登陆注册
4718900000024

第24章

Then, having taken both of them, along with the jewels, into the presence of King Dantawat, he related the whole circumstances.

"Master," said the king on hearing the statement, "whence have you obtained these jewels?"The spiritual preceptor, before deigning an answer, pulled from under his arm the hide of a black antelope, which he spread out and smoothed deliberately before using it as an asan. He then began to finger a rosary of beads each as large as an egg, and after spending nearly an hour in mutterings and in rollings of the head, he looked fixedly at the Raja, and repined:

"By Shiva! great king, they are mine own. On the fourteenth of the dark half of the moon at night, I had gone into a place where dead bodies are burned, for the purpose of accomplishing a witch's incantation. After long and toilsome labour she appeared, but her demeanour was so unruly that I was forced to chastise her. I struck her with this, my trident, on the left leg, if memory serves me. As she continued to be refractory, in order to punish her I took off all her jewels and clothes, and told her to go where she pleased. Even this had little effect upon her --never have I looked upon so perverse a witch. In this way the jewels came into my possession."Raja Dantawat was stunned by these words. He begged the ascetic not to leave the palace for a while, and forthwith walked into the private apartments of the women. Happening first to meet the queen dowager, he said to her, "Go, without losing a minute, O my mother, and look at Padmavati's left leg, and see if there is a mark or not, and what sort of a mark!" Presently she returned, and coming to the king said, "Son, I find thy daughter lying upon her bed, and complaining that she has met with an accident; and indeed Padmavati must be in great pain. I found that some sharp instrument with three points had wounded her. The girl says that a nail hurt her, but I never yet heard of a nail making three holes.

However, we must all hasten, or there will be erysipelas, tumefaction, gangrene, mortification, amputation, and perhaps death in the house," concluded the old queen, hurrying away in the pleasing anticipation of these ghastly consequences.

For a moment King Dantawat's heart was ready to break. But he was accustomed to master his feelings; he speedily applied the reins of reflection to the wild steed of passion. He thought to himself, "the affairs of one's household, the intentions of one's heart, and whatever one's losses may be, should not be disclosed to any one. Since Padmavati is a witch, she is no longer my daughter.

I will verily go forth and consult the spiritual preceptor."With these words the king went outside, where the guru was still sitting upon his black hide, making marks with his trident on the floor. Having requested that the pupil might be sent away, and having cleared the room, he said to the jogi, "O holy man! what punishment for the heinous crime of witchcraft is awarded to a woman in the Dharma- Shastra ?""Greet king!" replied the devotee, "in the Dharma Shastra it is thus written: 'If a Brahman, a cow, a woman, a child, or any other person whatsoever who may be dependent on us, should be guilty of a perfidious act, their punishment is that they be banished the country.' However much they may deserve death, we must not spill their blood, as Lakshmi flies in horror from the deed."Hearing these words the Raja dismissed the guru with many thanks and large presents. He waited till nightfall and then ordered a band of trusty men to seize Padmavati without alarming the household, and to carry her into a distant jungle full of fiends, tigers, and bears, and there to abandon her.

In the meantime, the ascetic and his pupil hurrying to the cemetery resumed their proper dresses; they then went to the old nurse's house, rewarded her hospitality till she wept bitterly, girt on their weapons, and mounting their horses, followed the party which issued from the gate of King Dantawat's palace. And it may easily be believed that they found little difficulty in persuading the poor girl to exchange her chance in the wild jungle for the prospect of becoming Vajramukut's wife --lawfully wedded at Benares. She did not even ask if she was to have a rival in the house, --a question which women, you know, never neglect to put under usual circumstances. After some days the two pilgrims of one love arrived at the house of their fathers, and to all, both great and small, excess in joy came.

"Now, Raja Vikram!" said the Baital, "you have not spoken much;doubtless you are engrossed by the interest of a story wherein a man beats a woman at her own weapon --deceit. But I warn you that you will assuredly fall into Narak (the infernal regions) if you do not make up your mind upon and explain this matter. Who was the most to blame amongst these four? the lover the lover's friend, the girl, or the father?""For my part I think Padmavati was the worst, she being at the bottom of all their troubles," cried Dharma Dhwaj. The king said something about young people and the two senses of seeing and hearing, but his son's sentiment was so sympathetic that he at once pardoned the interruption. At length, determined to do justice despite himself, Vikram said, "Raja Dantawat is the person most at fault.""In what way was he at fault? " asked the Baital curiously.

同类推荐
  • 仙侠五花剑

    仙侠五花剑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 对联话

    对联话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 养羊法

    养羊法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 素问病机气宜保命集

    素问病机气宜保命集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 朝野佥载

    朝野佥载

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 高冷男神是妻奴

    高冷男神是妻奴

    封大男神婚前是个高冷的权少,婚后是个……高冷的禽兽,妥妥的妻奴。大难不死,必有后福,时苒苒觉得,封祁是她的福,养母一家算计不成,反而和男神领证,幸福是幸福,就是小腰总是不太好。一日……“我不喜欢你招惹的烂桃花……”封大男神无奈,他可没招惹烂桃花!他哪敢?唉……下瞬,他流目煞气毕现,冷冷看烂桃花,“还不快滚!听不懂我家宝贝的话?”
  • 戏剧大师:莎士比亚(创造历史的风云人物)

    戏剧大师:莎士比亚(创造历史的风云人物)

    名人创造了历史,名人改写了历史,那些走在时代最前列、深深影响和推动了历史进程的名人永远会被广大人民所拥戴、所尊重、所铭记。古往今来,有多少中外名人不断地涌现在人们的目光里,这些出类拔萃、彪炳千古、流芳百世的名人中,有家国天下的政治家,有叱咤风云的军事家,有超乎凡人的思想家,有妙笔生花的文学家,有造福人类的科学家,有想象非凡的艺术家……他们永远不会被人们忘记!
  • 如何当好中层管理者

    如何当好中层管理者

    本书能帮助刚刚进入中层管理岗位者轻松上手,使正在迷茫的中层管理者重拾信心,重装上阵,并使在日常的管理工作中,遇到了瓶颈的中层管理者,迅速打开局面,重振雄威。
  • 镜花水月

    镜花水月

    这是一部长篇小说。书稿以丰富的细节、细腻的语言,描写了中学生的学习生活。他们热情向上,追求自由、崇尚平等,虽有课业的压力,但仍对未来充满信心。也写出了他们的渴望、梦想。
  • 江太太,恋爱已生效

    江太太,恋爱已生效

    多年前,她惨遭恋人无情抛弃多年后,她被人莫名其妙的逼婚结婚后,当她被男人的温柔体贴俘获时,她才知道这个心机深沉的男人心里一直藏着一个人,而她不过是被利用的一颗棋子。叶思琏自嘲一笑,如果没有相识该多好,如果一切都回到最初的模样,那么她就不会爱上江睿宸,就像是两条平行线永远不会有交集。这一场无关情爱的婚姻,套牢的究竟是谁的心?他和她的逢场作戏,戏耍的究竟是谁?原来,最先动心的人是注定的输家。原来,最先入戏的人注定万劫不复。江太太,恋爱已经生效,请查收。
  • 狂君惹娇妻

    狂君惹娇妻

    她,原是抱着终生不嫁的念头,结果,还是被人强掠拜了天地意与“冲喜”无二致,她的丈夫会娶了她,原因是帮他改运她的胡说八道,倒是真的助上他三分,只不过,过程虽然很重要,更重要的却是结果事实证明,娶她不能达到他的目的【娘,为什么我们要一直走,一直走?】三岁的小娃娃小小的脑袋瓜里,藏着浓浓的不解【娘要带你去看遍天下美景啊】【可是宝宝好想住在外婆家里,那里很美很美啊,宝宝可不可以不要一直走——】会累哦!【……】当然不行啊,他们母子可不是真的在游山玩水,是在逃命哎。不巧的是,追他们的正是宝宝的爹!那个完全不顾他人意愿,一直来招惹她的男人——独孤苍啸◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇某依作品:《后娘嫁到》:《美厨前妻》:《总裁的前妻》:《残夫惹娇妻》:《极恶夫君》:
  • 我是睡阴师

    我是睡阴师

    那一晚,爷爷让我睡在一个棺材里,后来棺材里出现个大姐姐,她很好看……
  • 民法文化与中国民法法典化

    民法文化与中国民法法典化

    传统文化中的集体精神观念阻碍了现代个人权利的生张,家国本位的思想观念和儒家文化的盛行扼杀了作为民事主体的人的主体地位和权利意识。
  • 拐个天才回家去

    拐个天才回家去

    “这位同学,麻烦你让一下可以不!”安诺瑞撅着个屁股咬牙切齿的看着躺在草地上睡大觉的某人,要不是因为被数学老师拖了几分钟,她也不至于抄近道走这条路,更不会遇见这个像死人一样躺着不让道的王八蛋,没有内急的人是不会明白她的痛苦···“小瑞,不管你去哪,我都会找到你...”小时候,她是老大,带着一群小屁孩爬树下河,掏鸟蛋,他是小跟班,她闯祸他背锅...长大了,她是假装乖巧的小魔女,他是天天怂恿她逃课做“坏事”的假兄弟...【本文是甜文,宠文,小虐怡情。】
  • 萌妻捕灵人

    萌妻捕灵人

    阴阳分界,人鬼殊途。鬼节当晚,她捡了一只猫,结果被猫坑了,成了捉鬼引魂的捕灵人。失踪的尸体、消失的亡灵、附身尸体的恶灵,都是谁在背后操控这一切?从地府逃出的恶鬼,又藏在人间的哪一处?行走阴阳两界,在人与鬼之间,任重而道远。