The old man motioned to them
to take their seats on the divan.
"I do not ask for your confidence," he said, "but if you choose to
give it to me, it will be sacred, and it may be that, poor as I am, I
am able to aid you. I will tell you at once that I am a native of
Conjeveram and, of course, a Hindoo. I was settled as a trader at
Mysore, the old capital. But when, four years ago, the tyrant
destroyed that town, I, with over a hundred thousand of our religion,
was forced to adopt Mohammedanism. I was of high caste and, like many
others, would have preferred death to yielding, had it not been that I
had a young daughter; and for her sake I lived, and moved here from
Mysore.
"I gained nothing by my sin. I was one of the wealthiest traders in
the whole city, and I had been here but a month when Tippoo's soldiers
burst in one day. My daughter was carried off to the Tiger's harem,
and I was threatened with torture, unless I divulged the hiding place
of my money.
"It was useless to resist. My wealth was now worthless to me, and
without hesitation I complied with their demands; and all I had was
seized, save one small hoard, which was enough to keep me thus to the
end of my days.
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