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52
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TAVERNIER'S HONESTY
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BOOK II
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died
in a few days. He informed me by letter of his sickness, and that he
had received my money, which was all in my chamber in sealed bags ;
but, as he did not believe that he would survive two days, he exhorted
me to hasten my return, because he did not think that my money would be
safe in the hands of the servants whom I had left with him.
Immediately on receipt of this letter I waited on the Governor to take
leave of him, at which he was astonished, and inquired if I had
expended all my money. I replied that I had not spent half of it, and
that I had still upwards of 20,000 pagodas.1 He then said
that if I wished he would afford me an opportunity of investing it,
and that I should certainly not lose upon what he would enable me to
buy. He further asked if I was willing to show him my purchases,
although he was not ignorant of their extent, since those who sold were
obliged to make a return of all to him, on account of the charge of 2
per cent, duty which is due to the King by those who buy. I showed him
then what I had bought, and told him what they had cost me. This agreed
with the book of the Banian who received the King's dues. At the same
time, I paid him the 2 per cent, for the King's dues, on which he
remarked that he perceived that the Franks were persons of good faith.
He was the more persuaded of this, however, when, drawing forth the
stone of 48 1/2 carats, I said, ' Sir, this is not in the Banian's
book, and there is no one in the town who knows that I have bought it,
nor would you yourself had I not told you. I do not wish to defraud the
King of his rights—here is what is due to him on account of the price
paid by me for this stone.' 2 The Governor appeared
surprised and much edified by my proceeding ; he praised me much, and
said that this was an action Worthy of an honest man, and that there
was not another merchant in the country, either Musalman or Hindu, who
would act in the same manner if he believed that no one was aware of
what he had purchased.
1 i.e.
about £8,000, which shows the extentof our author's transactions. At
the same time we know that he bought largely on commission for the
Dutch officials.
2 Unlike his usual habit of giving prices, Tavernier carefully omits all mention of what he paid for this stone.
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