“Before I answer you, sir,” I said, “permit me to ask you a question. You have acknowledged making use of Omy Chund’s servant to keep me in the Fort at the time the rest of the European females escaped. You know by what means he effected your purpose—by bringing word to me of his finding my father wounded to death in one of our outposts, when the gentlemen who had last seen him declared that he was well and unhurt. Was this, sir, a part of your plan? Did you bring about the murder of my father in order that you might carry into execution your designs against his unhappy daughter?”
I stood up and regarded him, and his eyes fell before mine, but he sought to speak with his usual lightness of tone. “If Clarissa seeks to hold me responsible for all the deeds done by my agents, I fear the record will be but a black one,” he said. “Can she imagine that her adorer would desire to raise his hand against one dear to her? The Gentoo fellow had his orders given him to carry out, but the means of doing so were left to himself.”
“Enough, sir!” I said. “Hitherto I have thought you might not be guilty of this crowning infamy, but now I am persuaded that you suggested if you did not order it. And in return for the murder of the father you seek to obtain the hand of the daughter! The reward may be but a poor one, but it’s beyond your reach. I will never become your wife, sir—never, never, never!”
“I think you will, madam. This display of heroics don’t displease me, even without the entertainment it affords. One can allow some degree of passion to the last female of your nation in India.”
“The last female of my nation in India, sir?”
“Why, yes, madam, the last. You en’t aware that when Mr Clive had forsook Madrass, Mons. Bussy swooped down upon the place by land, and Count Lally by sea, finding it an easy prey. Bombay was already fallen into our hands, and the smaller factories were dealt with by a detached squadron. The few English that survived these misfortunes have been embarked in their vessels and despatched to their own island. Britain don’t own a foot of Indian soil to-day—save for a huge quantity of graves. And is this the moment for Clarissa to use these bitter reproaches to her adorer, whose faults are all to be set down to the excess of his passion for herself? She’ll deign him a gracious answer?”
“The same answer, sir, as if she were the last female of her nation in the world—never—a thousand times never!”
“We shall see, madam. I think you en’t yet fully acquainted with Sinzaun’s disposition. Don’t consider it presumptuous if he tell you that when he returns from his journey you’ll plead to be allowed the favour he now offers you;” and he departed, leaving me more dead than alive.
The last female of our nation in India, Amelia! Is there any use in leaving these records of her fate, when there’s no one can read them or convey them home? Perhaps some future age may bring them to light, and I won’t destroy them. Do you remember my name in your prayers daily, my dear friend, as I do yours, and as we promised to do when we parted? If you knew at this moment that your Sylvia’s earnest prayer was for death, would you have the humanity to join your petitions with hers? If you truly loved your poor girl you would, for death is now her only hope. Clarissa died, you’ll remember, but I am so frightfully strong, and—I am the only female of our nation left in India.