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been raised in the Shah’s honour, and that in its mighty hand was an uplifted sword, of which the hilt was hollow, for in it the diamonds were concealed. Among the few Guebres who posscessed the seeret of opening the sword-hilt he claimed to be one, and on the morning of our departure from his hospitable roof he pressed a small piece of vellum into the hand of Denviers, on which was written, in Persian, the way in which we might obtain this treasure.

Hassan having failed to dissuade us from the enterprise, we found in Delhi a Hindu who promised to get us into the temple, but whose motive was undoubtedly to trick us, for having led us into the pillared halls, where pilgrims usually congregate, he found some pretext for leaving us with a profound

salaam and then betrayed us. We o had scarcely time to cxamine some of the

Hindu work which adorned this hall, when we found ourselves scized from behind, and,

THE STRAND

MAGAZINE.

touched his forchead again and again, upon which we saw three broad streaks, placed there to testify to his religious zeal and presence in the morning at the temple. No one except Hassan knew that we had entered the temple, so that it was not hkely that blame, or even suspicion, would fall on the fanatics who even at this time had not learned to love those whom they designated as Ireringhees.

It was a strange-looking assembly which sat in judgment upon us for violating the sanctity of the temple. Across the shoulders of cach was thrown a snow-white cloth, which covered the body, leaving the arms bare; a sccond cloth was wound round the waist and hung gracefully down. Ifrom the left shoulder hung the punul, or sacred thread, which passed across the right side, while round the neck was placed a string of nuts, used as a rosary when reciting certain prayers. They sat n a ring two deep supported on a piled carpet,

YNWE FOUND OURSELVI

in spite of a severe struggle, we were over- powered and conducted to a vault-like chamber where some twenty DBrahmins were, who seemed to rcjoice at our discomfture. While we were detained in their presence the treacherous guide entered, and we could tell from the excited manner in which he spoke that his opinion of us was not likely to influence his listeners in our favour. Hec

‘s SEIZED FROM BEHIND.”

while four guards, armed with murderous- lnoking swords, guarded us, twd of them to cach of us, one standing on the right side and the other on the left.

“They are evidently disagreed as to what to do with us,” said Denviers. “The Brahmin who sits a little higher than the others, and who is evidently their superior, seems to have the amiable intention of urging the rest on to