THE WATCH-TOWER OF KOAT-VEN. 361 



" Ah ! there I hold you," cried the astronomer, almost beside him- 

 self for joy. " Ah! you think him right, do you ? Hoetquel right ! 

 Ah ! I am in the wrong I am an ass a fool ! But you know what 

 I should answer to Hoetquel, or rather to you, for you declare your- 

 self one with Hoetquel, since you adopt his heresies and prefer him 

 before me. Now then, Hoetquel, vagabond, since you are in the 

 right, who is the genuine Gorou of the sect of Siva ? Is it not he 

 who has bathed his limbs ,in all the holy pools, such as the Souria- 

 pouchkanary, Ichendra-pouchkanary, Indra-pouchkanary, hey ? An- 

 swer me, I say ! Is he not the genuine Gorou, hey V 



" He is the genuine Gorou, brother; yes, he is the true Gorou." 

 " Don't call me, brother ! Hoetquel ! Ah ! you do not know that 

 Gorou signifies master or guide. Kings are the Gorous of their 

 kingdoms. Ah ! you know it not, 5 ' cried the astronomer, furious 

 with rage, and you wish in cold blood, in gaiety of heart, to attack 

 with the fury of a wild beast, of a tiger, the works of a poor author 

 who dwells in the seclusion of solitude, and is worth a myriad of Ho- 

 etquel's. And you think that I will be insulted with impunity. I 

 say you insult me, Hoetquel, and you shall confess that you know 

 nothing of the genuine Gorou." Rumphius seized the trembling 

 Sulpice by his dress, and shook him violently ; but the exertion was 

 too great for his strength, and he fell, fainting, into the arms of his 

 brother. Sulpice placed him in a chair, and wiped the large drops 

 of perspiration from his forehead. " Be calm, my brother ; I pray 

 you pardon me." 



" No, no, Sulpice, it is I that am wrong," said Rumphius, feeling 

 his intention effected ; " the warmth of discussion made me unreason- 

 able. You know that as soon as the quarrel is at an end I think no 

 more of it* Do pardon me, Sulpice, you are, indeed, the best crea- 

 ture that ever descended upon the golden mountain of Maha Merow, 

 as Brahma writes. But do forgive me/* " Say no more about it, my 

 dear brother," answered Sulpice, " but come quickly to bed, for you 

 must be dreadfully exhausted." 



Sulpice did not retire to his own little chamber till he had watched 

 Rumphius to sleep, and was about to throw himself upon his couch 

 when he was startled by three violent knocks at the cottage door. 

 All he feared was the repose of his brother, and he hurried down as 

 quickly as he was able, and called through the key-hole of the anti- 

 chamber, " Who's there ? What do you want ?" 



" Are you not the astronomer Rumphius," answered a voice. u I am 

 his brother ; he is asleep, but speak more softly, for the love of hea- 

 ven." " Give him this letter, which I will slip under the door. He 

 must, upon condition of great misery if he refuse, he must deliver it 

 himself to Count Vaudrey, who is at present in Paris. Swear by your 

 soul that it shall be done.'' 



" Mon dieu ! I swear it," answered Sulpice, trembling from head to 

 foot. " Here it is, then," cried the voice ; " it relates to the duchess 

 of Almeida." At the same instant a letter was slipped beneath the 

 door, and Sulpice listened to the receding echoes of the stranger's 

 footsteps. 



Eight days subsequent to this adventure, the astronomer, Rum- 



