CHAPTER V
THE DOWRY OF THE PRINCESS
One day my Mahout, who like all others of his class, had the habit ofmaking long discourses (which I finally grew to understand), came andstood before me, as he always did when he wished me to listen.
I at once became attentive, for I saw from his agitated air thatsomething of importance was concerned.
"King-Magnanimous," said he, "ought we to rejoice--or ought we toweep? Is a new life for us a good, or an evil thing? Should one dreadchange, or should one welcome it? These are questions which are beingbalanced in my mind, like the weights in a pair of scales! You, who arenow an elephant, but were once a King could tell me, if only you couldspeak. You could tell me if the numerous transformations, the changes,have brought you most joy or sorrow. Your wisdom could put an endto my anxiety, perhaps; But perhaps, on the other hand, you can lookno further into the future than I; and you would say to me, "_Let usresign ourselves to what we cannot help_, _and wait to either weep orrejoice_, _till events prove good or ill._"... Well! so will we do. Wewill resign ourselves, and wait.
"That which is about to happen you know not--and that is what I amgoing to tell you.
"Our great King, _Phra, Puttie, Chucka, Ka, Rap, Si, Klan, Si, Kla,Mom, Ka, Phra, Puttie, Chow_ (for I cannot mention the King's namewithout giving him all his titles--I who am only a simple Mahout--whenthe Prime Minister, himself durst not do so!)--our great King isthe father of several Princes, and also of a Princess--a beautifulPrincess--who is of a marriageable age.... _Well! that is it!_ Sheis about to be married. The King _Phra, Puttie, Chucka_ has bestowedthe hand of the Princess Saphire-of-Heaven upon a Hindu, the Princeof Golconda: and this marriage, which at first would seem of littleinterest to us, is going to overturn our whole existence.
"Know, King-Magnanimous, that your glorious person is to form part ofthe Dowry of the Princess. Yes! even so. Without asking your pleasurein this affair, they have made a gift of you to a stranger Prince, whomay not have for your Majesty the respect due you.
"And I--poor Mahout--what am I without the noble elephant whom Iattend? And what is your Majesty without me?
"Therefore they have also made a gift of me, and I am now a fragmentof the royal dowry. We are bound to each other till death--we arebut one! You go where I conduct you, and I must go where you go. Oh!King-Magnanimous, _ought we to weep or rejoice_?"
Really, I could not say. And I was greatly disturbed at what had beentold me.
To leave this life, so sweet and tranquil, but which sometimes weariedme by its monotony and inaction.... Abandon this beautiful home soabundantly provided with good things!... Surely this was cause forweeping! But then, to see new countries, new cities, meet with newadventures--that was perhaps something to rejoice at! ...
Like my Mahout, I concluded the best way was to wait--and for thepresent to be resigned.