Page:History of India Vol 2.djvu/339

 DEATH OF HARSHA'S FATHER 297 considerable interval. The elder prince advanced into the hills to seek the enemy, while the younger lingered in the forests at the foot of the mountains to enjoy the sport of all kinds which they offered in abundance. While thus pleasantly employed, Harsha, who was then a lad fifteen years of age, received news that his father lay dangerously ill with a violent fever. He returned to the capital with all speed, where he found the king in a hopeless condition. The disease quickly ran its course, and all was over long before the elder son, who had been victorious in his campaign, could return to claim his birthright. There are indications that a party at court inclined to favour the succession of the younger prince, but all intrigues were frustrated by the return of Rajya-vardhana, who ascended the throne in due course. He had hardly seated himself when news arrived which compelled him again to take the field. A courier brought the distressing intelligence that Grahavarman, King of Kanauj, and husband of Raj- yasri, sister of the princes, had been slain by the King of Malwa, who cruelly misused the princess, " confin- ing her like a brigand's wife, with a pair of iron fetters kissing her feet." The young king, resolute to avenge his sister's wrongs, started at once with a mobile force of ten thousand cavalry, leaving the elephants and heavy troops behind in his brother's charge. The King of Malwa was defeated with little effort, but the joy of victory was turned into sorrow when the victor was treacherously slain by an ally of the Malwan king,