Travels in India (Tavernier) 151.1.4

151.1.4

Constant not only gave me a commission to buy him a parcel of diamonds, but he has also given me money to pay for them, and I purchased them for 16,000 rupees. I had no sooner finished speaking than M. Faure, turning to the three others, “Gentlemen,” said he, “you will bear me witness that M. Tavernier has 16,000 rupees worth of diamonds for M. Constant, which he left me an order to receive when he parted for Holland.” I replied to him without disturbing myself, that if he wished for them he would have to run after them, but that I did not believe he would overtake them; that it was more than six months since I had dispatched them by land, and that I was much surprised at his having taken this commission, and wondered how M. Constant and he could have known that I would go to Batavia. I saw that it annoyed him to find that he had not got what he expected, and as they did not wish to drink any more they all four departed. On the following day, early in the morning, an officer of the Company handed me a summons, which cited me to appear at 11 o’clock before the council of the town, where the Avocat Fiscal was present to take the case in hands on behalf of the Company. I did not fail to be present at the Town Hall at the hour indicated, when, immediately, these gentlemen made me enter, and with great compliments asked me if it was true that M. Constant had asked me to make an investment in diamonds to the amount of 16,000 rupees, and also where they were.