THE HUia:EM. 99 



is of rather a suspicious temperament, and the 

 Hukeem fell under his displeasm'e. The ill-feel- 

 ing towards him was moreover increased by 

 the Meer ordering him off to India at a few 

 hours' notice, to accompany his son Meer Fyze 

 Mahomed, who was not in good health. The 

 Hukeem, having at the time a love affair on 

 his hands, positively refused to go, and his re- 

 fusal being resented by his royal master, an ill 

 feeling was caused thereby. Mutual friends 

 after a time brought them together, but there 

 never was a cordial reconciliation ; and the 

 Meer j^i'ofessed to be dissatisfied in money 

 matters, though, I believe, quite without cause, 

 as I examined the accounts, which seemed clear 

 and intelligible. The Hukeem certainly ex- 

 pended a great deal of money in London, but 

 the possession of this he accounted for, and I 

 considered that his royal master's suspicions 

 were quite unfounded. In society the Hid^eem 

 made himself particularly agreeable; his man- 

 ners were highly polished, and he possessed a 

 vast fund of anecdote. Speaking to him one 

 evening of the escape from Hyderabad of a 

 raj all, whom I knew, from some Arabs who 



