The second of Mr. Martyn's guests, whom I must introduce as
being not a whit behind Sabat in his own opinion of himself, was
the Padre Julius Cæsar, an Italian monk of the order of the
Jesuits, a worthy disciple of Ignatius Loyola. Mr. Martyn had
become acquainted with him at Patna, where the Italian priest
was not less zealous and active in making proselytes than the
Company's chaplain, and probably much more wise and subtle in
his movements than the latter. The Jesuit was a handsome young
man, and dressed in the complete costume of the monk, with his
little skull-cap, his flowing robes, and his cord. The
materials, however, of his dress were very rich; his robe was of
the finest purple satin, and his cord of twisted silk, and his
rosary of costly stones, whilst his air and manner were
extremely elegant. He spoke French fluently, and there Mr.
Sherwood was at home with him, but his native language was
Italian. His conversation with Mr. Martyn was carried on partly
in Latin and partly in Italian. A third guest was a learned
native of India, in his full and handsome Hindustani costume;
and a fourth a little, thin, copper-coloured, half-caste
Bengali gentleman, in white nankeen, who spoke only Bengali. Mr.
Sherwood made a fifth, in his scarlet and gold uniform; myself,
the only lady, was the sixth; and add our host, Mr. Martyn, in
his clerical black silk coat, and there is our party. Most
assuredly I never listened to such a confusion of tongues before
or since. Such a noisy, perplexing Babel can scarcely be
imagined. Everyone who had acquired his views of politeness in
Eastern society was shouting at the top of his voice, as if he
had lost his fellow in a wood; and no less than eight languages
were in constant request, viz. English, French, Italian, Arabic,
Persian, Hindustani, Bengali, and Latin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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