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2 immediate proof of it. He uncovered the pot, and was about
3 to present his hand, but the maharajah objected to the serpents
4 which the faqueer had brought with him, and said that he
5 would order some to be procured. He handed to the faqueer
6 seven rupees, which he had just received as nazarana (present),
7 but he immediately gave them to the mezur, saying, “ That
8 is a gift of the son of a laundress,” and departed. Sheer Sing
9 pretended not to have heard this insulting remark, although
10 it was spoken so loud that every body noticed it ; and I felt
11 much annoyed, having been the cause of the introduction of
12 the insolent faqueer. I reprimanded him, and gave orders for
13 his re-imprisonment as a lunatic. He had not yet given the
14 maharajah a proof of his assertion, and consequently had not
15 deserved the reward of seven rupees. The bad consequences of
16 his unruly tongue, however, did not fail to overtake him ; I did
17 not doubt that Sheer Sing would very soon procure the serpents
18 which he had ordered, and therefore gave instructions to the
19 soldiers who accompanied the faqueer to the mill, to bring him
20 early in the morning to my abode, so that he might be at hand,
21 in case the maharajah should send for us. The next morning
22 the faqueer, on his way to me, met with a friend of his, who
23 inquired where he was going, and why he was fettered ? He
24 replied that he was bound to show to Sheer Sing his ability, and
25 at once, as if in bravado, untied the pot which contained his
26 two vipers, and caused himself to be bitten by one of them.
27 Scarcely had he advanced two steps, when he staggered and fell.
28 But he summoned all his strength, and rose again, in order to
29 proceed, but again fell ; and not being able to rise a second time,
30 a charpai (stretcher) was brought, to convey him from the
31 bazaar to my house. He was followed by a multitude of
32 curious people, and I caused him to be taken into a neigh-
33 bouring stable, belonging to the faqueer Chirakooddeen, who
34 went immediately to see the patient, as he was then vomiting
35 blood. Chirakooddeen was of opinion that he could never
36 recover, and the injured faqueer being a Brahmin, he wished me to
37 send him to a termsale (an Indian temple), in order to avoid