Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/167

Rh “I am ashamed of myself” said he, “I have wasted all the wealth given to me by my parents on a deceitful actress.” “There is yet a pair of anklets” said Kannaki smiling, “you can have them.” “Listen to me, dear girl,” he said, “with these anklets for my capital, I wish to trade again and recover my fortune. I intend going to the famous city of Madura, and thou shalt go with me.” Kannaki’s joy was great to see her husband come back to her, renouncing the actress, and she was prepared to accompany him to any corner of the world.

Long before daybreak the husband and wife quitted their home without the knowledge of their servants. In the dark and still night, they drew the bolt of the outer gate without noise, and came out into the street. They passed the temple of Vishnu, and the seven Buddhist Viharas believed to have been erected by Indra, and approaching the pedestal of polished stone on which Nigrautha monks used to sit and preach their doctrine, they reverently went round it, and walked down the broad road leading to the fort gate. Coining out of the fort they passed through the royal park and reached the bank of the river Kâviri: then turning westwards along the northern bank of the river, they walked on for a distance of about a kavatham and arrived at a nunnery of the Nigrantha sect. Here they halted in a grove: and Kannaki who was panting, after her unusual exertion, gave rest to her aching feet. She then asked her husband in her artless way, “where is the ancient city of Madura?”

“It is five, six kavathams beyond our country, it is not far,” replied Kovilan, laughing at the ignorance of his wife. He ought to have said it was five times six or thirty kavathams away: but being afraid that she may be frightened at the distance, he disguised the expression, so that she may believe it was only 5 or 6 kavathams. It being daylight now, they both entered the nunnery and saluted a kavunthi or nun, who was lodging in it. The nun observed with surprise the handsome features and noble appearance of the pair, and enquired why they had quitted their home, and like destitute persons journeyed on foot.