विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

165 of course, was imparted to the food with which it was mixed, the prince partook of his dinner with more than his usual appetite; but, strange to say, it had no effect beyond that of intoxicating him. Now, the prince’s Gooru had instruct- ed him how, by holding the little sword which had been given him in a peculiar manner, and by pronouncing certain mystical words, to counteract the effect of any injury which might be attempted against him. Finding himself, there- fore, unusually affected in the head, he had recourse to the sword, and became in a moment perfectly restored. The widow, who had calculated upon the death of the prince, was not a little surprised to find him alive and in his usual health, after the time allowed for the operation of the drug she had given him had elapsed. She was lost in astonished conjecture, and could not understand how the prince had escaped the effect of the potent poison. “ Baulked in this her first attempt, Shambae redoubled her efforts to remove the object of her hatred, who was also the only obstacle to the success of her great project. She had another plan in her head, and she proceeded to carry it out. One day, being alone with Moheeny, she addressed her thus :—‘ I have something to communicate to you, good lady, which it concerns you much to know, and is of the utmost importance to you.’ The princess asked her, with a smile, what it was. ‘ It is this, dear lady,’ said she ; ‘ you fancy, do you not, that your husband loves you with as much sincerity.and truth as you love him ?’ The happy Moheeny replied, ‘ Yes; what doubt can there be of it? He loves me. tenderly, and gives me every day fresh proofs of his regard.’ ‘ I don’t, however, believe it,’ said the wily Shambae ; ‘ you know—or if you do not, you ought to—that men are generally more faithless and hard-hearted than those of our sex. I thereforo advise you to try his love. If you think he is not jealous and suspicious of you, ask him to-night, when you find him in good humour, this question, ridiculous though it may seem, and you will soon be undeceived,—“ Pray, when and how will you die ?”

166 If he tells you that he loves you with all his soul, you may be assured he is not to be believed ; the true sign of affec- tion is when the wife can without hesitation say whether or not her husband's love is exclusively hers. I hope you wilt obtain an answer on this subject from the prince, and that it may not be accompanied by some unfeeling threat.' Moheeny asked Shambae how she could propose that such a ridiculous and unfeeling question should be put to the prince. 'I know,' continued she, 'that my husband will not refuse to reveal any secret to me, if I request him to do so. No ; I am sure he will tell me without a moment's hesitation.' Shambae, after this conversation, busied herself with her usual occupation, and set about preparing the evening meal. When it was ready, Moheeny and the prince partook of it, after which they retired for the night. "Shortly after their retirement, Moheeny, addressing the prince, said, 'Dear Sewdass, I have a request to make of you, and I conjure you to answer me. If you have the same love for me as I have for you, you will not hesitate to comply with my desire. You are a prince by birth, and I have been an eye-witness to your valour and bravery, which——' Here the prince interrupted her before she had time to finish the sentence, and said, 'Do not lengthen your discourse, my love, but tell me at once what it is you desire.' Moheeny eagerly said, 'I wish to be informed what death you will die, and what circumstances will attend your dissolution.' The prince heard her with feelings of horror and disgust, and was enraged to such a degree that, falling back in his bed against a cushion which supported him, he addressed Moheeny in an indignant and scornful tone. 'I all along thought,' said he, 'that you were a woman of sense and discretion, but what you have now pre- sumed to ask convinces me that I have been wrong in my calculation of your worth and merit. Tell me, I beseech you, what could have induced you to put such a question to me ? You must be aware that such a proceeding on your part can only tend to lessen my esteem for you. I advise

167 you from this day never again to allude to the subject, lest I be tempted to punish you for it. I am not allowed by my preceptor, on pain of death, to impart to any one the secret you wish me to reveal.’ Moheeny was struck dumb at this affronting answer. She experienced great difficulty in appeasing the anger of her lord, which, however, she at last in a great measure succeeded in effecting. “In the morning, Moheeny told Shambae that her husband had not deigned to reveal the secret to her, as he could not do it without subjecting himself to certain death. The widow replied, ‘Did not you, princess, boast to me of your exclusive control over the prince?—that he loves you as never man before loved, and that he would refuse you nothing? It is therefore surprising to me that you did not persist longer, in order to satisfy yourself on the subject I alluded to. You see what hard-hearted creatures men are! Notwithstanding all the prince’s professions of love for you, no sooner do you ask him to satisfy your curiosity on one little point than he scruples not to disappoint you. How- ever, you are his wife, and ought certainly to know every- thing that concerns him. You can persist in your request until he relents, and, by setting before him the relation in which you stand to him, bring him to a sense of what is due to you in your position.’ She then ridiculed the idea of the prince’s sudden death should he reveal the secret to his wife; and wound up by pointing out the marked and unfeeling manner in which he refused compliance with her wishes. Moheeny was naturally of an easy and pliable disposition, and her youth and inexperience rendered her incapable of perceiving the drift of Shambae’s continued and eager entreaties to obtain the desired information. ‘You speak truly,’ said Moheeny; ‘I have an undoubted right to be satisfied by my husband.’ So impressed was she with the slight that had been put upon her by Prince Sewdass, that she went into her room, and, having thrown aside her ornaments, gave herself up to the indulgence of immoderate grief, tearing out her beautiful and clustering hair by hand-

168 fuls in her rage. The prince, as was customary with him, made his ablutions and performed his usual worship before he sat down to his meal, but was astonished, after waiting some time, that his consort did not make her appearance. He enquired of Shambae where Moheeny was, and the widow said she was in her bed-room, but that she did not know what she was doing. The prince went hastily into the room, and there saw his wife asleep, with her counte- nance swollen with recent weeping and her hair dishevelled and in disorder. He wondered at all this, and, after gazing at her for awhile in bewilderment, he approached her and roused her from her slumber. To his eager enquiries as to what had occurred to disturb her so violently, she replied that she was surprised he should take any interest in her after what had passed between them the previous night. ‘By refusing to comply with a reasonable request on my part,’ said she, ‘you have proved that you no longer deem me worthy of sharing your confidence. Is that not a suffi- cient cause to make me miserable for life?’ The prince was much mortified and even enraged at this language from one whom he had hitherto considered quite a pattern of obedience; his love for her, however, got the better of him after a short time, and he said, ‘If you are determined upon knowing the secret, I will impart it to you; the consequence you already know. Go and bathe, and after you have taken your food and adorned your person, come to me.’ Moheeny, hearing this, did all she was asked to do, and once more regained her usual vivacity and good humour. At night, when they retired to rest, she desired Sowdass to fulfil his promise of that morning, as she was very impatient to receive the desired information. The prince told her that, from her importunity on the forbidden subject, he appre- hended some calamity was about to befal them, but that as she seemed resolved upon it, he could not in his heart refuse her, though his revealing the secret would be at the risk of his very existence, as he had already told her, ‘Look at that sword,’ continued he, pointing to the one hanging in his

169 room; 'whenever that weapon is put into the fire and heated until it is red-hot, that moment will be my last. This is all I have been told by my preceptor. I hope you will, if you value my life, bury this secret in your own bosom. It is unseemly in a man and wife to allow anything to cause a diminution of their regard for each other; and it is solely to avoid such an evil that I have been induced to reveal the secret of my death to you. Let me see that you prove yourself, my dearest Moheeny, worthy of the great trust I have now reposed in you.' Moheeny affectionately embraced the prince, and then fell prostrate at his feet, imploring heaven to preserve and prosper him, and to increase daily, aye, even hourly, their mutual regard and affection for each other. "Moheeny was not a little surprised to hear the account given her of the sword, and, as is usual with women gene- rally, she thought of the necessity of having a confidante. Shambae had so won upon the affection of the princess, that the latter thought she might place implicit reliance upon her; so she eagerly awaited the coming morning to unburden her bosom of the weighty secret, which had become so oppressive to her that she spent a restless night. Accordingly, in the morning, Moheeny called the widow, and informed her in an exulting manner that she had at last persuaded her husband to tell her the secret of his death, and she then proceeded to lay it all in detail before the now overjoyed Shambae. 'Is this true?' asked the latter. 'Yes,' replied Moheeny, 'he has actually told me all that his tutor, the learned hermit, had foretold regarding him; so that you see you were wrong in not believing him to be sincere in his love for me.' The wicked Shambae rejoiced at the favorable result of all the trouble she had been at for king Kankameroo's sake, and she told Moheeny that she was glad to hear her husband had given so great a proof of his devotion to her. 'You are happy,' said she, 'superlatively happy; for what can give greater happiness than the consciousness of being loved in an equal measure W

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by the object dearest to us? Life without love would become a loathsome burden.' " Shambae allowed. three days to pass by without attempting anything further, except that she asked the princess, in a playful manner, to let her have a sight of the wonderful sword which had been bestowed by the hermit on her husband. 'It must be a miraculous one,' said she. Moheeny was quite ignorant of the villany that lurked under so much apparent regard and solicitude; she there- fore did not hesitate to satisfy her in this particular, and, with that view, conducted her to the inner room. Shambae marked well the spot where it hung; and, to disarm suspi- cion, again entered into an eulogistic dissertation on the sincerity of the prince's attachment to his wife. The widow determined in her own mind, however, that the prince should die that night; so she made a fierce fire in the kitchen, and, after they had all retired for the night, she went on tip-toe into the room where the sword was suspended, and stole away with it in her possession. She then hastened to put it into the fire; and, as it became red-hot, the life of Prince Sewdass gradually ebbed away, until at length he expired! " Next morning, when Moheeny awoke and arose from her bed, she thought she noticed something unusual in the appearance of her husband; she therefore tried to awaken him, but what was her horror at finding that he was stiff and lifeless! She instantly raised an alarm, and cried for help. 'Oh, my dear and loving husband!' exclaimed she, in an agony of grief, 'what is this that has happened to you? Why lie you there so motionless and still?' She then rushed from the apartment, calling wildly to Shambae for assistance, like one suddenly bereft of her senses. The suspicion of the widow's treachery now for the first time crossed her mind, and on glancing at the place where the sword usually hung, her fears were confirmed—it had disappeared! She wept bitter tears of repentance—she beat her breast, and tore her hair. 'Unhappy wretch that

171 I am!' cried she, 'where shall I look for protection now?— oh, where shall I find peace? Could I but restore you, my dearest husband, to life and consciousness, if but for a moment, I would willingly forfeit mine own! Alas! this would never have happened had I not compelled you to comunicate the secret of your death! I am irrecoverably undone!' While Moheeny was thus lamenting her cruel loss, Shambae rushed into the room with outstretched arms, feigning great distress, and exclaiming, 'My dear lady!—my angelic mistress!—what is the matter? What has happened to you?' 'Cruel woman!' replied Moheeny, 'Your are the cause of this mischief!—I know it but too well! You have cruelly, heartlessly, deceived me! Your barbarous advice has made me miserable for life, depriving me of my dear and fondly-cherished husband! There was not the slightest need for his communicating to me the secret which you have, by your artful designs, wormed out of him for my own and his ruin. His blood be upon your head! He had expressly desired me not to admit you into our service, but out of pity for you I prevailed on him to consent to it; and this is what you have done in return for so much kindness! Oh, inhuman wretch!—how could you be so un

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city hard by, where I will procure for you one of the hand- somest and mightiest of the princes of the earth to supply the place of him whose loss you now deplore. This king— for he is the reigning monarch of the city in question—will not, I am sure, give you the least cause of dissatisfaction : he will bestow upon you his undivided affection, and share all he has with you.' This speech so enraged Moheeny, that she seized a large stone, and threw it with great force at Shambae, who, however, by a timely motion of her head, avoided the blow which had been aimed at her. Notwith- standing this unmistakeable sign of Moheeny's disinclina- tion to listen to the widow's proposal, the latter again addressed her. 'You are a lovely being,' said she, 'and it will never do for you to pine away in obscurity in this desolate wilderness. Besides, some misfortune greater than the present will probably befal you if you remain here, now that your protector and husband is numbered with the dead, nor can I stay with you any longer; so take my advice, and follow me. Leave this dismal place, and let the recollec- tion of the dead be buried with him. It is appointed that every man should die once,—it is the road we must all go; in a word, it is worse than useless to rush into extremes of passion when by so doing we cannot remedy the evil.' Shambae continued in this strain for some time, and at length succeeded in making some impression on Moheeny, who, on considering her isolated condition, and the impos- sibility of remaining much longer in that dreary spot, in the end consented to accompany the widow, and be guided in her future proceedings by circumstances. "There were now only seven days required for the expira- tion of the period at the end of which Hurridass, the prince's bosom-friend and companion, had promised to visit them. Moheeny knew this, and she resolved upon keeping it closely locked within her own bosom, lest the widow should find means to deceive Hurridass and prevent his coming, so much in dread of this woman did the unfortunate Moheeny stand. Previous to their departure she went into her

173 husband's room, and wept over his remains; she then covered them with a large winding-sheet, upon which she placed two of the jewels of her neck ornament, exposed openly to view, for the information of Hurridass, should he arrive in fulfilment of his promise. After this, with a heavy heart, she bade Shambae take her where she pleased. Moheeny plucked off two other jewels on her way out, and placed them in the middle of the entrance to the cave; and all along her journey she managed, .unperceived by her companion, to drop a jewel here and there, at short dis- tances, by which their track might be preserved, should Hurridass feel disposed to follow her.

174 CHAPTER XI. Veytal concludes the history, and disappears. "THE Princess Moheeny and the widow Shambae pro- ceeded on their way together, as we have seen, and within a few days arrived within the dominions of king Kankame- roo, by whom the princess was so loved, though he had never seen her. Shambae immediately sent forward a messenger to his majesty, informing him of the successful termination of her mission, and that she was even then conducting the object of his passion towards his capital. The messenger appeared before the monarch with as little delay as possible, and the king was thrown into a transport of joy on receiving the glad tidings. He ordered that two palanquins, several female attendants, and a proper suite, should be sent out to meet Moheeny, accompanied also by a large number of musicians and all the other necessary appendages to the train of a lady of rank and station. Shortly after, Moheeny and Shambae were conducted to the palace in great state, and the people flocked in from all quarters to catch a glimpse of the beautiful lady that was brought for the king. They all with one accord gave their opinion that she was a person of incomparable beauty and figure, and that there was not one in the whole kingdom who could be compared to her. Moheeny was directed to take possession of one of the best sets of apartments in the palace, which was assigned to her by the king's express command. "The monarch found in Moheeny all that the most vivid imagination could have painted, and he was for awhile almost beside himself with joy at the contemplation of her dazzling beauty. He was so transported with extacy that he addressed her thus:—'My goddess! my charmer!—

175 whence came you ? I never before felt for the handsomest among women what I now feel for you ! From the day on which I became possessed of the rich diamond, I have been like one in a trance, and your lovely presence restores me to life, love, and happiness !' Then, turning to Shambae, who stood by, he said, ' My good woman, you have placed me under a deep debt of gratitude : but for you I should ere this have been numbered with the dead. I give you credit for the greatest tact and ability, and you shall hence- forth have charge of all my queens. I thank you sincerely for all you have done : you have acted the part of a great and skilful physician, and have cured me of my malady. You may rest assured you shall not go unre- warded.' The king continued praising this woman exces- sively, adding at last that she even surpassed his minister in capacity and judgment ; and she was immediately made matron and keeper of his queens' apartments. “ At night, after supper, the king sent for Shambae, and desired her to ask Moheeny whether she would allow him to pass the night with her. The widow accordingly repaired to Moheeny's room,.and begged her to grant his majesty's request. Moheeny smiled, and said, ' I should have had much pleasure in acknowledging my gratitude and esteem for the king by obeying him at once, but that I have made a vow to a certain deity, which precludes the possibility— for the present, at least—of compliance. I have been very fortunate in falling into such good hands. My vow was made for the purpose of securing a good and happy position, when the death of my husband left me without a friend or protector. This I have now obtained, but I cannot on any account agree to the king's proposal until after I shall have fulfilled the vrut.* Only then can I venture to take part in anything worldly. Permit me also,' continued Moheeny, ' to thank you for your share in what has resulted in securing me so happy a condition. Your kindness I shall

• Consecration by vow.

. 176 never forget. You seem to have great influence with his majesty : use it now in my behalf. All I want is nine days for completing my vow. I also desire that his majesty will be pleased to order the necessary preparations for the occasion, and direct the chief priest of his household to prepare for the vrut, in accordance with our law. Lose no time, good mother, but go quickly and submit my requests to his majesty, and intercede for me.' The deluded Sham- bae returned to the king, and communicated to him all that Moheeny had said ; at the same time she besought him to have patience, and to grant Moheeny's request ; adding that there was no fear of her escaping, as she was strictly confined within his palace, and carefully watched. The king unwillingly consented, and retired to sleep. Next morning he directed a temporary shed to be erected, beau- tifully and richly ornamented, and, having summoned the priests and worshipped the deity, as was the custom, the brahmins and other devout persons were sumptuously feasted for the space of nine days. On the ninth day, towards the close of the ceremony, Moheeny, according to the direction of the chief priest, worshipped the deity, and then, clasping her hands together, she addressed it thus :—‘ O goddess ! I know thee to be the principal maker of the universe ; the hermits and sages are perpetually thinking of thee ; Brahma* is unable to recount thy invisible power ! How then can I, with my profane tongue, praise thee as I ought ? People born blind are restored to sight if thou but lookest on them ; the lame are made to walk, the idiot restored to sense, and the dumb made to speak ! Thy compassion is great beyond measure ! If thou pleasest thou canst imme- diately change pebbles into precious stones ; therefore the devotees engage in the profoundest and most abstract contemplation of thee. Hermits are absorbed in the medita- tion of thy goodness ; the pious and learned are continually

• The first of the Hindoo Triad, or the form of the deity as crea- tor of the universe.

177 praising thy endless power! O goddess! O deity! behold my miserable condition, and listen to my invocation! Pity me, and relieve me from the dreadful misfortune that, is now impending over me!' As she was thus praying, a voice was heard from the heavens, saying, 'Moheeny! fear not! —your deliverance is at hand! Your beloved husband and his friend will soon visit you!' On hearing these words of consolation, the princess felt greatly reassured. She prostrated herself before the deity in thanksgiving, after which she arose, calm and collected. "Let us return now to Hurridass, whom we left with the hermit. He there mastered every mysterious art, and became thoroughly conversant with the moral duty of man- kind. One night he dreamed that his friend, Prince Sew- dass, was in great danger, and expiring in the cavern where he had left him in health and enjoyment. This occurred on the very night during which Shambae was engaged in prosecuting her base designs against the prince. He started up in affright, and looked around him, feeling much inclined to set out on the instant, but as the hour was late he contented himself with awakening the hermit and telling him his dream. The next morning, however, he requested the hermit's leave to go and see his friend, whom he had promised, he said, to visit in four months, and that period had already expired. The hermit consented to his going, and instructed him in a certain charm of resuscitation, at the same time giving him a pair of clogs, telling him to put them on his feet and then think of the place he wished to reach, and he would be instantly transported there. Hurri- dass, after prostrating himself before the hermit, and receiv- ing his benediction, did as he was bid, and instantly, almost within the twinkling of an eye, he found himself at the cave. He was surprised to find that neither the prince nor his consort was there to receive him, and he began to search the different rooms. When he came to the bed-chamber, he perceived some one lying on the bed: he approached, and great was his horror, on opening the curtain and X

178 removing the sheet, to find the prince stretched out life- less! He was fully convinced that this misfortune had been brought about by the sword, for which he searched in the chamber and all over the place in vain. He thought he should perhaps find it in the fire-place, and sure enough it was there, plunged among the hot coals. He removed it for the purpose of cooling it, after which he rubbed its edge, and ran into the prince's apartment, taking a little water in his palm. There he uttered some words, as he had been instructed by the hermit, and sprinkled the water on the body of the prince, who moved as if in sleep, and then opened his eyes wide with astonishment at not finding his wife there, instead of whom he saw his friend Hurridass. Sewdass got up hastily, and they embraced each other in a most affectionate manner. The prince had not been aware of any design against his life, and therefore made no allusion to it, but at once enquired into the state of his friend's health. Hurridass, instead of satisfying him on this head, informed the prince of the cause of his journey by means of the clogs, and how he had brought him to life again. It then occurred to the prince that all this must have been the work of the widow, and he accordingly told his friend all that he knew of the matter. Hurridass inter- rupted him, and proposed they should both set about searching for Moheeny at once, which they did. They went into every room and place where there was any likeli- hood of finding her, but it was all in vain, as Moheeny had departed with the widow a few minutes before the arrival of Hurridass. In this dilemma they found under the cot the two jewels which Moheeny had placed on the sheet which covered her husband's remains, and they recognised the jewels as having formed part of her neck ornament. At last they lighted upon the one she had left at the gateway; they then re-entered the cavern and proceeded to examine the valuables and treasures in the place, all of which they found correct. "The prince and Hurridass now made up their minds to

179 proceed in their search for Moheeny beyond the precincts of the cave, and therefore they made a hasty meal and came out together. A few steps further on they found another of the jewels, and so on at short distances from each other : these they gathered, and continued to follow the track. In a few days they arrived at the city where Moheeny was ; and here they heard almost every man whom they met speak of a certain lady of high rank and rare beauty who had recently been brought to the palace, and who was then engaged in performing a ceremony to a certain deity, and that the ceremony was to conclude on that day. This lady, they said, had been brought from a remote place by a widow named Shambae, who was in the king's service, and had been sent to fetch this lovely creature, who was now deservedly admired by all, about four months before. The prince and his friend, on hearing this intelligence, were extremely concerned, and much incensed against the said widow ; they could not help cursing both her and the king. They, however, lost no time in disguising themselves like respectable devotees, and in hastening to the palace. On their arrival the attendants conducted them, by the king's orders, to the assemblage of priests, who importuned them to assist at the last ceremony of the nine days' celebration. Moheeny, when she saw them, immediately recognised them, and received them with every demonstration of joy and respect, entreating them to assist her in the purnahooty.* Moheeny then sent for the widow, and, when she came, desired her to tell his majesty to send all his royal treasure, both jewels and cash, to be laid before the deity. It was brought accordingly, by order of the king, and piled before the deity in a circle. This latter ceremony was performed in the apartment allotted to Moheeny. The last rite having been performed, she distributed immense treasure and large quantities of clothing to the Brahmins, who, after regaling

• A particular burnt-offering to several deities, made at the close of certain ceremonies.

180 themselves at the expense of the king, set out on their respective journeys. Moheeny likewise bestowed her charity very liberally on others who had assisted her in the cele- bration. That day seemed very long to the king, so impa- tient was he to enjoy the society of the beautiful female who had tantalised him so long. It was scarcely dusk, when he sent for Shambae to carry a message from him to Moheeny. "Prince Sewdass and his companion Hurridass, having taken some refreshment in Moheeny's apartment, were engaged in concerting plans of escape. In the mean time Moheeny sent for Shambae, and said to her, 'Good mother, the vow I made to secure the king for my husband has been fulfilled by your kind aid, for which I cannot sufficiently thank you. I shall ever remember it with feelings of gratitude.' Saying this, Moheeny approached her, and, holding her hand, respectfully forced her to sit down on a raised seat. No sooner was the widow seated than Moheeny shut the door of the apartment, and Hurri- dass beckoned to the prince to lose no time. 'Take the bar, and worship first the widow's head and then her feet,' said he. The hint was immediately taken by the prince, who got up, and, taking the bar, struck the widow on the head with such force that she fell dead without a groan. He repeated the blow in his fury, though Shambae showed no sign of life. Hurridass then rapidly collected all the treasure, among which he found the paduck* which Moheeny had lost, and having made it into a bundle, he put on the invaluable clogs, took Sewdass and Moheeny one on each shoulder, muttered the charm that had been taught him by the hermit, and they were immediately transported back to the cave. The prince was lost in surprise at the miraculous aid afforded by the clogs, and thanked Hurridass for his kindness and the trouble he had taken in saving them from the danger they had just escaped. Moheeny set about relating to them all that had occurred to her subsequent to

• The centre diamond.

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her departure from the cave, and in conclusion also thanked Hurridass for the signal service he had rendered them. “ King Kankameroo, having arrayed himself in his best and most costly apparel, awaited the coming of the widow in accordance with his summons. The attendant who had been sent for her returned and said that she had gone to Moheeny’s apartment, whither he had followed her,—that finding the door closed he had knocked at it, but no answer came from within,—that he cried out several times, but received no reply. The king immediately repaired in person to the door of the apartment, and ordered it to be broken open ; this having been done, they entered, and perceived, to their great amazement and horror, that the unfortunate widow was dead : her hands and feet were widely 'extended, and she lay weltering in her blood, a bar lying across her breast. At this spectacle the king began to lament the loss of one he prized so much as an instrument for carrying out his objects and designs ; but his grief was turned into rage when he found that not only Moheeny was missing, but also all his treasure ! He was wild with passion, and for a time could not utter a single word. At length he swooned, and found some relief in unconsciousness. When he recovered, he cried aloud, ‘ Oh, where is my diamond of love, and all my state treasure ? How have I been deceived ! I do not think it possible that I can survive the stroke ! Let me die ! I cannot sustain this double loss—the jewel of my heart and the jewels of my state !’ His minister, who had received notice of the event, immediately repaired to the palace, and found the king in a great frenzy. He endea- voured to compose him, and said ‘ Your majesty must take courage, and not succumb to the grief which I know you must feel at the loss of your fair lady and the treasure of the state. Consider well what a sage has said, that acquisi- tions, death, and losses are not in the hand of man,—they are only in the hands of God. It is true that men are allowed to live and to enjoy themselves in this world, but that is because God so wills it. Our enjoyment here will

182 be in proportion to our merits. We doat upon such temporal enjoyments, and do our utmost to prolong them, but we cannot expect to be in possession of them for a moment longer than God wills it.’ ‘Oh my friend!’ said the king, ‘that is all very true, but listen to me. Were you capable of procuring for me the object of my love?— No; it was Shambae who brought her here. The beauty and charms of that unequalled being have smitten me to my heart’s core, and I am wholly absorbed in grief and melancholy. Look what hypocrisy she has resorted to,— how she has killed my faithful servant, and made away with all my treasure! And in what way could she have effected all this? Alas! is there nothing you can propose to discover her retreat?’ ‘Do not allow yourself to suffer any more on her account,’ resumed the minister; ‘suppress your evil desires, and reflect for a moment on the greatness of God and his power. He has made all these luxuries and enjoyments for men, but how transient and short-lived are they! I implore your majesty to divert your mind from these worldly prizes, and to fix it in the contemplation of the glory of the Almighty, which will teach you and all of us how to conduct ourselves in this world. I trust your majesty will act as becomes your good sense and mature judgment, and, by adding to the comforts of your subjects, and ameliorating their condition, give them cause to love you and acknowledge your merit, and thus call down upon you the blessing of heaven.’ “Prince Sewdass and his friend Hurridass had by this time almost wholly forgotten the trials and sufferings they had undergone; and after living for awhile in ease and comfort, they contemplated visiting their respective parents, from whom they had not heard since their elopement. After some consultation they raised, with great exertion and at enormous expense, an immense army, like that of some great and powerful monarch, and, loading a number of camels with the wealth, riches, and furniture they found in the cavern, they set out for the city from whence they

183 had first travelled. The troops formed a magnificent retinue, and in a few days they reached the neighbourhood of the city. The officer of the fort received information that a great army was approaching, and he became greatly alarmed. When, however, he saw it with his own eyes, he thought proper not to lose a moment in reporting it to the king, who was also taken by surprise. He directly despatched an officer to bring authentic intelligence as to the object of this grand array of men and beasts. The officer, on reaching the advanced guard of the strange army, tried to glean some information from the soldiers, but could learn nothing satisfactory, so he returned to the king without loss of time, and informed him that he had failed in extracting anything from the men, as they were all profoundly silent. On this the king ordered his regular troops to be on the alert; and, as soon as the principal officers of state had been summoned to his presence, he ordered them to proceed with the troops, and stop the progress of the enemy, and, if need be, to engage them in battle. “ The king's army accordingly proceeded on their mission, and marched quickly to meet the forces of Prince Sewdass. The latter, seeing the hostile movement of the king's troops, and rightly guessing the cause, despatched a messenger with an epistle addressed to the king. He was ushered into the royal presence, and was received with the usual courtesies. He then delivered the packet, and informed his majesty, in addition, of every particular regarding Prince Sewdass and the minister’s son. The king and his minister could scarcely believe their senses; but after awhile, every doubt as to the identity of the persons heading the foreign troops having been removed, the court rang with cheers of joy and welcome. The king went forth in person to meet his son, and in his train followed the minister and a host of others. The two friends, Sew- dass and Hurridass, were delighted to see their respective fathers, and having alighted from their chargers, they embraced them with sincere joy and much affection. They

184 then proceeded into the city, amid the cheers of those assembled. The king conducted them to his palace, where Hurridass took leave of the prince and the now aged king, and wended his steps, together with his father, to the pater- nal mansion. There he was met by his mother and relatives, who all by turns lavished on him their affectionate caresses. In like manner was the prince received at the palace. “The day following, the aged monarch declared before his assembled courtiers that, being worn out with age and the infirmities attendant thereon, he had resolved on placing the crown on the head of Prince Sewdass, his son, and on nominating Hurridass prime minister, in place of his father. The assembled gentry and the officers of the court heard the resolution with great and unfeigned joy, for they knew that the successors to the king and to the minister were worthy of that distinction, and would acquit themselves in a manner worthy of their rank and position. Accordingly, the king, having seated Prince Sewdass on the throne with all due form and ceremony, invested Hurridass with the robe of the prime minister. Rejoicings and displays befitting the occasion were celebrated in and around the palace, and the populace shouted with one voice their wishes for long life and prosperity to the newly-created sovereign and his minis- ter. Thus did Prince Sewdass and his friend enter at an early age into the administration of state affairs, but they never- theless conducted themselves with so much dignity and judgment that they gained the applause of all who witnessed their bearing and conduct, as well as universal respect and esteem.” The peacock, having concluded the above relation, flew from the chowrung on which he had been seated, and was instantly lost to view in the design upon the wall.