Chapter 25
It was the end of the day and the gateposts of the city were closed. The sentry had sealed the gates and retired to his lonely post. As he mounted the watch-tower he heard the rumbling of bullock-carts at a distance. Soon carriages pulled to a halt at the closed gates. The yellowish torch-light of the inmates of the carriage illuminated the scene. The cart driver was half-asleep. It was obvious that it was almost a day-long drive without a break. The sentry hailed in a loud voice to wake him up. The sudden jolt and the loud shout created a stir among the inmates in the front. A young hermit jumped out of the cart and approached the other cart trailing behind in a row.
“I had told you, we ought to have stopped at the earlier juncture instead of advancing in the dark. At the speed we were traveling it was impossible to make it before the gates closed.” the young hermit spoke in dismay.
“Ask the sentry to open the gates and let us pass,” a female voice, youthful but firm, spoke in a commanding tone. The voice was loud enough for the sentry to hear. The young hermit turned to the sentry, but found, there was no need to repeat the command of the lady, for the sentry said, “Tell the lady, the gates cannot be opened to outsiders after sunset. That is the express order of the king of Videha.” The sentry shouted back, loud enough for the lady to hear.
“Tell that buffoon that he does not know the meaning of rules and orders. Order or no order, we cannot be detained here at the gate at this hour,” sounded the voice, loud and clear, piercing the darkness like an arrow.
The sentry stepped down. If it was coming to ribaldry, he could do it better than the lady. The young hermit sensed the threat and realized, it was unwise to protract the argument. He peeped into the carriage and had a few words with the lady inside as he made a pacifying gesture, raising his hand to the sentry. The sentry paused, but he was taken aback the next moment. Tossing aside the curtain that concealed the inside of the carriage, there emerged in full view a woman who seemed to radiate fire. The sentry was struck dumb. Without taking her eyes off him, the woman spoke in a measured tone, “Gargi Vachaknavi will not wait till sunrise for the gates to open.”The sentry moved like a man under a spell and opened the gates. The woman had disappeared behind the curtain. The indolent cart- driver in the front of the row understood the signal to go. The bullocks responded to the tug at the reins and pressed forward. The entire procession marched ahead, rumbling on the cantankerous wheels.
Gargi entered Videha.
It was the end of the day and the gateposts of the city were closed. The sentry had sealed the gates and retired to his lonely post. As he mounted the watch-tower he heard the rumbling of bullock-carts at a distance. Soon carriages pulled to a halt at the closed gates. The yellowish torch-light of the inmates of the carriage illuminated the scene. The cart driver was half-asleep. It was obvious that it was almost a day-long drive without a break. The sentry hailed in a loud voice to wake him up. The sudden jolt and the loud shout created a stir among the inmates in the front. A young hermit jumped out of the cart and approached the other cart trailing behind in a row.
“I had told you, we ought to have stopped at the earlier juncture instead of advancing in the dark. At the speed we were traveling it was impossible to make it before the gates closed.” the young hermit spoke in dismay.
“Ask the sentry to open the gates and let us pass,” a female voice, youthful but firm, spoke in a commanding tone. The voice was loud enough for the sentry to hear. The young hermit turned to the sentry, but found, there was no need to repeat the command of the lady, for the sentry said, “Tell the lady, the gates cannot be opened to outsiders after sunset. That is the express order of the king of Videha.” The sentry shouted back, loud enough for the lady to hear.
“Tell that buffoon that he does not know the meaning of rules and orders. Order or no order, we cannot be detained here at the gate at this hour,” sounded the voice, loud and clear, piercing the darkness like an arrow.
The sentry stepped down. If it was coming to ribaldry, he could do it better than the lady. The young hermit sensed the threat and realized, it was unwise to protract the argument. He peeped into the carriage and had a few words with the lady inside as he made a pacifying gesture, raising his hand to the sentry. The sentry paused, but he was taken aback the next moment. Tossing aside the curtain that concealed the inside of the carriage, there emerged in full view a woman who seemed to radiate fire. The sentry was struck dumb. Without taking her eyes off him, the woman spoke in a measured tone, “Gargi Vachaknavi will not wait till sunrise for the gates to open.”The sentry moved like a man under a spell and opened the gates. The woman had disappeared behind the curtain. The indolent cart- driver in the front of the row understood the signal to go. The bullocks responded to the tug at the reins and pressed forward. The entire procession marched ahead, rumbling on the cantankerous wheels.
Gargi entered Videha.
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