might not take against him, to punish his carelessness and negligence of duty. Apprehending the Nawab's displeasure and the serious consequences which might follow from it, Mahammad Taki, out of fear, made up his mind to deceive the Nawab. At that time, it was a wide-spread rumour that as soon as the war would break out, the English would release Mirzaffer from his captivity, and again install him on the Guddee of Bengal. So Mahammad Taki thought that if the English would gain, it would matter very little even if Mir Kashim would come to know of the trick he was intending to play with his royal master. Besides, it was absolutely necessary for him to anyhow prevent, at least for the present, any unpleasant order against him. If Mir Kashim would beat the English, thought Mahammad Taki, he would be able to devise means by which the Nawab could be kept in the dark about his conduct. Having thus made up his mind to play false with his master, Mahammad Taki sent to the Nawab, on the very night Dalani met the stalwart man on the isolated bank of the Ganges, a letter, full of gross and mischievous lies.
He wrote to say that the Begum had been found
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