“My first appeal to Your Highness is the forwarding of my petition to the Dalai Lama of Tibet, and the second is about Your Highness’s promise as to the Samskṛṭ text of the Buḍḍhist Scriptures.”
“We will talk about those things afterwards,” said he. “I understand that you were in this country four years ago; is that true?”
“Yes, your Highness, I was most certainly here four years ago.”
He straightened himself up and said in a changed tone of voice—“Ha! How was it that you did not tell me so when you saw me at Beelganji? Do you not think that it was in the order of things that you should have told me about your former visit to this country then?”
“I do not deny that, your Highness; let me say, however, that much as I wished to do so then, I abstained from doing so owing to a certain fear I entertained.”
“Might I know what you were afraid of?”
“Certainly, your Highness. In the first place I thought then, that should I open my mouth carelessly, I might invite your anger and consequent punishment on the officers of your challenge gates and many other people of this country. I should have felt unbearable sorrow of mind, had my thoughtless divulgence of the fact at the time involved my friends and acquaintances in Nepāl in the troubles and afflictions now being undergone by those in Tibet. I most earnestly beseech Your Highness that you will punish none of your subjects because of my having passed through this country once before, or else I pray your Highness to allow me to retract all that I have said about my former visit.”
“I grant your request; you may rest assured that I will not punish any of our people on your account.”
“Your Highness has greatly relieved me; I thank your Highness for your magnanimity.”
When truth speaks, it touches the heart; and I was gratified to notice that the King seemed to believe my words. But when it came to the question of the motive of my Tibetan and Nepāl journey, it was another thing—as the King appeared to say, for he next asked me: