Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 7.djvu/229

 The last cries of the fakirs had died out. According to their customs, these Indians were plunged in the heavy intoxication of "hang," liquid opium mixed with an infusion of hemp, and it would perhaps be possible to slip in between them to the temple.

The Parsee guiding, Mr. Fogg, Sir Francis Cromarty, and Passepartout advanced noiselessly through the forest. After ten minutes' creeping under the branches, they arrived on the edge of a small river, and there by the light of iron torches at the end of which was burning pitch, they saw a pile of wood. It was the funeral pile, made of costly sandal wood, and already saturated with perfumed oil. On its upper part the embalmed body of the rajah was resting, which was to be burned at the same time as his widow. At one hundred paces from this pile rose the pagoda whose minarets in the darkness pierced the tops of the trees. "Come!" said the guide in a low voice.

Soon the guide stopped at the end of a clearing, lit up by a few torches. The ground was covered with groups of sleepers, heavy with drunkenness.

In the background, among the trees, the temple of Pillaji stood out indistinctly. But to the great disappointment of the guide, the guards of the rajahs lighted by smoky torches, were watching at the doors, and pacing up and down with drawn sabers. Phileas Fogg and Sir Francis Cromarty understood as well as himself that they could attempt nothing on this side. They stopped and talked together in a low tone.

"Let us wait," said the brigadier general, "it is not eight o'clock yet, and it is possible that these guards may succumb to sleep."

"That is possible, indeed," replied the Parsee.

Phileas Fogg and his companions stretched themselves out at the foot of a tree and waited. They waited thus until midnight. The situation did not change. The same watching outside. It was evident that they could not count on the drowsiness of the guards.

After a final conversation, the guide said he was ready to start. Mr. Fogg, Sir Francis, and Passepartout followed him. They made a pretty long detour, so as to reach the pagoda by the rear. About a half hour past midnight they arrived at the foot of the walls.