ARMA. 17 



their foreheads bowed to the ground, Sarma arose, and stood up- 

 right before the throne. No words can describe the amazement of 

 Akbar: he shrunk back and sfruck his hands together; then he 

 frowned, and twisted his small and beautifully curled mustachios, 

 "The sons of Brahma mock us !" said he at length; "is it thus our 

 imperial decrees are obeyed ?" 



"The laws of our faith are immutable," replied the old man 

 calmly, " and the contents of the Vedas were preordained from the 

 beginning of time to be revealed to the TWICE-BORN alone. It is 

 sufficient, that therein are to be found the essence of all wisdom, 

 the principles of all virtue, and the means of acquiring immortality." 



" Doubtless, the sons of Brahma are preeminently wise,'' said 

 Akbar, sarcastically; "but are the followers of the Prophet ac- 

 counted as fools in their eyes ? The sons of Brahma are excellently 

 virtuous, but are all the rest of mankind vicious ? Has the most 

 high God confined the knowledge of his attributes to the Brahmans 

 alone, and hidden his face from the rest of his creatures ? Where, 

 then, is his justice ? where his all-embracing mercy V 



The Brahman, folding his arms, replied : " It is written, Heaven 

 is a place with many doors, and every man shall enter by his own 

 way. It is not given to mortals to examine or arraign the decrees 

 of the Deity, but to hear and to obey. Let the will of the sultan 

 be accomplished in all things else. In this let the God of all the 

 earth judge between the king and his servants." 



"Now, by the head of our Prophet! shall we be braved on our 

 throne by these insolent and contumacious priests ? Tortures shall 

 force the seal from those lips ! " 



" Not so I" said the old Brahman, drawing himself up with a look 

 of inexpressible dignity. " It is in the power of the Great King to 

 deal with his slaves as seemeth good to him ; but fortitude is the 

 courage of the weak ; and the twice-born sons of Brahma can suffer 

 more in the cause of truth, than even the wrath of Akbar can inflict." 



At these words, which expressed at once submission and defiance, 

 a general murmur arose in the assembly. The dense crowd became 

 agitated as the waves of the Ganges just before the rising of the 

 hurricane. Some opened their eyes wide with amazement at such 

 audacity, some frowned with indignation, some looked on with con- 

 tempt, others with pity. All awaited in fearful expectation, till tlit* 

 fury of the sultan should burst forth and consume these presumptu- 

 ous offenders. But Akbar remained silent, and for some time 

 played with the hilt of his poniard, half unsheathing it, and then 

 forcing it back with an angry gesture. At length he motioned to 

 VOL. in. 1834. c 



