a flood of tears. By this time I too was weeping; but seeing him almost beside himself with grief I tried to pass the thing off as a jest, saying "Well, I mean to one day; and what will your highness do then?" It happened that he had a falcon on his wrist, and jumping straight to his feet he set it free, reciting as he did so the verse: "Desolate must she be, and weary of strife, whose thoughts, like this swift bird, fly heavenward at a touch."
'At this, some of my servants who chanced to be sitting near by could not restrain their tears; and it may be imagined with what feelings I, in the midst of the unendurable misery and agitation with which I was contending, heard my child utter these words.
'It was growing dark when suddenly he (her lover) arrived at the house. For some reason I felt certain that he had come only to regale me with all the empty gossip that was going round. I sent a message that I was not well and would see him some other time.
'It is the tenth day of the seventh month. Every one is getting ready their Ullambana[1] presents. If, after all these years, he should fail to send me anything for the festival I think the most hard-hearted person in the world could not help being sorry for me! However, there is still time.
'Last night, just when I was thinking I should have to get the offerings for myself and was weeping bitterly, a messenger came with just the same presents as in other years, and a letter attached! Even the dead were not forgotten.[2] In his letter he quoted the poem: "Though never far away, yet wretched must I bide. . . ." If that is indeed how he feels, his conduct becomes more than ever
