{Received Allahabad, late December, 1882}
M⸫ "son's" impression convexing lens being not yet ground to a perfect surface, he puts the matter in a somewhat crooked shape. M⸫ did not want him to say there was anything like a possibility of failure, but just the usual possibility of delay in every business transaction left with our countrymen alone: plus, the malevolent (or if you prefer eccentric) meddling of the Rothney Swedenborg and other artists in calamity. From all I know of the situation — and I claim to watch it as closely as I am permitted to — the chances are that the money will be raised, by the end of March; but Chance being a squinting jade, according to report the time of collection is not yet written in the memorandum book of Fate. Much depends upon contingencies but still more upon the Simla Yogi leaving us for awhile alone. 3 lakhs of rupees have been just as good as lost, owing to a letter written by him to an editor at Calcutta with a delineation of our true character (jesuits, sorcerers, a deceitful, selfish set, etc.) and by that editor shown to a rajah, hitherto well disposed and ready to do the bidding of the "Mahatma Brothers" — of patriotism in this transaction there will be very little if any. I will send you in a day or two, facts which will show to you persons in their true light.
Meanwhile if I advise your acting entirely upon your own judgment as to your departure, it is because of the false light in which nearly all our actions are viewed by the Europeans who are however indirectly concerned with us. I do not want to be misjudged by you even for one moment. But strange and crooked as our ways may appear at first sight I hope you will never allow your European mind to get influenced by your Rothney friend. Well more anon,
Yours ever faithfully,
K. H.
{H.P.B. returned from Darjeeling November 25.}
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