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we could actually go in the existing circumstances
and what should be the first steps to take. His
Exalted Highness whose mind is clear, kept the
matter under consideration for some days, but
Sir Ali's power of persuasion again led him to
say: " Well, since he insists on it, let it go." And
it went forth. Expectations were raised, but
nothing could be done because Sir Ali did not
remain here long enough to satisfy them, or even
to sketch out a working programme. Years went
by, indistinct sounds of dissatisfaction began to
be heard in the country, and there appeared signs
of discontent and excitement among self-consti-
tuted leaders of * political' opinion; and here and
there some active forms of mischief manifested
themselves.
The Council knew very little of what was going
on in some of the frontier districts, and whenever
it asked for information, the head of the police
cheerfully replied, "All's well/' It was not, and
I told His Exalted Highness and the Council that
our District Police was blind. He commanded
me to send for the Director-General and speak
to him, and I did so, but things did not improve.
The Director-General thought it quite sufficient
to submit to His Exalted Highness, newspaper
cuttings in which undutiful sentiments were
overboldly expressed by some petty demagogue.
When some years had thus gone by, I reminded
His Exalted Highness that the promise of franchise
had not been carried out and that it was time
something was done to avoid the imputation, that