BAJEE RAO MADE PEISHWA. 149 



This innocent exchange of sentiment being discovered 

 by Nana Furnavese, excited his most violent rage. He 

 increased the rigour of Bajee Rao's confinement, and loaded 

 Madoo with the severest reproaches. The high-spirited 

 youth, in a paroxysm of grief and indignation, threw him- 

 self from a terrace in the palace, and died in two days. 

 This was a most disastrous event to Nana Furnavese ; for 

 Eajee, whom he had done so much to make his enemy, was 

 the legitimate heir. The minister attempted at first to 

 parry this fatal circumstance, and proposed that the widow 

 of the deceased prince, though she had not reached the age 

 of womanhood, should adopt a son, whom he might establish 

 as peishwa, and in his name administer the state. He found 

 this measure, however, to be quite repugnant to public feel- 

 ing ; and learning that Sindia had declared in favour of the 

 imprisoned youth, endeavoured to make the best of his 

 situation by employing his influence in raising the latter to 

 the vacant dignity. Bajee Rao, on the intention of Nana 

 being announced, was so much surprised, that he obliged 

 the messenger to take hold of a cow's tail, and swear by 

 the holy waters of the Godavery that no stratagem was in- 

 tended. He then repaired to Poonah, and was placed on the 

 musnud. The reconciliation, however, could not be durable. 

 The court from this time became a complete chaos of po- 

 litical intrigue, between the peishwa, who endeavoured to 

 exercise his own authority, and Nana, Sindia, Purseram 

 Bhow,and other chiefs, who sought to administer it in his 

 name. These individuals appear in the confused scene one 

 day united in close alliance, the next plotting one another's 

 destruction. We shall not now follow the thread of these 

 intricate transactions, nor encumber our pages with the un- 

 couth names of humbler individuals who, amid the general 

 confusion, contrived to thrust themselves into notice. Some 

 attempts were even made to employ as an instrument the 

 long- imprisoned rajah, whose title was still dear to the Mah- 

 ratta people. Nana Furnavese, after passing through va- 

 rious fortunes, and being reduced to the lowest distress, was 

 restored to some share of his former power, but died soon 

 afterward, leaving the reputation of one of the ablest and 

 most skilful politicians that India had ever produced ; and 

 there remained no individual possessed of those comprehen- 



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