THE PENALTY OF SANCTITY 471
and showed them the relic of which he had become the possessor. The royal ladies, filled with wonder, one byone took the hair between their ringers, kissed it devoutly,
pressed it to their eyes, and expressed an eager longing to see this illustrious personage. But as etiquette forbade persons of their sex and rank to show themselves in public, they supplicated the king to accord them the favour of having the sannyasi brought to the palace, so that they too might enjoy the happiness of looking upon him and plucking out his hairs with their own hands. The king at first refused to grant their request, but, yielding at length
to their repeated solicitations, and wishing also to show as much honour to the penitent as lay in his power, he
dispatched his whole court and army on foot and on horseback to escort the holy man to the palace. The messengers arrived at the cave while the multitude were still scrambling
for the hairs of the sannyasi. The foremost and most distinguished amongst them at once approached the holy
penitent. After explaining to him most humbly the object of their mission, they took him in their arms and placed him in a superb palanquin, where he remained in the same posture that he had so carefully maintained. Thereupon he was conducted with the greatest pomp and circumstance through the streets of the town, followed by a multitude
of spectators who filled the air with shouts of joy. The poor Kuruba, who had eaten nothing for two days, and who was moreover feeling extremely sore from the rough treatment which he had received, was very far from enjoying all these honours. However, in the hope that the farce would soon come to an end and that he would get
his reward, and also fearing to incur the wrath of his master, he managed to keep up his courage and to restrain himself
'
from declaring who he was. What have I done,' he nevertheless murmured to himself, that ' I should be made
to play a part which so little suits me and which exposes me to so much suffering? I would a thousand times rather be in the midst of my flock listening to the roars of the tigers in the jungle than be deafened by the shouts and acclamations of this stupid crowd. If I were only with my sheep at the present time I should have had two meals already; but now for two days past I have had