young Rajah of Nepaul died on the 20th November 1816 of the small-pox, and was succeeded by an infant son named Raj Indur Bikrum Sah. This event contributed to fix more firmly the authority of the party of General Bhem Sing, by giving him another lease of uncontrolled dominion pending a second long minority.

CHAPTER III.

NEPAUL, SINCE THE WAR.

TWENTY-TWO years elapsed after the termination of the war, and no fresh ground for quarrel was presented by the Nepaulese. The treaties were respected, and the internal condition of the kingdom was peaceable. This happy state of things was owing to the good and wise management of Bhem Sing Thapa, who had succeeded to the Regency on the death of the King, and had retained power during the minority of his son, ably directing both the home and foreign policy of the Durbar.

History is rife with instances of the mischievous results, of the ambitions and intrigues. of Queens who do not enjoy sovereign power. Where ministers have not been their ready

tools, they have been sacrificed as their victims. Bhem Sing was destined to fill a place in the latter category. The young Rajah having married the daughter of a Goruckpore farmer, a person of very inferior rank, she soon began to develop those qualities which almost invariably accompany the possession of power by those females who have not been trained to its exercise. As a wife, her conduct was exemplary scandal had not touched her fair fame; but her disposition was restless in the extreme. She sighed for a share in the political authority of her husband; but she felt that, while Bhem Sing continued to possess the royal ear, and to influence the young King's action, she had not the remotest prospect of gratifying her desire. The overthrow and destruction of the Minister Regent were therefore, resolved upon.

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But Bhem Sing, aware of the prejudices against him, took care to have the household entirely in his interest, and learning from his spies, about the person of the King and Queen,

that some mischief was brewing, he had recourse to an old political trick, which he believed would at once annihilate the prospects of his rival. He represented to the young Rajah, the great importance of his exercising individual sway in Nepaul, and securing the succession to his own heir. The young Queen never having borne him a son, it was recommended that his Majesty should seek a new partner, who might be more prolific. In this proposal, Bhem Sing received the cordial support of the priesthood, who foresaw, in the ceremonials consequent upon a royal wedding, abundance of opportunity for the gratification of their cupidity.

The King, whose passion for his wife had somewhat subsided, listened with pleasure to Bhem Sing's proposition, and the preliminaries being soon settled, another Goruckpore Zumindar supplied a daughter, for a consideration, and the King of the Goorkhas had a second wife. The prospect of a royal settle

ment reconciled the latter to all the risks, which might naturally be expected to attend a rencontre with the discarded Queen.

Bhem Sing exulted over the success of his first political move; but he was not long destined to enjoy his triumph. The senior Queen, the divorcée, furious at her supercession consulted with the Pandee factions, the bitter enemies of Bhem Sing and the Thapa clan, and laid at the door of the minister a number of serious charges, each of which, if proved, would have sufficed to bring him to the scaffold. Among other crimes imputed to him, was that of beheading a number of Pandees, in order to consolidate his power after he had acquired the Regency. He was likewise charged with accumulating wealth by indirect means.

The King, too weak to resist the accumulation of calumny, strongly and continually pressed, and feeling perhaps that he no longer needed the aid of his once valuable minister, caused Bhem Sing to be imprisoned upon all