"Has the Faujdar of Hugli power to countermand what the Faujdar of the capital has done?" "Why discuss that point?" said Diggle with a smile. "The Faujdar of Hugli is an officer of the Nawab; ’hoc sat est tibi’--blunt language, but the phrase is Tully’s." "Well, I waive that. But I am not satisfied that you, an Englishman, have authority to act for the Faujdar of Hugli. The crowd I see before me--a rabble of lathi-wallahs--clearly cannot be the Faujdar’s men." At this point he heard an exclamation from Bulger. The second body of men had come up and ranked themselves behind the first. "And may I ask," added Desmond, with a slight gesture to Bulger to restrain himself; he too had recognized the new-comers; "since when the Nawab has taken into his service the crew of an interloping English merchantman?" "I will give you full information, Mr. Burke," said Diggle suavely, "when we stand together before my friend the Faujdar. In the meantime you will, if I may venture to advise, consult your interest best in yielding to superior numbers and delivering up the goods." "And what about myself, Mr. Diggle?" "You, of course, will accompany me to the Faujdar. He will be incensed, I make no doubt, at your temerity, and not unjustly; but I will intercede for you, and you will be treated with the most delicate attentions." "You speak fair, Mr. Diggle," said Desmond, still bent upon gaining time; "but that is your way. What assurance have I that you will, this time, keep your word?" "You persist in misjudging me," said Diggle regretfully. "As Cicero says in the play, you construe things after your fashion, clean from the purpose of the things themselves. My interest in you is undiminished; nay rather, it is increased and mixed with admiration. My offers still hold good: join hands with me, and I promise you that you shall soon be a _persona grata_ at the court of Murshidabad, with wealth and honours in your grasp." "Your offer is tempting, Mr. Diggle, to a poor adventurer like me, and if only my own interests were involved, I might strike a bargain with you. I have had such excellent reasons to trust you in the past! But the goods are not mine; they are Mr. Merriman’s; and the utmost I can do at present is to ask you to draw your men off and wait while I send a messenger to Calcutta. When he returns with Mr. Merriman’s consent to the delivery of the goods, then----"