Vishnamorsu writhed and twisted.

While Puramitra meditated thus upon the justice of the gods and the
ill-deserts of his enemy, the tree grew and flourished above him from
week to month and from month to year, spreading out its arms to hide
and befriend his devotions. The white flowers bloomed and faded with
heavy fragrance. The pale-green fruits formed and fell from the tree
before their time. But of all their many promises one persisted,
clinging to the lowest bough, rounding and ripening among the dark
leaves with strange flame and lustre--a fiery globe, intense and
perfect as Puramitra's thought of his enemy.

"You meditate much, my son," said a Brahman who knew him well and
sometimes visited his garden.

"Holy one," he answered, "I pray."

"For what?" asked the Brahman.

"That the divine will may be done in all ways and upon all things,"
replied Puramitra.

"Then why have you been at pains to poison your tree?" asked the
Brahman.

"I did not know," said the man, "that I had done anything to the
tree."

"Look," said the Brahman, and he touched the fruit with the end of his
staff. A drop oozed from the saffron globe, red as blood; and where it
fell the grass withered as if a flame had scorched it. Then the heart
of Puramitra leaped up within him, for he knew that his inmost
thoughts had passed into the course of nature and fructified upon the
tree.

"Most excellent Brahman," said he, with great humility, "the fruits of
earth ripen by the will of Heaven."

"For whom is this one intended?" asked the Brahman.

"Holiness," said Puramitra, "it is on the lap of, the gods."

So the Brahman pursued his way, and Puramitra his meditations.

The next day he ordered an open path made through his gardens for the
pleasure and comfort of the neighbours. The glistening fruit hung
above the path, ripe and ruddy.

"It is on the lap of the gods," thought Puramitra; "if the evil-doer
stretches forth his hand to it, the justice of Heaven will appear." So
he hid among the bushes at nightfall, and expected the event.

A man crept slowly along the path and stayed beneath the tree. His
face was concealed by a cloak; but the watcher said, "I shall know him
by his actions, for my enemy will not respect that which is mine." Now
the man was thinking shame and scorn of the rich owner of the garden,
and despising the prosperity of wiles and wickedness. So he hated and
contemned the fruit, saying to himself, "God forbid that I s