ered the bower, and explained to the
mutes by signs what it was which he desired, showed them the cloak and
mandolin to make known the object of his wrath, and put into their hands
the bottle of corrosive acid. They satisfied him that they comprehended
his wishes, and the party then retired, the chief Brahmin quitting the
grove for his own house, the mutes lying in wait under some bushes for
the arrival of Acota, and Mezrimbi walking away into the recesses of the
grove, anxious as to the issue of the plot. Acota, perfectly aware of
what was intended, laughed in his sleeve, and thanked Allah for this
fortunate discovery; he crawled away on his hands and knees, so as not
to be perceived, and hid himself, with his cloak and mandolin, watching
in turn the motions of the others--and thus did all parties watch until
the sun descended behind the blue hills which divided the kingdom of
Souffraria from that of the other kingdom, which my treacherous memory
has dared to forget in your highness's sublime presence. Mezrimbi was
the only one who was not motionless: he paced up and down in all the
anxiety of anticipation and doubt, and at last he stopped, and, tired
out with contending feelings, sat down at the foot of a tree, close to
where Acota was concealed. The nightingale was pouring forth her sweet
melody, and, friendly to lovers, she continued it until Mezrimbi, who
had listened to it, and whose angry feelings had been soothed with her
dulcet strains, fell fast asleep. Acota perceived it, and approaching
him softly, laid his cloak over him, and taking up his mandolin, struck
a chord, which he knew would not be lost upon the quick-eared mutes,
although not so loud as to awake Mezrimbi. Acota was right; in a minute
he perceived the dark beings crawling through the underwood like jackals
who had scented out their prey, and Acota was again concealed in the
thick foliage. They approached like shadows in the dark, and perceived
the sleeping Mezrimbi with the cloak of Acota and the mandolin, which
Acota, after striking it, had laid by his side. It was sufficient.
Mezrimbi's face was covered with the burning acid before even he was
awakened; his screams were smothered in a shawl, and satisfied with
having obeyed the injunctions of their master, the mutes hastened back
to report their success, taking, however, the precaution of tying the
hands and feet of Mezrimbi, that he might not go home to receive any
help in his distress. They esca