Hindoo Tales Part 7

Delighted at the thought of possessing inexhaustible wealth, she agreed to this; the mother's consent was formally given; and on the day of my marriage I secretly handed over the promised purse.

Very soon after, Vimardaka, by my directions, in a large a.s.sembly, began to abuse and insult Dhanamittra, who, as if much astonished, said: "What does all this mean? Why should you annoy me? I am not aware that I have ever given you offence."

He answered furiously: "You purse-proud wretch, do you think I will not take my master's part? Have you not robbed him of his intended wife, by bribing her father? Do you think he has no cause for anger against you? His interests are mine; I am ready to risk my life for him, and I will pay you off. Some day you shall miss that purse, the source of the riches with which you are so puffed up." Saying this, he rushed out of the place in a rage; and though nothing was done at the time, his words were not forgotten.

Then Dhanamittra went to the king, and declaring that he had lost the purse, mentioned his suspicion of Arthapati, and the reason for it.

He, having heard nothing of what his servant had said, when summoned and asked "Have you a confidential servant named Vimardaka?" answered without hesitation, "Certainly; he is a very trustworthy man, entirely devoted to my interest."

"Bring him here to me."

Thus commanded, he searched everywhere for his servant, but was unable to find him; and for a good reason, for I had furnished the man with money, and sent him to Oujein, to look for you.

The supposed thief having disappeared, his master was put in prison till further evidence could be procured, for no one but those in the secret doubted that he was the instigator of the theft.

Meanwhile Kamamanjari, anxious to make use of the magic purse, proceeded to fulfil the conditions attached to its use. She went secretly to Virupaka, and restored the money of which she had robbed him, and then gave away all her furniture, clothes, and ornaments.

This, however, she did so incautiously, that attention was drawn to it; upon which Dhanamittra went again to the king, saying: "I suspect that the actress, Kamamanjari, has got my purse; for though notoriously avaricious, she is giving away everything she possesses, and there must be some strong reason for such a proceeding."

In consequence of this information, she was summoned to appear the next day, together with her mother; and the two women came in great alarm to consult me.

I said to Kamamanjari: "No doubt you are suspected of having the purse. This suspicion has arisen from your own imprudence, in giving away your property so openly. I much fear that you will have to give it up, and you will be fortunate if you escape without worse consequences. But you must on no account implicate me; for then I should be put to death, all my property would be confiscated, your sister would die of grief, and you would be utterly ruined."

She answered, with many tears: "It is indeed my own fault, but you shall be safe. That n.i.g.g.ardly wretch, Arthapati, is known to be intimate with me. I will say that I received it from him; and, as he is already suspected of stealing it, I shall probably be believed."

To this I agreed, and the next day, when questioned, she at first denied all knowledge of the purse, then admitted having received it, but refused to say from whom, and at last, when threatened with torture, confessed, apparently with great reluctance, that Arthapati was the giver; and this being considered sufficient evidence against him, he was condemned to death.

Then Dhanamittra interceded for him, saying. "A decree was formerly made by one of your ancestors, that no merchant or trader should be put to death for theft. I humbly entreat, therefore, that his life may be spared."

To this the king consented, the poor wretch was banished, and all his property confiscated, a portion of it being given to Kamamanjari, at the earnest entreaty of Dhanamittra, who got back his purse, and shortly afterwards married Kulapalika.

Having thus performed the promise to my friend, I increased my own wealth, and kept up the reputation of the purse by going on with my robberies, and so impoverished the rich misers, that some of them were glad to receive a morsel of food from the beggars to whom they had formerly refused help, and who were now enriched by my liberality.

Still no suspicion fell on me; but fate is all-powerful, and it was decreed that I should be caught at last.

One night, sitting with my charming wife, intoxicated, partly with wine and partly with her sweet caresses, I was seized with madness, and started up, saying: "All the wealth in the city is not too much for you; I will fill the house with jewels for your sake." Then, like a furious elephant who has broken his chain, I rushed out, in spite of her remonstrances, with a drawn sword, and attacked a body of police, who happened to be pa.s.sing. Shouting out, "This is the robber!" they soon overpowered me, and I fell to the ground.

The shock sobered me at once, and all the horror of the situation into which I had brought myself by my folly came into my mind. I thought to myself, my intimacy with Dhanamittra is well known; suspicion will fall on him; and unless I can turn it off, he, as well as my wife, will be arrested to-morrow; and I quickly formed a plan by which they, and perhaps I myself, might be saved. But no time was to be lost; and as they were about to take me away, I called out to my wife's nurse, Sringalika, who had followed me, "Begone, old wretch! and tell that vile harlot your mistress, and her paramour, Dhanamittra, that she will never see her ornaments, nor he his magic purse again. I care not for life, if I am revenged on those two wretches."

The old woman being remarkably quick-witted, at once understood my object in speaking thus, and very humbly accosting the police said: "Worthy sir, I entreat you to wait a moment, while I ask your prisoner where he has hid the ornaments of my mistress."

To, this they a.s.sented, and coming to me, she said: "O, sir, your jealousy is without cause; whatever attentions that man may have paid my mistress, she is not to blame. Now that you are taken from her, she will have no means of support, and must go on the stage again. How can she do this without her ornaments? Take compa.s.sion on her, and say where you have hid them."

Then, as if my anger were appeased, I answered: "Why should I, who am about to die, harbour resentment? Come close, and I will whisper where I have put them." In this manner I managed to give her a few hurried instructions. She went away, with many blessings on me, and thanks to the men for their kindness; and I was taken to the king's prison.

At that time the governor of the prison was a very conceited young man, named Kantaka, who had lately succeeded to the office by the death of his father. When I was brought in, looking at me in a very contemptuous manner, he said: "So you are the thief who has committed so many robberies. If you do not give up the stolen property, and especially the magic purse, you shall suffer every possible variety of torture before you are put to death."

I answered, smiling, "Even though I should give up all the other stolen property, I will never let the purse go back to that wretch Dhanamittra, my greatest enemy. You may try all your tortures; you will never get this secret out of me."

Finding the fear of torture to have no effect, the next day he tried promises; and so went on from day to day, with alternate soothing and threatening.

Meanwhile, my wounds were attended to, and I was well fed; so that I had regained my strength when, one day, Sringalika made her appearance, well dressed, and with cheerful countenance.

To my surprise, she was allowed to speak to me in private. She said to me, joyfully "Your plan has succeeded. As you directed, I went to Dhanamittra and told him, from you: 'You must go to the king, and say, "The magic purse so lately restored has again been stolen by one whom I regarded as a friend--a certain gambler, the husband of the actress Ragamanjari. He has taken it from spite, being jealous of his wife, to whom, from kindness, I often made presents. He is now in prison for other offences; and if, he is put to death immediately, as he deserves, I fear that I shall never recover my purse. I pray, therefore, that he may not be executed before he has confessed where it is concealed. For he admits having taken it; but declares that he will not give it up, unless his life is spared." Your friend, admiring your ingenuity, and having full confidence in your resources, immediately went to the king and obtained his request, so that your life is safe for the present.'

"Meanwhile, with the help of gifts furnished by my mistress, I have formed an intimacy with the nurse of the Princess Ambalika, and have been introduced by her to the princess, whose favour I have gained by telling her amusing stories, and whom I have induced to feel an interest in the misfortune of my mistress.

"One day, when I was standing near her in the gallery round the court-yard of the palace, Kantaka, having some business or other, pa.s.sed through below us. Picking up a flower which the princess had dropped, I let it fall on his head; and when he looked up to see from whose hand it came, I managed to make the princess laugh at something which I said; and the conceited fool, thinking that it was she who had dropped it to attract his attention, went away looking quite pleased and confused.

"That same evening I received a present for my mistress, a small basket marked with the signet of the princess, and containing articles of no great value. This I took to Kantaka; and begging him to observe the strictest secrecy, made him believe that the princess had sent it to him. He was even delighted when, another day, I brought him a dirty dress, telling him that she had worn it.

"Finding him quite ready to believe this, and convinced that she was in love with him, I kept up an imaginary correspondence, bringing very loving messages from her, which I invented, and receiving many from him in return, which I took care not to deliver. His presents, of course, I kept for myself.

"In this manner I have raised his hopes very high; and to encourage him still further, I said: 'I have heard from a learned astrologer, with whom I am acquainted, that you have certain marks upon you which indicate that you will one day be a king. This love on the part of the princess tends to the fulfilment of the prediction. You are therefore on the high road to fortune. If you have spirit enough to pursue it, all you have to do now is to obtain a secret interview with the lady; the rest will follow in due time.'

"'But how can I manage this?' he asked. 'The wall of the garden,' I replied, 'communicating with the princess's apartments, is separated from those of the gaol by a s.p.a.ce of a few yards only. You could not get over these walls; but you might make an underground pa.s.sage, and slip in un.o.bserved; and I will take care that there shall be some one to receive and conduct you to the princess. When once with her, you are safe; for all her attendants are attached to her; not one would betray the secret.'

"'But how can I make this underground pa.s.sage?' he asked. 'I cannot dig it myself, or employ workmen.'

"'Have you no clever thief here,' I replied, 'accustomed to such work?'

"'Well suggested,' he answered. 'I have just the right man.'

"'Who is he?' I said.

"'That man who has stolen the magic purse,' said he. 'If he will set to work with a good will he will soon dig his way through.'

"'Very good,' I answered. 'You must persuade him by promising to let him go when the work is done. But it would never do for him to be in the secret; therefore, when he has finished, put on his fetters again, and report to the king that he is exceedingly obstinate; that you have tried all other means to make him confess, and that nothing remains but to put him to torture. No doubt the king will give orders accordingly; and you can easily manage so to inflict it that he shall die under it. When he is dead, your secret will be safe; you can visit the princess as often as you like; and, doubtless, in the end the king, rather than disgrace his daughter, will consent to your marriage; and as he has no other child, will make you his successor.'

"With this proposal he was quite delighted; and has been treating you well, that you may have strength for the work. He intends to ask you to begin to-night; and has sent me to persuade you, believing me to be devoted to his interests, and looking forward to some great reward when he has got his wish."

Having heard this from the old woman, I gave her great praise, and said: "Lose no time. Tell him I am quite ready to do the work."

After this, Kantaka came to me, told me what he wanted, and swore a solemn oath that I should be liberated when the work was done; and I, in return, swore to keep his secret.

Then he took off my fetters; I got a bath and a good dinner, and presently set to work in a dark corner, under the wall. Soon after midnight the work was done, and an opening made into the courtyard of the women's apartments.

Before returning, I thought to myself "This man has sworn an oath which he intends to break: for the preservation of my own life, therefore, I shall be justified in killing him."

Having formed this resolution, I went back to the prison, where Kantaka was waiting for me. He told me it was necessary to replace my fetters for the present; and I appeared to acquiesce. But as he was stooping to fasten them, I gave him a violent kick; and before he could recover himself, I had s.n.a.t.c.hed a short sword which he wore, and cut off his head.

I then returned to Sringalika, who had remained in the prison, and said to her: "I am not disposed to have had all this toil for nothing.

Tell me the way into the ladies' rooms. I will go there and steal something before I make my escape."

Having received her directions, I pa.s.sed again through the tunnel which I had made, came up into the court-yard; and from thence entered a large, lofty room lighted by jewelled lamps, where a number of women were sleeping.

There, on a couch ornamented with beautifully carved flowers and resting on lions' feet, I saw the princess, covered only by a thin silken petticoat, half sunk into a soft white feather-bed, like lightning on an autumn cloud.

Fast asleep, as if wearied by much play, she lay in a very graceful att.i.tude, with her delicate ancles crossed, her knees slightly drawn up; one lovely hand laid loosely on her side, the other beneath her head; her full bosom, slowly heaved by gentle breathing, illuminated by the ruby necklace strung on burnished gold; the top-knot of her loosened hair hanging down like some graceful flower; her lips so bright that the opening of the mouth could hardly be distinguished; her features in calm repose, shaded by her lovely ringlets.