Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/396

 852 SEQUEL OF JAVANESE HISTORY. reign. They naturally refused compliance, but at length yielded, on his threatening to punish their disobedience by the solemn malediction ojajather ! The place chosen for the execution was the prince's own garden. The young princes having commu- nicated to their sister the fatal orders with which they were charged, she received them with cahn- ness, and only begged for a few moments to bathe and perfume herself. When this ceremony was over, her mother and female relations were order- ed to withdraw, and the gate of the garden was locked. A veil was thrown over the princess to conceal the bloody office, and the brothers, af- ter receiving her last injunctions, drew the fatal cord. When the garden door was opened, and the female attendants admitted, the princes were seen viewing the dead body, and awakened, at the sight of it, to all the horrors of the tragedy they had acted, while they expressed tkeir grief with that loud, unreserved, and passionate de- clamation, which, on occasions of extreme sorrow, is constantly exhibited in the lower stages of society. In the mean time, the life of the lover was loud- ly demanded by the Susunan. The father, who loved him tenderly, permitted the feelings of na- ture to supersede the servile allegiance of a Java- nese, and was half inclined to resist. He was, however, finally persuaded to submission, and went into the presence^ for between unlimited submis-