FINE CLOTHES
Alas! Parvati was growing up. She was as beautiful as the Sun, and as
pretty as the Moon; but she was no longer the playful child who cared
for nothing so much as to be with me.
She was now a real Princess, and her mother instructed her in all the
rules of etiquette and the ceremonies of the Court.
Her toilet occupied her a great deal--she, who till now had thought
nothing of tearing her tunics on any bramble!
As I was privileged in every way and allowed to do as I pleased, I
rarely left the neighbourhood of the pavilion in which she lived, and
almost always contrived to keep my Princess in sight, through one or
the other of the large windows, or else on the verandahs embowered in
flowers.
It chanced very often in this way that I was permitted to watch-the
labours of the dressing-maids (though I could not see why they took so
much trouble to embellish a beauty which was already so perfect).
The slaves would bring water from the Ganges, in which they bathed
Parvati; they showered her with "_santal_," and powdered her with
safran, which gave her the appearance of a golden statue. Then they
threw over her a "sari" (which is a thin garment, as light as a mist),
and she sat down cross-legged on a purple velvet cushion. Then the
hairdressers came forward; and her hair, which was as dark and shining
as a river of night, was divided into two portions and combed, and
perfumed, and ornamented with pearls and jasmine flowers. Next they
stained the palms of her hands and the soles of her feet a beautiful
reddish orange-colour with "_mendhi_"; she nibbled a bit of "_betel_"
to darken the colour of her gums; her long eyes and thick eyebrows were
blackened with "_surmeh_," and her rosy lips were tinted blue with
"_missi";_ on her ankles were fastened little bells attached to golden
rings; a golden girdle encircled her waist, and they loaded her neck
and arms with necklaces and bracelets.
Arrayed in this way I could hardly recognize her; she seemed so
majestic, so dignified--so different from herself, that it saddened me
a little with the feeling that she was growing away from me.
And now when we went out she was no longer reclining in the basket
against my heart; she was mounted on my back, installed in a sumptuous
"howdah" with double bell-towers of gold and curtains of pale green
silk.
Still she would not permit a servant to accompany us, nor any of her
suite. Freedom, and my companionship were still what she liked best.
"Do you know, Iravata," said she, "when my slight form is carried
by your colossal strength, I feel as if I were a Goddess! I feel
inaccessible, like the blue God Vichnu, and invincible, like the hero
Rama! I seem made so great by thy power, and devotion, and courage,
that my pride is exalted, and I feel as if on a throne--like the
primitive Lotus that supports Brahmah. But when I dismount how
humiliated I feel at being only a poor little princess, obliged to walk
on the ground!"
On hearing this I was so pleased that I had to shuffle my feet, flap my
ears, and utter little grunts of satisfaction!
We no longer strolled about the city, frequenting the public places,
and the fountains, as in the old times. I promenaded the streets with a
solemn dignified step; but, once outside of the city gates, I quickened
my pace and sought the Forest.