Page:Karl Gjellerup - The Pilgrim Kamanita - 1911.djvu/293

 go farther in my weak condition, I comforted with the promise that I would lay a greeting from her at the feet of the Master. We now continued our journey in a northwesterly direction, in the Master's, which we found the more recent the farther we were able, aided by the information gathered from place to place, to advance.

In Ambagana he had been just eight days earlier; the Sala grove of Bhoganagara he had left to betake himself to Pava, three days before we arrived there.

Early one afternoon, and very tired, we reached the latter place.

The first house that attracted our attention belonged to a coppersmith, as could be seen from the great variety of metal wares ranged along the wall. But no blow of a hammer resounded from it; the inmates seemed to be keeping holiday, and at the well in the courtyard dishes and platters were being washed by the servants as though a marriage had just taken place.

Suddenly a little man in festive garb came forward and begged courteously to be allowed to fill our alms-bowls.

"If you had come a few hours earlier," he added, "then I should have had two additional welcome and honoured guests, for your Master, the Buddha, with his monks, dined with me to-day."

"So the Master is still here in Pava, then?"

"Not any longer, most honoured sister," answered the coppersmith. "Immediately after the meal the Master was taken with a violent illness and severe pains, which brought him near to fainting, so that we were all greatly frightened. But the Master rallied from the attack and started for Kusinara about an hour ago."

I should have preferred to go at once, for what the smith