The battle of Assaye was fought between the Maratha Kingdom and the British East India Company in 1803 in western India, where the combined troops of the company and the Nizam of Hyderabad under the command of General Wellesley (who later became the Duke of Wellington) defeated the Marathas.
After the battle, the envoy of the Nizam was anxious to ascertain from Wellesley what particular districts were likely to fall to the lot of his master, in consequence of the treaty of peace. When Wellesley declined to give any information on the subject, he offered him seven lacs of rupees (£70,000) for it. Wellesley listened to the proposal with great gravity, and then replied, "Can you keep a secret?" The envoy said eagerly, "Yes!" "And so can I," said Wellesley, bowing to him.
一八零三年，英國東印度公司在西印度與馬拉塔王國交戰，公司和海德拉巴君主的聯軍，由韋爾斯利將軍（即日後的威靈頓公爵）指揮，擊敗馬拉塔軍隊，是為阿薩耶之役。
戰後，海德拉巴君主的使者很想韋爾斯利告訴他，簽訂和約時，大概會把什麼地區劃歸其君主所有。韋爾斯利不肯相告，那特使就提議給他七十萬盧比（七萬英鎊），以求答案。韋爾斯利一臉嚴肅，傾聽這個提議，然後說：「你可以守秘密嗎？」那使者連忙回答：「可以！」韋爾斯利向他鞠了個躬，說道：「我也可以。」