You must have a
rest first."
"Two or three hours will be enough for me. If we start soon we shall
reach Murshidabad before dawn, and with little risk. I'm to come back and
report, sir?"
"Of course. No doubt you will meet us on the way."
On reaching Daudpur Desmond selected twenty Sepoys who knew the country
and ordered them to be ready to start with him at midnight. Bulger and
Mr. Toley he had already informed of his mission, and he found them more
than eager to share in it. Just after midnight the little party set out.
A march of some four hours brought them to the outskirts of Murshidabad.
Desmond called a halt, encamped for the remainder of the night in a grove
of palmyras, and at dawn sent forward one of the Sepoys, disguised as a
ryot, to make inquiries as to what was happening in the town.
It was near midday when the man returned. He reported that the Nawab had
gone to his palace, while the chiefs who had accompanied or followed him
from the field of battle had shown their recognition that his cause was
lost by deserting him and going to their own houses. He had heard nothing
of the French. The Nawab, in order to ingratiate himself with the people,
had thrown open his treasury, from which all and sundry were carrying off
what they pleased. The city was in such a disturbed state that it would
be exceedingly unsafe for any stranger to enter.
Desmond decided to remain where he was until nightfall, and then to skirt
the city and move northwards in the hope of learning something definite
of the movements of the French.
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