Page:Dupleix and the Struggle for India by the European Nations.djvu/124

Rh Truly had that prescient man foreseen the result of the timid action of Law. By his action in North Arcot, action which a mere accident, as he had the right to consider it, had caused to fail, he had procured for his general before Trichinopoli the time to make an assault which should be decisive. He could plead, he could implore, he could order, but he could not make Law fight. Not that Law was a coward. He had displayed his courage on many a field. It was the weight, the terrible weight, of moral responsibility which paralysed him. No man can be pronounced competent in action till he has been tried by that test. Under it, the Law who had been so brilliant when serving under another, was more useless than a child. To Dupleix, the weakness of his lieutenant caused a slow agony such as would have caused a man less buoyant to despair. What could he do with a man who had remained quiet whilst Káveripák was being fought, and who now, with Trichinopoli in front of him, was to be assailed by a fresh force led by the two most capable commanders the English possessed? He could not replace Law, for he had no one at his disposal. Bussy was at Aurangábád, D'Auteuil was still suffering, De la Touche was on the seas. There was, however, some hope of success if Law would but act. He occupied a central position, commanded the road from the coast; was well served by his native allies, and was still numerically stronger. If Law would but utilise these advantages, he might yet atone for the time wasted. Dupleix