“There are dancing women also,” said the Lama. “They are not wanted to dance until later; therefore they may take part in the crowd in various disguises. They have nothing to say. Read on.”
Maitraya read: “ ‘The crowd salutes the king, and the saddhu watches scornfully; the saddhu speaks.’ Read on, Gupta Rao.”
“ ‘So many men and women, so many fools! Waves crying to an empty boat to guide them! O ye men and women, children of delusion and blind slaves of appetite, how long will ye store up wrath against the hour of reckoning?’ ”
“Now the shoemaker,” said the Lama.
“ ‘Tell us how to collect our debts, thou Saddhu! Tell us how to feed our young ones! To that we will listen!’ ”
“Now the tax-collector.”
“ ‘Tell me how to get the tax-money from men who declare they have nothing! Tell me how to conduct a government without a revenue! Tell me what will happen if I fail, O mouther of mantras![[30]]’ ”
“The king,” said the Lama, and Maitraya spoke with the scroll behind him, to prove how swiftly he could memorize.
“ ‘Peace, all of you! Ye little know how fortunate ye are to have a king whose only will is that the realm shall ooze contenting justice. Day and night my meditation is to spread contentment through the land. Is this your gratitude?’ ”
The Saddhu: “ ‘To whom? For what?’ ” Ommony’s voice charged the line with sarcasm that made the Lama glance at him.