Two or three of his chief officers
were seated beside him. Seven or eight others were standing on either
side of the room. A heavy glass chandelier, of European manufacture,
hung from the richly carved ceiling, and the fifty candles in it
lighted up the room.
The chamberlain met them at the door, and advanced with them towards
Tippoo.
"Great Sultan," he said, "these are the young men whom it has pleased
your Highness to appoint officers in the Palace."
The two lads salaamed until their turbans touched the ground.
"Truly they are comely youths," Tippoo said, "and one would scarcely
deem them capable of performing such a feat as that they accomplished
this morning.
"Well, my slayers of tigers, you have found everything fitly
provided?"
"Far more so than our deeds merit, your Highness," Surajah replied.
"We have found everything that heart could desire, and only hope for
an opportunity to show ourselves worthy of your favours."
"You have done that beforehand," Tippoo said graciously, "and I am
glad to see, by your attire, that you are conscious that, as my
officers, it is fitting you should make a worthy appearance. It shows
that you have been well brought up, and are not ignorant of what is
right and proper.
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