Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/359

Book IX received as a complete naval victory; two of the French ships sunk in the fight, instead of one stranded afterwards by a mischance; the rest put to flight, with no likelihood of being able to land the troops which they had brought for Pondicherry.

The Nabob had transmitted to his son Meerum his own vexation at the attention which Olive had shewn to the preservation of Roydoolub, by taking him with him to Muxadavad, when the campaign broke up at Bar. Meerum had not been able to suppress some expressions of indignation, which were reported to Conjebeharry, the brother of Roydoolub, who acted in the city as his deputy in the office of duan; the brother, too solicitous for Roydoolub's satiety, and his own, had tampered with a considerable Jemautdar in the Nabob's service, who gave his oath to act, whenever danger should require, in defence of Roydoolub's house. Meerum obtained knowledge of this agreement just as Clive and Roydoolub were approaching the city, which he immediately quitted with much appearance of fear, and went to Mootagil, one of the palaces in the neighbourhood, where he summoned all the troops and artillery of the government, giving out that he intended to march away to his father, who had not yet passed the straight of Tacriagully. The more obscure the cause, the greater was the terror raised by this abrupt resolution. The markets were deserted, the shops were shut, the bankers, even the Seats, would do no business, and many principal families prepared to send away their effects. The city had been for two days in this trepidation, when Clive arrived, and on enquiry, found that Meerum affected to suspect even him of joining with Roydoolub in evil intentions against his life. He immediately wrote to the Nabob, complaining of Meerum in the sharpest terms, and said, that he would no longer remain in Bengal, sacrificing zeal to distrust; he, however, sagaciously refrained from making any mention in this letter of the late news from Coromandel, foreseeing, that it would make a stronger impression on the Nabob's mind, when received, magnified as it would come with advantageous circumstances by the report of others. The Nabob answered with much contrition; but before his letter arrived,