“Perhaps,” said my lord, “you might be content to render that pleasure a lasting one, sir, by taking service with our Company in the stead of your own?”
“My lord,” says I, mighty astonished, “I han’t never yet thought of taking such a step.”
There came a look of some impatience upon my lord’s face on his hearing this, and I remembered his words said to me in his closet, before he started on his late adventure, and wondered whether they were meant to move me to this step. But I saying no more, he went on—
“I must needs be surprised, sir (though I should not be so, knowing your mild and forgiving constitution), to hear that you purpose to pass over the unkind treatment you have received at the hands of the President at Surat, and invite him to take you again into the service. Have you forgot that you lie under a suspicion of undeserved disgrace, and that your name is already removed from your Company’s books? Pray, why should you not join yourself to us, and engage your excellent parts and conditions in a service where they will be deservedly prized?”
To this I made little answer, being so much confused in my mind as to what I should say, wherefore his lordship continued.
“You have already seen, sir, how the Dutch are put to flight, and the Moors forced to keep at a distance from our walls. When help reaches us from France, as sure it must before many months are over, we shall destroy our enemies with a great blow. And that accomplished, I don’t purpose to waste my life in trading, as do you English, but to lay the foundations of a great empire for his majesty. For traffic, as I fear, I have small talent, but heaven hath granted me some little skill in statecraft, and here there is provided a field the most advantageous for such powers, in the dissensions and jealousies of the Mogul emperor and his princes. If heaven continue to vouchsafe me the aid it has afforded hitherto, I look to make myself a power by an alliance with the King of Gulconda, helping him to conquer the kings lying around him. This should easily be accomplished during the present absence of the Dutch, and I shall write myself down a fool if on their return they don’t find the whole coast closed to ’em. And this assured, I would first use a portion of my reinforcements to strengthen our factories at Surat and Mechlapatan, and taking the rest with me, would then proceed to visit the court of Seva Gi, for to confirm our league with him. This being done, I would use my efforts to reconcile him with the King of Gulconda, I myself acting both as the means and the bond of this alliance, and see you there! I have power across the whole of Duccan, and far into the Mogul’s dominions to the north. The emperor must reckon with me then, and I think that even Auren Zeeb himself would pause before attempting war against such a confederacy. Then I have the situation in my hands. How does this plan strike you, sir?”
“It seems a very bold and splendid scheme, my lord,” said I.
“Yet to accomplish it,” says my lord, “I must needs secure myself from the jealous interference of those in France, that consider they know more of Indian matters than I, who am in the Indies. As you may have perceived, sir, some of my officers are badly affected towards me, and seek every pretext to write calumnies against me to the minister. I can say truly that I don’t fear their machinations so long as I am acquainted with ’em beforehand, and yet it an’t consistent with my quality, nor with the high dignity that his majesty hath conferred upon me, to mingle with these persons and find out their intentions for myself. I need some person in my following that will be one of ’em and yet a faithful friend to me. Once” (and he looked at me) “I thought that I had found such an one, but now I fear that fortune was but deluding me once more. Is such a situation as this beneath your expectations and your hopes, Mr Carlyon?”
“Indeed, my lord, ’tis so high above ’em that I can’t at present think on’t calmly,” said I.
“You would gain,” says he, “experience and wisdom, and much honour withal. Wealth likewise, but I won’t injure you by supposing that that could move you. And there are other rewards, greater, such as one names not in words, but which await the trusted helper,” here he looked me again full in the face, so that my eyes fell before his. “Come, sir,” saith he, mighty encouraging, “can you hesitate? You gain so much in joining yourself to us, and lose so little, merely a king that can’t provide a place for you, though your father spent all he had in his service, and a desk and many years of weary work in the Surat Factory.”