“You could not,” was the answer, “for at that moment I was invisible to human eye.”
Too well acquainted with the extraordinary claims to the power of rendering themselves invisible asserted by the Yogis, Siddha contented himself with listening in silence to the priest, who, to his astonishment, continued:—
“It was on that evening when you gave chase to the hermit’s tiger;—but we will speak to each other later. Now the noble Salhana wishes to converse with me, so for the present farewell, and may Durga’s mighty consort bless you.” And murmuring in a low tone his “Om, Om!” the priest of Durga and Salhana left him in the garden, his uncle crying to him, “We shall meet again soon.”
The last communication of the Yogi was well calculated to excite Siddha’s astonishment. How could the man know what had happened to him yonder in the mountains, where, excepting his own companion, he had seen no human being? But here the sight of his servant at a little distance, wandering through the trees, brought to his mind the way by which the riddle might be unravelled.
“Vatsa,” said he, beckoning to the man, “have either you or Kulluka’s servant just spoken with a priest?”
“No, my lord,” answered Vatsa, “we have not even seen one.”
“No!” said Siddha, now really astonished. “Good; you can go.” And turning away, he murmured to himself, half disturbed and half alarmed, “I will speak to Kulluka about this.” But how could a priest or anyone else occupy his thoughts when, having gone but a little way, he caught sight of the white robe and slight figure of Iravati, seated under the thick shade of a mango, close to a pool of lotuses, while the air was filled with the sweet music of a sparkling fountain, and cooled by its falling waters. Flowers lay scattered around, and in her hand was a half-finished wreath. Hearing footsteps approaching, and catching sight of Siddha, she flung the wreath away, and hastened to meet her lover, raising her clasped hands to her forehead. Siddha seized them in his own, and, leading her back, flung himself on the moss at her side.
“What a cruel man your father is,” said he, “to part us so soon, when we had scarcely exchanged two words!”
“Well,” answered Iravati, “you must thank him for allowing us to talk together, since it is long since this was allowed to those who are betrothed to each other.”
“From my heart I will be grateful to him,” said Siddha, “and more highly prize the happy moments spent with you. But you do not seem quite to share in my joy; tell me the reason.”