Part 2 (1/2)
We were taking nobody entirely by surprise; that much was obvious Before we reached the top step tomen opened a door and ran to arland of jasmine buds that he had to loop it thrice about his shoulders Then each took a hand of one of us and we entered between doors ofonbeside ours There were rustlings to right and left, and once I heard laughter, smothered instantly
At last, at the end of a wide hall before uides stopped As they released our hands, with the always surprising strength that is part of the dancing woman's stock-in-trade, they slipped behind us suddenly and thrust us forward through the curtains
There was not much to see in front of us We found ourselves in a paneled corridor, whose narros overlooked the river, facing a painted door sixty paces distant at the farther end King strode down the corridor and knocked
The ansas one word that I did not catch, although it rang like a suddenly struck chord of 's hand
I entered behind hiht with a click We were in a high-ceilinged, very long rooht and left A deep divan piled with scented cushi+ons occupied the whole length of one long wall, and there were several huge cushi+ons on the floor against another wall There was one other door besides that we had entered by
We stood in that roo felt as uneasy as I did, for there eat on the back of his neck We were being watched by unseen eyes There is nothat sensation
Suddenly a voice broke silence like a golden bell whose overtones go widening in rings into infinity, and a vision of loveliness parted the curtains of that other door
”My lord codo! Oh, how my lord is welcome!” she said in Persian
Her voice thrilled you, because of its perfect resonance, exactly in the ing faly She glanced from me to a picture on the wall in blue of the Elephant-God-enorain at ht Ganesha with you? The God of good luck! Hoonderful! How does one behave toward a real God?”
And while she said that she laid her hands on King's arms as naturally as if he were a lover whom she had not seen perhaps since yesterday Plainly, there was absolutely nothing between him and her except his own obstinate independence She was his if he wanted her
She took King's hand with a laugh that had its roots in past companionshi+p and led him to the middle, deepest -seat, beneath which the river could be heard gurgling busily
Then, when she had drawn the silken hangings until the softened light suggested lingering, uncounted hours, and had indicated with a nod to me a cushi+on in the corner, she ca, chin on hand, where she could watch his eyes
King sat straight and square, watching her with caution that he did not trouble to conceal She took his hand and raised the sleeve until the broad, gold, graven bracelet showed
”That link forged in the past
”I used it to show to the gatekeeper”
He sat cooly waiting for her next rean to remove the bracelet and offer it back to her So she unh and a lazy, cat-like , if I know anything at all of what sign-language ned your coht at the news, knowing that the Gods who are our servants had contrived it I knohy thou art here,” she said; and the change from you to thou was not haphazard
”It is well known, Princess, that your spies are the cleverest in India,” King answered
”Spies? I need no spies as long as old India lives Friends are better”
”Do all princesses break their pro her eyes steadily
”Never yet did I break one proood or evil”
”Princess,” he answered, looking sternly at her, ”in Jaain in politics, national or international in return for a promise of personal freedom and permission to reside in India”
”My promise was dependent on my liberty But is this liberty-to be forced to reside in this old palace, with the spies of the Governs, except when they chance to be outwitted? Nevertheless, I have kept my promise Thou knowest me better than to think that I need to break prolishmen!”