Now, Dearest-Lady's visits were considered to be an honour, so she had
no difficulty in gaining admittance. And once inside the women's
apartments she simply turned to the first attendant and said curtly that
she had come to see the Heir-to-Empire and say farewell to him;
therefore he must either be brought to her or she must go to him.
Boldness succeeded, as it always does, and she was shown into a room
where she found little Prince Akbar playing contentedly with Down the
cat, who was running about after a ball like a young kitten. She stopped
when she saw Dearest-Lady, and giving an apologetic _miaow_, as who
should say, "I was obliged to amuse him somehow," settled herself down
on the rug and began as usual to purr. Of course Mirak forgot all about
her in his joy at seeing Dearest-Lady and Roy, and it was some time
before the former could ask the attendant how the cat had managed to get
there.
"Highness," said the woman, "it is impossible to keep cats out if they
want to come in. She appeared at the window three times, and three times
I put her downstairs. Then I gave in. It is no use quarrelling with
cats."
Meanwhile notice of Her Highness Dearest-Lady's arrival had reached
Kumran's wife and she hastened to little Akbar's prison room. But once
more Dearest-Lady was bold and took the first word.
"I came to bid the boy farewell, content to trust him to thy kind care,
my niece," she said; "and also to leave with him this Rajput singer, who
has the art of amusing the child--and other folk also.
Pages:
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146