If his eyes had been clear, he would have known that
here was no slave, but a heart as much greater than his own as
the spirit is stronger than the body. But this he did not know
and he strode past with Dwaymenau's boy on his shoulder, laughing
with cruel glee.
And this boy, Mindon, was beautiful and strong as his mother,
pale olive of face, with the dark and crafty eyes of the cunning
Indian traders, with black hair and a body straight, strong and
long in the leg for his years - apt at the beginnings of bow,
sword and spear - full of promise, if the promise was only words
and looks.
And so matters rested in the palace until Ananda had ten years
and Mindon nine.
It was the warm and sunny winter and the days were pleasant, and
on a certain day the Queen, Maya, went with her ladies to worship
the Blessed One at the Thapinyu Temple, looking down upon the
swiftly flowing river. The temple was exceedingly rich and
magnificent, so gilded with pure gold-leaf that it appeared of
solid gold. And about the upper part were golden bells beneath
the jewelled htee, which wafted very sweetly in the wind and gave
forth a crystal-clear music.
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