She was more splendidly dressed than even Taj
Mahal. Her head-dress was a coronet of diamonds, with a fine crescent
and plume of the same. She is the daughter of a European merchant,
and is accomplished for an inhabitant of a zunana, as she writes and
speaks Persian fluently, as well as Hindoostanee; and it is said that
she is teaching the King English, though when we spoke to her in
English, she said she had forgotten it, and could not reply. She was,
I fancy, afraid of the Queen Dowager, as she evidently understood us;
and when asked if she liked being in the zunana, she shook her head
and looked quite melancholy. Jealousy of the new favourite, however,
appeared to be the cause of her discontent, as, though they sat on
the same couch, they never addressed each other."
Of Mulika Zumanee, the same lady says:--"The mother of the King's
children, Mulika Zumanee, did not visit us at the Queen Dowager's;
but we went to see her at her own palace. She is, after all, the
person of the most political consequence, being the mother of the
heir-apparent; and she has great power over her royal husband, whose
ears she boxes occasionally."
CHAPTER IV.
Nuseer-od Deen Hyder's death--His repudiation of his son, Moonna Jan,
leads to the succession of his uncle, Nuseer-od Dowlah--Contest for
the succession between these two persons--The Resident supports the
uncle; and the Padshah Begum supports the son--The ministers supposed
to have poisoned the King--Made to disgorge their ill-gotten wealth
by his successor--Obligations of the treaty of 1801, by which Oude
was divided into two equal shares--One transferred to the British
Government, one reserved by Oude--Estimated value of each at the time
of treaty--Present value of each--The sovereign often warned that
unless he governs as he ought, the British Government cannot support
him, but must interpose and take the administration upon itself--All
such warnings have been utterly disregarded--No security to life or
property in any part of Oude--Fifty years of experience has proved,
that we cannot make the government of Oude fulfil its duties to its
people--The alternative left appears to be to take the management
upon ourselves, and give the surplus revenue to the sovereign and
royal family of Oude--Probable effects of such a change on the
feelings and interests of the people of Oude.
Pages:
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670