"Yes; once an avaricious nawab got together several elephants and many men, and, fastening to the cable, started to pull the boat up. It came easily at first, but just when they all got very careless and were starting to rush it the magic thing slipped back, pulling them in, and they were all drowned. There's a legend that if a holy man stands here at midnight of a full moon when the mhowa tree is in bloom, with the three sacred sapphires of our mythology in his hand, the king will rise in his golden boat if the holy man has been ordained of the gods to be a leader of his people."
Back on the terrace, Prince Ananda asked: "Were you in the service out here, captain?" Very inconsequential was the tone of this query that was so pointed in reality.
"I was on the Bombay side for a time; my health petered out, and I had to go back to Belati."
"I see the lights of Major Finnerty's dogcart coming up the hill," Ananda announced.
"Coming to dinner with us--any ladies, prince?" Lord Victor queried.
"No; this is what I call a _pilkana_ or play dinner. After we've dined I'm going to show you some Indian _tamasha_. I asked Finnerty because he's great on these jungle friends of mine--should be able to find you some tiger; I don't shoot."
The moon showed an apologetic smile curving the lips clear of his brilliant white teeth as Ananda, turning to Swinton, added: "I never kill any of them myself; I'm a Buddhist in that way."
"Do you believe in reincarnation, prince?" Gilfain questioned.
"I'm afraid I don't believe in anything that's not demonstrable; but I do know that it is a good thing to not take life. Finnerty is the government keddah sahib here, and I'm going to ask his help in giving you some sport, Gilfain. My private archæologist, Doctor Boelke, is coming for dinner also. The trouble about him is the more he drinks the more Teutonically sombre he becomes."
The prince excused himself, saying: "I think they're pretty well coming together."
The two men could hear a heavy tonga clatter up, followed by the light, whirring grind of dogcart wheels and a medley of voices. As a group came through the palace, Swinton could hear the heavy guttural of a German's "_Ach, Gott!_" about something unpleasing.