en, as thou art passing by, for
the very sight of thee is life.

And without speaking, she rolled her head up in her veil, and went
away very quickly. And I stood, looking after her as she went: saying
to myself: There goes my last hope. And lucky for me it was that I
caught her: for without her, I would by this have driven my own sword
home into my heart.

XX

And I went home feeling like a man saved from the very mouth of death,
saying to myself: Now then, happen what will! for at least I have
secured the key of the door leading to Tarawali, in the form of her
maid. And now, it may be, I shall see her very soon. For beyond a
doubt, there has been some blunder, or perhaps she was occupied with
business of moment, that left her no leisure for affairs like mine.
And all my fears may have been in vain. And at least, I can wait with
hope, and not as I did before, in horrible despair, cut off from every
means of communication. And I sat with a heart almost at peace,
prepared to wait till the coming of Chaturika on the following day.
But it turned out contrary to my expectation. For I had been waiting
for little more than a single hour, when there came a knock at the
door. And when I opened, there stood Chaturika again. And she said
rapidly: The Queen will await thee in the garden to-night at sunset.

And I exclaimed, with a shout of joy: Ha! sunset! It is as I thought.
Well I knew there was some mistake, and that she could not fail. And
beyond a doubt, she had forgotten the time, remembering only when
reminded by thee. Victory to thee, O Chaturika! for to thee alone I
owe the sunset, and now I will give thee for it almost anything thou
canst ask. And Chaturika said: Give me nothing. And she stood in
silence, looking at me with strange eyes, in which, as it seemed, pity
and curiosity seemed to be mingled with compunction and some element
that I could not understand. And suddenly she came to me, and laid her
hand upon my arm. And she whispered very quickly, as if she was half
afraid of what she said: Do not go. And then, she turned and vanished
from the room, as if to escape before I had time to ask for
explanation.

And I said to myself, looking after her in wonder: What! do not go? So
then, as it seems, there will be danger. But little does she know me,
if she thinks that any danger would keep me from the Queen. And
indeed, in the garden there is room for any number of assassins, if
Narasinha or anybody else were j