He did not hesitate to
explain to the maharajah the strength of his position, dwelling on the
fact that, by a word to the English of the whereabouts of Shere Ali, he
could plunge Baithopoor into hopeless and endless entanglements, to
which there could be but one issue--absorption into the British Raj. He
dwelt on the large sums the maharajah owed him for assistance lent
during the late famine, and he skilfully produced the impression that he
wanted the money down, then and there.
"If your majesty should refuse to satisfy my just claims, I have ample
weapons by which to satisfy them for myself, and no considerations of
mercy or pity for your majesty will tempt me to abate one rupee in the
account of your indebtedness, which, as you well know, is not swelled by
any usurious interest. You could not have borrowed the money on such
easy terms from any bank in India or England, and if I have been
merciful hitherto, I will be so no longer. What saith the Apostle of
Allah? 'Verily, life for life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and
ear for ear, and tooth for tooth, and for wounding retaliation.' And the
time of your promise is expired and you shall pay me. And is not the
wise Frank, who sitteth at my right hand, the ready writer, who giveth
to the public every day a new book to read, the paper of news,
_Khabar-i-Khagaz_ wherein are written the misdeeds of the wicked, and
the dealings of the fraudulent and the unwary receive their just reward?
And think you he will not make a great writing, several columns in
length, and deliver it to the devils that perform his bidding, and shall
they not multiply what he hath written, and sow it broadcast over the
British Raj for the minor consideration of one anna a copy, that all
shall see how the Maharajah of Baithopoor doth scandalously repudiate
his debts, and harbour traitors to the Raj in his palace?"
Isaacs said all this in a solemn and impressive manner, calculated to
inspire awe and terror in the soul of the unhappy debtor.
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