In the East, it is
well known that no man either by himself or his troops, can enter the
walls of a zenanah, scarcely in the case of acting against an open
enemy, much less of _an ally,--an ally acting against his own mother_.
The outer walls, and the Begum's agents, were all that were liable to
immediate attack: they were dealt with, and successfully, as the event
proved."--He had before observed to Mr. Hastings, in his correspondence,
what Mr. Hastings well knew to be true, "that no farther rigor than that
he had exerted could be used against females in that country; where
force could be employed, it was not spared;--that the place of
concealment was only known to the chief eunuchs, who could not be drawn
out of the women's apartments, where they had taken refuge, and from
which, if an attempt had been made to storm them, they might escape; and
the secret of the money being known only to them, it was necessary to
get their persons into his hands, which could be obtained by negotiation
only."--The Resident concluded his defence by declaring his "hope, that,
if the main object of his orders was fulfilled, he should be no longer
held criminal for a deviation from the precise letter of them.
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