250 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
evidently the object other natural predilection. He was 
young and enthusiastic,, and had been withheld from 
entering into the service of the Mahrattas by the at- 
tractions of this interesting heathen, to whom he had 
now declared the state of his heart. 
Looking forward to the probable direction of his 
future life, it was not very evident to him how his 
attachment to the Parsee girl could be consistent with 
his future prospects. His family were well connected 
in England, but not wealthy; and the circumstance 
of his having been dismissed from the service in 
which they had fancied him ultimately provided for, 
left him little hope of any future provision from 
them. The difficulties appeared so many, when he 
directed his views onward, that he soon ceased to al- 
low them to disturb his mind, but, occupying himself 
with the present, was the happiest of human beings. 
He possessed the devoted affections of a lovely girl, 
whose whole sum of happiness was in his custody, 
and the result was such as could scarcely fail to follow 
from an attachment so fervent between two persons 
by whom the restrictions imposed by society upon the 
actions of its members had not been practically felt, 
and who were, therefore, not likely to be governed by 
laws which, in their present position, they did not 
fancy themselves called upon to recognise. 
After a while, it became too evident to be matter of 
speculation that the interesting daughter of Jumsajee 
Merjee was soon to become a mother. The father’s 
anger at this discovery knew no bounds ; he struck 
the poor girl to the earth, and forced her paramour to 
quit the tomb. He immediately held a consultation 
