Having finally delivered his determination, he ordered his troops to proceed with the work of destruction. The gigantic image tottered beneath their strokes. It was at length split; the next blow laid open its hollow body, and to the surprise of the king and his officers its immense wealth was exposed to view; but their astonishment was infinitely increased when upon enlarging the opening, the Hindoo widow appeared standing in the centre of the cavity with the aged Brahmin kneeling beside her. The king instantly recognized her. She rushed towards him and exclaiming, “My deliverer!” fell into his arms.
“You have saved me,” she cried hysterically, “from pollution and from death. Yonder is my persecutor. In another hour I should have been what I shudder to contemplate.”
The Brahmin was dragged from his den of infamy. He shrank from the gaze of the scornful Mahomedan. His own companions slank out of the temple and left him to his fate. He was instantly hanged from one of the pillars of the sanctuary which he had so frequently profaned. The beautiful widow became Mahmood’s favourite queen, which event immediately followed upon her unexpected deliverance from the “Idol of Somnat.”
FOOTNOTES:
[9] A sort of missile discus, with which the divinity Vishnoo is always represented armed.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY.
Heg. 421 (A.D. 1030).—A conspiracy was formed in favour of Prince Musaood, the king’s brother. Mahomed was surrounded in his tent by the conspirators and his person seized. The refractory nobles immediately joined Musaood and swore allegiance to him. Mahomed was deprived of sight and cast into prison.
Heg. 422 (1031).—The king raised Altoon Tash, one of his own domestic sweepers, to the viceroyship of Rye in Persia.
Heg. 423 (1032).—Khwaja Ahmud, the vizier, died.
Heg. 424 (1033).—This year was remarkable for a great drought and famine in many parts of the world. The famine was succeeded by a pestilence, which, in less than a month, swept away forty thousand persons from Ispahan alone. In Hindostan whole countries were depopulated.