First, the outer curtain of the palanquin—a cloth screen bearing the emblem of the palmyra palm—was drawn aside. Then, the inner silk curtain began to move. As before, Vandiyathevan glimpsed a golden-hued hand. Realizing it was no longer proper for him to remain mounted, he leapt from his horse in an instant.

He ran to the side of the palanquin, exclaiming, “Princess! Princess! The men carrying your palanquin—” and, as he spoke, he gazed at her in astonishment.

He looked again, closed and opened his eyes, and looked yet again; his eyes faltered! His voice stammered. Suddenly, his throat went dry.

“No, no! You… the Lady of Pazhuvoor! The Lady of Pazhuvoor… your men’s horse struck my palanquin!…” he babbled incoherently.

All this happened in the blink of an eye. The spear-bearing guards who marched before and behind the palanquin rushed forward and surrounded Vandiyathevan. He was aware that they had encircled him. Instinctively, his hand moved to his sword hilt. But his eyes could not tear themselves away from the moon-like face of the enchantress shining through the silk curtain.

Yes; contrary to his expectations, what Vandiyathevan saw in the palanquin now was the form of a real woman! But what a woman! Vandiyathevan had never imagined that such beauty, capable of driving men to madness, could exist in this world! Fortunately, at that very moment, a nerve in his brain twitched. A marvelous idea dawned in his mind. He decided to make use of it.

With a great effort, he cleared his throat, summoned the strength to his tongue, and said, “Forgive me! You are the younger queen of Pazhuvoor, are you not? It is to see you that I have come this far!”

A gentle smile blossomed on the honeyed face of the Lady of Pazhuvoor. The lotus bud of her lips, which had been tightly closed, parted slightly, revealing a glimpse of the string of white pearls within. The magnetism of that smile left our young hero utterly bewildered. The warriors who had come and stood near him seemed to be waiting for their mistress’s command. That queen, with her hand— At a mere gesture from her, they immediately withdrew and stood at a little distance. Two soldiers held onto the horse that had collided with the palanquin.

The queen inside the palanquin looked at Vandiyathevan. Two sharp spearheads seemed to pierce Vandiyathevan’s heart!

“Yes; I am indeed the younger queen of Pazhuvoor!” declared that lady.

What intoxicating essence could be mingled in her voice? Why should my head spin so upon hearing it?

“What did you say just now? You made some complaint, didn’t you? About the men carrying the palanquin?”

Could the softness of silk, the intoxication of wine, the sweetness of wild honey, and the brilliance of lightning in the monsoon sky all blend together in a woman’s voice?… Indeed, here they are, mingled so!

“Did you say that they brought the palanquin and rammed it into your horse?”…

The mocking smile that played upon the coral lips of the Pazhuvoor queen showed how much she relished the jest. This gave Vandiyathevan a little courage.

“Yes, Maharani! That is exactly what they did! My horse was startled!” he said.

“And you too seem to have been startled! Go to the priest at the Durga temple and ask him to wave neem leaves over you! Let your fear be dispelled!”

By now, all of Vandiyathevan’s fear had vanished; he even felt like laughing.

The expression on the Pazhuvoor queen’s face changed; the crescent of her smile turned into the flame of anger.

“Enough of jesting; speak the truth! Why did you bring your horse and collide with the palanquin?”

He must give a fitting reply to this. If he did not…?

Fortunately, that reply had already dawned in Vandiyathevan’s mind.

In a voice lowered deliberately, so that no one else might overhear—a voice intimate, meant only for secrets—he said, “Devi! Nandini Devi! Azhwarkkadiyan… he himself, Thirumalaiyappar… he asked me to meet you. It was for that purpose I devised this scheme; you must forgive me!”

As he spoke thus, Vandiyathevan keenly observed the face of the Queen of Pazhuvoor. He watched her with anxious curiosity, wondering what outcome his words might bring. It was like throwing a stone at a fruit-laden tree: would a ripe fruit fall? Or an unripe one? Would the stone rebound? Or would some unexpected thunderbolt descend? The dark brows of the Pazhuvoor Queen arched slightly. Surprise and doubt flickered in her eyes. In the next instant, that royal lady had reached a decision.

“Very well; it is not proper to speak here in the middle of the road. Tomorrow, come to my palace! There, we can discuss everything in detail,” she said.

Vandiyathevan’s heart brimmed with joy. It seemed his plan would succeed! Yet, there was no use in crossing three-quarters of a well; he must cross the remaining quarter too.

“Devi! Devi! They will not let me enter the fort! Nor will they let me into the palace! What am I to do?” he asked anxiously.

At once, the Pazhuvoor Queen opened a silk pouch that lay beside her in the palanquin, and from within it she took out an ivory ring.

“If you show this, they will let you into the fort; they will let you into my palace as well!” she said, handing it to him.

Vandiyathevan eagerly received it. For a moment, he gazed at the ivory ring engraved with the palmyra insignia. When he looked up again, intending to bow to the Queen, the curtains of the palanquin had already closed. Ah! When Rahu swallows the full moon, it does so little by little. But these curtains had devoured that radiant moon-face in a single instant!

“From now on, do not follow me! Danger may come; wait and come slowly!” came the silken voice from within the palanquin. Then the palanquin moved on; the guards marched before and behind it as before.

Vandiyathevan took