Tales and Novels — Volume 02: Popular TalesEdgeworth, Maria
General
Tales and Novels — Volume 02: Popular Tales
Edgeworth, Maria
Fiction
‘There were some silver trumpets, newly made, brought in to him for
his inspection, and which he desired the trumpeters to sound _hauw_ and
_jauw_; i.e. come and go; after which, he asked me if they were like
those I saw at Madras. I answered, Yes; but those at Madras are made of
copper. He asked me again whether the tune was any thing like what I had
ever heard. I answered, No. How then? says he; and presently ordering
the instrument to be put into my hands, desired me to blow. I told him,
very civilly, that I could not blow. No! says he: you could; what are
you afraid of? I told him again that I spoke truth; and that I was
brought up in a school where my master informed me what lying was, and
always punished those boys that spoke untruths.
* * * * *
‘June 11th. After this the sultan arose (five hours being elapsed) to
quit the court, and desired the present (of a hundred rupees) to be
delivered into my hands, with these words: “This is given you as a
present for the trouble you took in performing those experiments, which
verily pleased me;” and a command that I am to stay in the fort ten
days; “after which,” he continued, “I will send you to Kistnagherry,
with two hircarrahs, in order to conduct you safely through my country.”
I returned the compliment with a salam, in the manner I was instructed;
saying that I thankfully accepted his present, and am willing to obey
his commands. The language which the sultan used was the Carnatic
Malabar. Mine very little differed from his. Poornbia was the
interpreter of such terms as the sultan did not understand.’}
“Well,’ said Dr. Bell, ‘since that time Tippoo Sultan has been at war,
and has had no leisure, I suppose, for the study of philosophy, or
mathematics; but now that he has just made peace, and wants something
to amuse him, he has sent to the government at Madras, to request that
I will permit some of my scholars to pay a second visit at his court to
refresh the memory of the aruzbegs, and, I presume, to exhibit some new
wonders for Tippoo’s entertainment.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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