If Buxoo, the barber, conceived it to be his duty to convey intelligence of the most trifling kind to all his customers, how much more so did he consider himself bound to treasure up every tittle of news for the ear of the minister! The circumstance of the dyer being posted at the door of the Durbar so early in the morning, he imagined might be acceptable news to the Deewan; or if not, he could not possibly anticipate the contrary. Ignorant of the active part the Deewan had taken in the disputes of the dyer and his opponent, poor Buxoo determined, if an opportunity offered, to mention his bit of news, trifling as it might be considered. On entering the Deewan's apartment, the obsequious barber bowed and smiled, and smiled and bowed again, hoping for the usual question of 'What news, Buxoo?' which the Deewan seldom failed to ask previous to trusting him with his beard. This day, however, the minister was unusually gloomy and reserved, and bade the babbling shaver be quick and dress his beard.

'To hear is to obey!' said the wondering Buxoo, and commenced his work.

There appearing but little chance of the Deewan's speaking first, Buxoo endeavoured to draw him into conversation, beginning with "Hot day my, lord." A nod was the only reply; but even this, as he had received no rebuke, was, he considered, a step gained, and supposed more of his observations would be agreeable; he therefore thus continued: 'Very hot indeed, and so some folks will find it to-day in Durbar; that they will; I would not be in their skins for a trifle.'

'Why to-day, Buxoo?' said the Deewan. Have you heard any particular news?'

VOL. I.

'News! oh, my lord! I believe I have indeed. Lord bless those who are in the wrong, that's all; but I said how 'twould be if once the clapper of that old fellow's jaws was set a-going.'

'Who? who? what old fellow?' asked the now curious Moyeed-din.

'Who, my lord? Why, who should it be but that old fellow who has been setting the whole bazaar by the ears? Oh, my lord, would you had had the trying him instead of the Cotwall; he would then have been effectually prevented from sneaking about the Durbar gates all night.'

'Villain!' cried the Deewan; 'speak! who is it you mean? who has been posted at the gates all night?'

The barber, terrified beyond measure at this unaccountable violence, dropped his scissors and his shaving apparatus, and fell flat on his face, heartily repenting the latitude he had given his tongue.

'Speak!' vociferated the Deewan, 'or, by Mahommed, I will smite your head off!'

'Spare me, my lord!' cried the trembling Buxoo; 'spare me. I will speak the dyer; the dyer-old Kuzl-bashee. The dyer, my lord, that is all, my lord; and may Providence protect him, and all that he has involved in his cursed complaint.'

This intelligence, which the inoffensive but imprudent barber had imagined to be of such minor importance, fell like a thunderbolt on the ears of the proud and haughty minister, who, not wishing to evince his perturbation before the barber, hastily dismissed him from his presence, although his beard was only half-dressed. Buxoo-bhae, waiting for no second command, quickly retreated.

Moye-ed-din summoned his secretary and his confidential clerks, and gave them peremptory orders to prevent, if possible, the dyer having access to the Musnud. They promised obedience, and in order to execute their commands hastened to the Durbar, where they found the unhappy Kuzl-bashee crouched in a corner, in conversation with several of the Cotwall's clerks. This scene convinced the Deewan's party they had come too late. One of them, however, contrived to gain the dyer's ear, and in a tone of pretended friendship strongly advised him not to risk applying to the Nuwab. Consider,' said he, 'how attached he is to the Deewan think you he will give ear to the complaints of fellows like you? Go home, and think no more of such folly!'

:

The poor petitioner began seriously to think this was indeed most wholesome advice, and was half-determined to follow it, when one of the Cotwall's clerks whispered in his ear not to heed whatever the Deewan's hanger-on had told him. 'Go on boldly,' said he, ‘and present your petition; the Nuwab detests the minister, and will assuredly investigate your case. For shame! are you a man, and thus fearful ? ›

'Now,' thought the dyer, 'what am I to do? one tells me one thing, and one another; oh! woe is me, that I ever consented to appear in this place!'

The Nuwab now entered the Durbar, amidst the loud praises of his Chobdars, who vociferated his titles and virtues through the lofty and spacious apartment.

your

'Now, Kuzl-bashee,' said the Cotwall's myrmidons, now is time! up, up, and lay your paper at his feet.'

The dyer attempted to do as he was bid, but was pulled back

by some of the opposite party, and again shoved forward by the Cotwall's adherents. This pulling and shoving was the confusion which attracted the notice of the Nuwab, who, as has been already related, at last became possessed of the blue-stained dirty petition of the unfortunate Kuzl-bashee, dyer in the city of Surat.

21

CHAPTER III.

FROM DEEWAN TO ATTAR.

THE Nuwab, having turned the affair in his mind, became fully sensible of the corrupt disposition of his Deewan; yet, from the length of time he had held his situation, felt reluctant to disgrace him by dismissal; at the same time justice demanded him to notice such mercenary and unjustifiable conduct. ·

Before the following morning, therefore, a messenger was despatched to the minister's palace, to inform the Deewan that the Nuwab would dispense with his presence in Durbar until further orders. It may be imagined how galling was a verbal message of this kind to the proud and haughty mind of Moye-ed-din. 'Had the Nuwab,' said he to himself, 'conveyed his orders to me in writing, sickness might have been urged as a plea for non-attendance at court, but as it is the whole city cannot fail to become acquainted with my disgrace.'

We must leave the dejected Deewan to repent his misdeeds, and return to the Nuwab, whose first care was to summon Katilbhae the butcher, Kuzl-bashee the dyer, and Noor-mahommed the Cotwall, with several other persons mentioned as witnesses in the petition of the dyer. All being in attendance, the Nuwab demanded from the Cotwall the record of the trial held before him