'This is a hard fate,' said Luxman. 'Yes,' sighed Rama Rajah, 'a dismal end, in truth, to all our fine schemes. Would it be possible, think you, to escape?' 'I think so,' answered Luxman, 'at all events I will try.' With that he turned to the sentry who was guarding them, and said, 'We are shut in here and can't get out; here is money for you if you will only have the goodness to call out that the Malee's cow has strayed away.' The sentry thought this a very easy way of making a fortune, so he did as he was bidden, and took the money. The result answered Luxman's anticipations. The Malee's wife hearing the sentry calling out, thought to herself, 'What, sentries round the guard-room again! then there must be prisoners: doubtless they are those two young Rajah's I met in the garden this morning; I will at least endeavour to release them.' So she asked two old beggars to accompany her, and, taking with her offerings of flowers and sweetmeats, started as if to go to a little temple which was built within the quadrangle where the prisoners were kept. The sentries, thinking she was only going with two old friends to visit the temple, allowed her to pass without opposition. As soon as she got within the quadrangle she unfastened the prison-door, and told the two young men (Rama Rajah and Luxman) to change clothes with the two old beggars, which they instantly did. Then leaving the beggars in the cell, she conducted Rama and Luxman safely to her house. When they had reached it she said to them, 'Young Princes, you must know that you did very wrong in going down to the river before having made a salaam to our Rajah, and gained his consent; and so strict is the law on this subject that had I not assisted your escape, you might have remained a long time in prison; though, as I felt certain you only erred through ignorance, I was the more willing to help you; but to-morrow morning early you must go and pay your respects at Court.'
Next day the guards brought their two prisoners to the Rajah, saying, 'See, O King, here are two young Rajahs whom we caught last night wandering near the river contrary to your law and commandment.' But when they came to look at the prisoners, lo and behold! they were only two old beggars whom everybody knew and had often seen at the palace gate.
Then the Rajah laughed and said, 'You stupid fellows, you have been over vigilant for once; see here your fine young Rajahs. Don't you yet know the looks of these old beggars?' Whereupon the guards went away much ashamed of themselves.
