Bikoo, recovering himself, continued—
“I managed to steal into your highness’s treasury, from whence I carried off a casket full of papers, of which my master desired to possess himself.”
“What has become of them?” asked Reginald eagerly.
“Remember that if you speak not the truth you will immediately be put to death,” added the rajah.
“O Refuge of the World, far be it from me to deceive you,” answered the slave. “The casket was placed by my master, with other treasures, within the tomb of the learned saint Danee Domanuck, in the temple of the great god Doorga, before which the pious priests of our faith, at morn, noonday, and eventide, are wont to stand reciting the prayers and the wise sayings he composed; but so absorbed are they in their devotions that they will not discover who enters the temple, and the casket may without difficulty be recovered. If my pardon is granted, I will undertake to carry it off from the spot in which I before placed it.”
“Pardon or no pardon, the casket must be brought here before sunset,” exclaimed the rajah. “But what assurance have I that you speak the truth, and will not endeavour to make your escape should I order your chains to be knocked off, and allow you to go free?”
“Refuge of the World, I am incapable of such treachery,” said Bikoo, putting his hand to his heart.
“With your highness’s leave, I will accompany the slave,” said Reginald. “If I assume my European costume I shall not be recognised, and the priests will suppose me a stranger led by curiosity to visit their temple. If the slave speaks the truth, the casket may then be obtained without difficulty; and as I will go well armed, I will protect him should the priests attempt to take it from him.”
“You may go, my son,” said the rajah; “but, as a protection, take fifty of my guards and station them outside the temple, with directions to be ready to rush in at a signal from you, and to capture the priests, should they attempt to stop you. That will be a shorter way of proceeding than the slave proposes; and those priests are all great rascals, to my certain knowledge.”
Reginald had grave doubts whether, after all, the slave was not deceiving him. He could scarcely believe that the object for which he had been so long in search was almost within his grasp. The rajah urged him to return as soon as possible, and was evidently unwilling to have him long out of his sight.