Page:History of the French in India.djvu/294

 272 FRENCH INDIA AT ITS ZENITH. chap, prisoned Chanda Sahib with the prospect of a throne. Y1 '_, And now this policy had blossomed and borne fruit. !75Q Chanda Sahib, released from captivity by the efforts of Dupleix, had made common cause with Muzaffar Jang, the claimant of the viceregal dignity in the south of India, and, after many reverses, the two friends — thanks to French generalship and French valour — seemed to have attained the summit of their very highest wishes. The glory which M. Dupleix had acquired by this successful policy attained its most dazzling elevation when, on December 26, Muzaffar Jang and his fol- lowers arrived at Pondichery. Entering the town in a state palanquin, this ruler of thirty-five millions paid to the French Governor the homage and respect due to a feudal superior. He at once made over to him all the treasure, the jewels, the gold and silver orna- ments found in the camp of his late rival, and re- quested him to assume the office of arbitrator be- tween himself and his confederates, the Patan Nawwabs, with whom already misunderstandings had broken out. Dupleix in this trying position was true to the traditional policy of the French in India. It was a main portion of that policy to respect native customs, to conciliate native opinion, to rule by means of that rather than by force, to be liberal, generous, trustful, confiding. His position as the secret ruler of the Dakhan, directing all its resources, surely yet unosten- sibly, by means of its native ruler, keeping his own power, of the superior might of which he was assured, necessarily in the background, was in his opinion more strong and more really powerful than if he had claimed for himself the ostensible dignity, and with it a terri- torial extension such as would provoke the jealousy of those even who granted it. His first act, therefore, was to disclaim for his own part any share in the booty taken after the victory. This, he decided, in his quality of arbitrator, should be divided equally between