Page:History of the French in India.djvu/505

EMBARRASSMENT OF BUSSY. 479 engaged to support me on all occasions, would aid me chap neither against the English nor against Muhammad XI ' AH." The Subadar concluded with these significant 1755 words — words the more significant in that they were prophetic ; in that the necessity for the ruler of the Dakhan to lean upon a stronger poweV, clearly seen then, has been admitted by all his successors. " You know," he said, " that the state of my affairs necessarily demands the support of a European power ; on this condition I am able to govern ; either you must remain here, or I must enlist the English in my interest. Are you disposed to render me the services which you have rendered hitherto % I must do you the justice to say that I am grateful for them ; but it would appear now that you have neither the power nor the inclination." To these questions, the natural result of the irapres sions produced on the native mind by the abnegation policy of Godeheu, Bussy could only reply generally. He declared that the French nation possessed the power, and would ever be influenced by the ardent desire, to be of use to him ; and that he would promise him before- hand that he would be as much satisfied with the future services of the French, as he had been with those he had so cordially acknowledged. An opportunity soon presented itself to Bussy of giving a practical indication ot his sincerity, of endeavouring by means of it to chase from the mind of Salabat Jang the thoughts regarding the English to which he had given utterance. As repre- sentative of the Mughal, the Subadar of the Dakhan possessed, in theory, feudal authority over all the coun- tries south of the Vindhya range. This authority never embraced, and never was intended to embrace, more than the right of levying an annual tribute, the token of the supremacy of the Delhi Emperor. Its execution, even its recognition, depended solely on the power of coercion in the hands of the Subadar. Thus, theoretically, the rights extended over the Maratha country ; yet, so far