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Chapter 13

           Leftanorphan,shewasmarriedagainstherwilltotheoldrajahofBundelcund;and,knowingthefatethatawaitedher,sheescaped,wasretaken,anddevotedbytherajah’srelatives,whohadaninterestinherdeath,tothesacrificefromwhichitseemedshecouldnotescape. 

           TheParsee’snarrativeonlyconfirmedMr.Foggandhiscompanionsintheirgenerousdesign.ItwasdecidedthattheguideshoulddirecttheelephanttowardsthepagodaofPillaji,whichheaccordinglyapproachedasquicklyaspossible. Theyhalted,halfanhourafterwards,inacopse,somefivehundredfeetfromthepagoda,wheretheywerewellconcealed;buttheycouldhearthegroansandcriesofthefakirsdistinctly. 

           Theythendiscussedthemeansofgettingatthevictim.TheguidewasfamiliarwiththepagodaofPillaji,inwhich,ashedeclared,theyoungwomanwasimprisoned. CouldtheyenteranyofitsdoorswhilethewholepartyofIndianswasplungedinadrunkensleep,orwasitsafertoattempttomakeaholeinthewalls? Thiscouldonlybedeterminedatthemomentandtheplacethemselves;butitwascertainthattheabductionmustbemadethatnight,andnotwhen,atbreakofday,thevictimwasledtoherfuneralpyre. Thennohumaninterventioncouldsaveher. 

           Assoonasnightfell,aboutsixo’clock,theydecidedtomakeareconnaissancearoundthepagoda. Thecriesofthefakirswerejustceasing;theIndianswereintheactofplungingthemselvesintothedrunkennesscausedbyliquidopiummingledwithhemp,anditmightbepossibletoslipbetweenthemtothetempleitself. 

           TheParsee,leadingtheothers,noiselesslycreptthroughthewood,andintenminutestheyfoundthemselvesonthebanksofasmallstream,whence,bythelightoftherosintorches, theyperceivedapyreofwood,onthetopofwhichlaytheembalmedbodyoftherajah,whichwastobeburnedwithhiswife. 

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