Page:History of the French in India.djvu/258

236 FRENCH INDIA AT ITS ZENITH. chap, another. They therefore soon came to an imd er stand - _ . ing. They agreed to endeavour to obtain material aid 1749. from the Marathas, insisting also on the unconditional release of Chanda Sahib. A negotiation was accordingly opened. But whilst it was in progress, and seemed to promise well, Chanda Sahib, who had little real wish to conquer the Karnatik by the aid of his old enemies, communicated full details of their plans to Dupleix, with whom he had maintained, through his wife, a constant correspondence. Threatened at the time by the English, Dupleix had no desire to add to the existing complications by bringing on the province a Maratha invasion. The prospect, however, of placing on the viceregal throne of the Dakhan one who would thus be a protege of his own, and over the pro- vince of the Karnatik a man so devoted to French interests as he knew Chanda Sahib to be, was too alluring to be resisted. Pondering in his mind how this could be effected, the thought struck him that it needed only a daring and decided policy of his own to bring about such a result. He at once embraced the project with all the ardour of his impassioned nature ; wrote to Chanda Sahib to negotiate only for his release, and not for troops ; engaged to the court of Puna to guarantee the ransom that might be agreed upon ; and promised to both Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Sahib all the influence and power which he, as ruler of French India, was capable of exerting. His despatch had the desired effect. On receiving a guarantee from Dupleix for the payment of 700,000 rupees, Chanda Sahib was released and furnished with a bodyguard of 3,000 men to escort him to his own country. One of the first acts of Chanda Sahib after his release was to enter into an engagement with Dupleix, whereby he took upon himself the payment of about 2,000 natives, drilled in the European fashion, belonging to the Pon- dichery garrison. In consideration likewise of being