both were great indeed; and more of his fortune, as being much greater than Mr. Watt's: he therefore claimed a commission of five in the hundred on all the Nabob's treasures in money, and a fourth part of his jewels. The common people, to whom numbers give no distinct ideas, rated them at 45 millions of pounds sterling, which nothing but idiotism could believe; but better enquirers supposed them to be four millions and a half; on which Omichund's share would have been 675,000 pounds sterling. The audacity of the pretension implied malignant art; but it is said he threatened to reveal the conspiracy to the Nabob, if not complied with. If so, the boldest iniquity could not go farther. Mr. Watts in his letter on this subject intimates, that he had some apprehensions of such a consequence if Omichund were not satisfied. However, in their conference he evaded a positive