"How can they think of invading a nation like ours ?" "Because they know, at least they believe, that Scindia, Holkar, and the Peishwa are all so jealous of each other that they will never act together.

Then you see what they have done round Madras and Bengal and, few as they are, they have won battles against the great princes; and lastly, my mistress has told me that, although there are but few here, there are many at home; and they could, if they chose, send out twenty soldiers for every one there is here.
"Besides, it is not these alone who fight.

The natives enlist under them, and aid them in their conquests; and this shows, at least, that they are well treated, and have confidence in the good faith of the English." "It is all very well, Soyera, to talk that way; but I would as willingly believe that the stars will fall from the sky as that these Englishmen, who simply live in Bombay because we suffer them to do so, should ever conquer the Mahrattas, as they have subdued other portions of India where, as everyone knows, the people are not warlike, and have always been conquered without difficulty.
"Look at our power! At Delhi the emperor is a puppet in our hands, and it is the same in all the districts on the plain of the great river.

The Rajpoots fear us, and even the Pindaries would not dare carry their raids into our country.

That a small body of merchants and soldiers should threaten us seems, to me, altogether absurd." "Well, brother, we will not argue about it.