Page:The Slave Girl of Agra.djvu/74

 Master, but the invaders by sea are as numerous as the ocean is wide. The Portuguese swarm in every inlet of the sea, they steal and marry our women, and they make perverts of our men. But I have heard of other races from more distant lands, which they call Holland and England, struggling with the Portuguese for power over the sea."

"Why, the world is wider then than we thought, Gokul Das. And why do these races swarm to our land?"

"Flights of birds come from the bleak and snowy north to India every cold season in quest of food, and flights of races from the bleak west are similarly drawn by the wealth, the commerce, and the rich manufactures of our favoured land."

"Ay, but they seek something more than wealth and commerce, Gokul Das. They lust for dominion and possessions."

"Small chance there is, Master, of these wandering races acquiring dominion in the greatest empire on earth, consolidated by the wisdom of Akbar and defended by the sword of Man Singh and his peers."

"But dynasties rise and fall, Gokul Das, and Akbar's sons may not be as wise as he. These sea-races may wrest the Empire from the Moguls, as the Moguls have conquered it from the Afghans."

"Enough for Gokal Das are the concerns of the present day, Master. He will not live to see white races from the sea rule over this land! But before the yellow rice in yonder fields has all been harvested he will see his Master ruling his ancient estate of Debipur once more."