26l

ee Sir David Barr (Resident, 1901-1905) was once
heard to say that what they called intrigue in
Hyderabad was not intrigue in the European
sense (which supposed intellect and finesse), but
' badmashi' pure and simple. Far be it from us. "

" The last case of ' badmashi, ' of which I
came to have personal knowledge, occurred in
1912.
" Soon after the accession of the present Nizam
(H.E.'H. Nawab Sir Mir Osman Ali Khan) a dia-
bolical plot came to light, and strangely enough,
the author of it was a high officer of the City police.
His object evidently was to rise over the heads
of senior officers by winning the favour of the
Ruler for having discovered a treasonable docu-
ment against him—a memorial which was in-
tended to be sent to H.E. the Viceroy. It bore
the signatures, he alleged, of Maharaja Sir Kishen
Pershad and other noblemen and high officials,
and its purport was that the Nizam was not
worthy of the place he occupied. It happened,
opportunely for his purpose, that I had been act-
ing as Political Secretary during Sir Faridoon's
absence for some time, so it was a plausible sup-
position that I had been one of the Minister's
accomplices, and my name accordingly found a
prominent place amongst the signatories.
" For strengthening his case he thought my
testimony as the Maharaja's Secretary would be
of value, and as a * well-wisher, * he sent me a