CHAPTER II
the fatal order
he struggle between the Nawab and the English now commenced. With it, began Mir Kashim's fall. At the very outset, Mir Kashim was defeated at the battle of Katwa. After that, Gurgan Khan's treachery gradually became manifest. The hopes which the Nawab had centered in Gurgan Khan, now completely vanished away. At this critical juncture, the Nawab was every day losing his self-possession. He made up his mind to put to death all the English prisoners. He began to ill-treat everyone. While he was in this pitiable plight, Makammad Taki's letter about Dalani reached his hands—it added fuel to the fire. The English played false with him—his commander-in-chief was appearing to be untrustworthy—the Goddess of Fortune, presiding over his kingdom, seemed to have deserted him, and was he to believe, above and over all these, that Dalani too was faithless? The Nawab could endure no more. He wrote to Mahammad Taki, "You need not send
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