a good ruler of his kingdom?


CHAPTER IX


When Matri-Datta told his servant that he was to go to the palace to
see the king, the man was dreadfully frightened, and begged his master
not to make him go. This made Matri-Datta pretty sure that he had done
something wrong and was afraid of being found out. "Go at once," he
said, "and whatever you do, speak the truth to the king. That will be
your only chance if you have offended him." Again and again the servant
entreated Matri-Datta not to insist, and when he found it was no good,
he asked him at least to come with him to the palace and plead for him
with Prasnajit. The merchant knew then for certain that something was
seriously wrong, and he consented to go to the palace with his servant,
partly out of curiosity and partly out of fear for himself. When the
two got to the palace, the attendants at once led the servant to the
presence of the king, but they would not let the master go with him.

Directly the servant entered the room and saw the king sitting on
his throne, he fell upon his face at the foot of the steps, crying,
"Mercy! mercy!" He was right to be afraid, for Prasnajit said to him
in a loud voice: "Where are the gold and the jewels you took from
the hole in the roots of a tree when you went to find the nagaballa
plant for your master?" The servant, who really had taken the money
and jewels, was so terrified when he found that the king knew the
truth, that he had not a word to say at first, but just remained
lying on the ground, trembling all over. Prasnajit too was silent,
and the attendants waiting for orders behind the throne looked on,