'When the faithful wife,[[17]] embracing tenderly her husband dead,
Mounts the blazing pile beside him, as it were the bridal-bed;
Though his sins were twenty thousand, twenty thousand times o'er-told,
She shall bring his soul to splendor, for her love so large and bold.'
All this the Wheelwright heard. 'What a lucky fellow I am,' he thought, 'to have a wife so virtuous,' and rushing from his place of concealment, he exclaimed in ecstasy to his wife's gallant, 'Sir I saw you ever truer wife than mine?'
'When the story was concluded,' said Long-bill, 'the King, with a gracious gift of food, sent me off before the Parrot; but he is coming after me, and it is now for your Majesty to determine as it shall please you.'
'My Liege,' observed the Brahmany-goose with a sneer, 'the Crane has done the King's business in foreign parts to the best of his power, which is that of a fool.'
"Let the past pass," replied the King, "and take thought for the present."
"Be it in secret, then, your Majesty," said the Brahmany-goose—
'Counsel unto six ears spoken, unto all is notified:—
When a King holds consultation, let it be with one beside,'
Thereupon all withdrew, but the Rajah and the Minister.
'What think you?' said Silver-sides.
'That the Crane has been employed to bring this about,' replied the other.