THE RAJA 



53 



At last t^e doctor lost patience with his charge and told him 

 that if he didn't stop drinking, he would die within a year. 

 The Raja paid no attention to the warning, and after nine 

 months of the time had elapsed, he chaffingly remarked to 

 his people that the doctor's prophecy would in all probability 

 turn out to be incorrect, as he felt uncommonly fit and well. 



Photo by} [M. H. H. 



FIG. 12. Neva and Nicholas Bridge, as seen from the top of St. Isaac's Cathedral. 



" King of kings," replied one of his Brahmins, "do you think 

 that the Doctor Sahib is so foolish as to let his words come 

 to naught and thus lose his great reputation for wisdom ? " 

 Struck by the force of this observation, the Raja begged 

 the Brahmin to tell him by what means he might avert 

 the impending calamity. The Brahmin answered that if the 



