[It is interesting to compare this letter with those in Secton IV of The Mahatma Letters. — Ed.]
Ooty,
Sept. 14.{1883}
My dear Mr. Sinnett,
For over two months I have been ordered by K.H. not to meddle any further in the paper business and — of course I obeyed. Some six weeks ago he came to send through me a letter to you and, there were telegrams passed between Norendro Babu of the Mirror and myself. I then felt very much surprised at Norendro's hope that you would ever consent to serve the cause of the Zemindars — one that K.H. himself had pronounced infamous. Well, since I am a woman, ignorant of politics, probably as you repeatedly said and hinted — "a fool" in many things — I kept quiet. But now Norendro telegraphs that you consented and accepted the offer of the Zemindars, and M. ordered Olcott to telegraph to Norendro not to send a single page to you or offer without showing it first to Olcott. There are things and rumours that I am sure did you but know them you would never degrade yourself in accepting such a proposition. I have talked over with Carmichael and Forster Webster the Secretary to Govt. and several other members of Council, and what I understand this Zemindar business is a regular conspiracy to defraud and starve millions of poor cultivators. If so, K.H. must know it, how can you then accept such a terrible thing! I have left no stone unturned to raise the money, in the first way, and (I think I have succeeded). No one desires more than I do that you should return to India. But if you have to buy the return at the price of your honour and reputation — then, well; I have nothing to say. I know one thing, and that is, that my notions about honour and justice seem to differ widely from other people's notions. I have warned you what the people say here about this conspiracy of the rich to defraud the poor and do my duty I think. I would rather never see you any more in this life, rather ruin the Theos. Soc. than to be a party to such a horrid unjust, devilish transaction as that of starving the teeming millions to satisfy the greediness of a few Shylocks. I do not know whether you have really settled to accept the proposition or not. But this is what I receive just now. Bhawani Row was successful at last it seems and thus 2 lakhs are raised in the W. Provinces. I send you the telegrams. Had you patience the money would be finally raised. And now I do not know what to do. M. told me to write to you so much about this and — to meddle no more — the same words as said by K.H.!
Je donne ma langue aux chiens. Do not blame me I have done my best, but since the Zemindars are preferred I have nothing more to say. And yet Bhawani Row is a chela of K.H. He must know of it for B.R. acts under the orders of his master. What's all this! Olcott also puts on airs of mystery. He telegraphed to you I know, and therefore you must know more than I do now. Buss.
A nice mess about that Elliot or Ellis or whatever his name is — business. What did I say to Mr. Ward of so terrible that he should kick up a row upon the subject? What do I care if whole London goes on the Himalaya and from there slides down to Tibet. If they let them in — it is their not my business. I simply said something to Ward about their catching it for taking life within the Lamasery precincts — shooting. That K.H. would vanish certainly or something to this effect. And now Ward complains to you, you blow me up, Mrs. K. (!) writes to K.H., and K.H. complains to M. and all falls on my head!
I will write no more. I have enough of this. If every action of mine is misinterpreted and I am to be held responsible for everything and be blown up by M. I better subside. Ward would do better to write to American papers to blackguard less the Theosophists, the Society, and especially me. Then came out some would-be very witty, satirical article about an ex-Theosophist — a Fr. Thomas who pretended to expose Slade and expose all and everything, and who now abuses us in the most Hungerford-fish-market way and gentlemen reporters put it down religiously as truth. Between the biography of Thomas' parrot comes that of our Society and my own in the N. Y. Telegram, a penny paper. I am called there among other good things, "the most ignorant, blasphemous charlatan of the age." And the Bombay Gazette reprints it in full. Now I have to go again to law. Mr. B. G. will have to prove whether I am "a charlatan."
I must say that you might do worse than borrow from Russia her laws for libel: and England does seem in this respect a far more barbarous and uncivilised country than Russia. In the latter any Editor would get 3 months prison for uttering such a libellous insulting term and here gentlemen like Gretton Geary repeat the vulgar abuse with the coolest indifference possible and, there seems no redress. I will see though. It is the Statesman's story over again.
Please give my love to all.
Yours
H. P. Blavatsky.
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