are places less like
heaven than _her_ palace."

"Is he your only informant?" King demanded.

"Aye, _sahib_, the only one on that count. But there is another, whose
foot was caught between stone and stone when they lowered a trap-door
once in that Tirthanker temple. He bade the Tirthankers heal his foot,
but instead they threw him out for having too much knowledge of matters
that they said do not concern him. And he says that the trap-door opens
into a passage that leads under the wall into a chamber from which
access is obtained by another trap-door to a building inside _her_
palace grounds within a stone-throw of that panther's cage. And he, too,
says that the Mahatma goes nightly to _her_ palace."

"Are there any stories of _her_?" King inquired.

"Thousands, _sahib_! But no two agree. It is known that she fell foul of
the _raj_ in some way, and they made her come to this place. I was here
when she came. She has a household of a hundred women--_maunds_ of
furniture--_maunds_ of it, _sahib_! She gave orders to her men-servants
to be meek and inoffensive, so when they moved in there were not more
than ten fights between them and the city-folk who thought they had as
much right to the streets. There was a yellow-fanged northern devil who
marshaled the serving-men, and it is he who keeps her palace gate. He
keeps it well. None trespass."

"What other visitors does she entertain besides the Mahatma?"

"Many, _sahib_, though few enter by the front gate. There are tales of
men being drawn up by ropes from boats in the river."

"Is there word of why they come?"

"_Sahib_, the little naked children weave stories of her doings. Each
has a different tale. They call her empress of the hidden arts. They say
that she knows all the secrets of the priests, and that there is nothing
that she cannot do, because the gods love her and the _Rakshasas_ (male
evil spirits) and _Apsaras_ (female evil spirits) do her bidding."

"What about this Tirthanker temple? Who controls it?"

"None knows that, _sahib_. It is so richly endowed that its priests
despise men's gifts. None is encouraged to worship in that place. When
those old Tirthankers stir abroad they have no dealings with folk in
this city that any man knows of."

"Are you sure they are Tirthankers?" asked King.

"I am sure of nothing, _sahib_. For aught I know they are _devils_!"

King gave him a small sum of money, and we walked away toward the
burning ghat, where the