A day or two later, some of them went to the Raja, and, putting on the appearance of very grave concern, said to him, "Your Majesty, Bhŏgŏban, himself, has fallen ill in his village home, and the doctors have given him up." This news distressed the Raja beyond measure, and he at once sent off messengers to bring him the latest information about the condition of his beloved Minister. The messengers, however, were got hold of by the confederates, and, being speedily persuaded in the same way as the durwan had been, returned in a day or two to the palace, and reported to the Raja that the news of Bhŏgŏban's illness was correct, and that he was now at the point of death. The Raja was so grieved that he declared he would go himself to see his favourite, and ordered preparations to be made for his journey without a moment's delay. His attendants began rushing hither and thither to execute his orders, when another messenger—sent by the plotters—arrived, as if come in hot haste from Bhŏgŏban's village, and said, "Your Majesty, it's all over. Bhŏgŏban is dead." At this news, the Raja was overwhelmed with grief, and gave orders that an ample allowance should be made from his treasury for the maintenance of the deceased Chief Minister's family.
The confederates waited a few days, then another messenger appeared before the Raja and said in great excitement, "Your Majesty, Bhŏgŏban has become a Bhūt[1] and is working terrible mischief to the people
- ↑ "Bhūt" is a somewhat loosely used popular term. Here, obviously, it denotes a demoniacal being personally identical with the deceased—like the Brahmadaitya, LDB, pp. 201 ff.—
