Page:History of the French in India.djvu/289

 LA TOUCHE ATTACKS NASlR JANG. 267 mingled with fear, of the French nation, and especially chap. of the statesman who was so daringly guiding its,. ' m fortunes in India, gave to the proposals of Dupleix a 1750, weight which they found it difficult to resist. A secret agreement was accordingly arrived at between the two parties, which stipulated that if Nasir Jang should refuse any longer to agree to the terms offered by Dupleix, but should decide upon marching against the French, the malcontent nobles should withdraw their forces from those of their feudal superior, and should range themselves, a short distance from, them, under the nag of France. To such an extent were the details of this arrangement carried out that a French standard was secretly conveyed to the malcontents, to be by them on the proper occasion hoisted on the back of an ele- phant in the most conspicuous part of the field. Other secret arrangements were at the same time entered into between MuzafTar Jang and the conspirators, with which Dupleix had no concern. There can be little doubt but that the death of the Subadar and the distri- bution of his treasures equally between MuzafTar Jang on one side and the conspirators on the other were resolved upon. But meanwhile better thoughts had come over Nasir Jang. The difficulties of his army, the fear of finding himself engaged in a long and doubtful campaign with an enemy whom he dreaded, and, above all, the depri- vation of much loved pleasures which this campaign would necessitate, induced him to reconsider the terms repeatedly pressed upon him by Dupleix. To these he had given no reply. But when the fine days of the early December showed him that the time had arrived when action could not be avoided, he determined to give up everything, to set free MuzafFar Jang, to yield Machlipatan, to appoint Chanda Sahib — to make any concession, in fact, so that he might be free to drain the cup of pleasure. He accordingly wrote to Dupleix,