"Those to whom deduction is familiar, at times astonish thoughtless persons by the soundness of their judgment.
"A prince drove to his home in the country in a sumptuous equipage.
"He was preceded by a herald and borne in a palanquin by four servants, who were replaced by others at the first signs of fatigue, in order that the speed of the journey should never be slackened.
"As they were mounting, with great difficulty, a zigzag road which led up along the side of a hill, one of these men cried out:
"'Stop,' said he, 'in the name of Buddha, stop!'
"The prince leaned out from the palanquin to ask the cause of this exclamation:
"'My lord,' cried the man, 'if you care to live, tell your porters to stop!'
"The great man shrugged his shoulders and turning toward his master of ceremonies, who was riding at his side, said:
"'See what that man wants.'
"But scarcely had the officer allowed his horse to take a few steps in the direction of the man who had given warning when the palanquin, with the prince and his bearers, rolled down a precipice, opened by the sinking in of the earth.