"I am indebted once more to your majesty，" burst out the Baital， "for releasing me from this unpleasant position， but the Raja's penetration is again at fault. Not to leave your royal son and heir labouring under a false impression， before going I will explain why the brave thief burst into tears， and why he laughed at such a moment.

　　"He wept when he reflected that he could not requite her kindness in being willing to give up everything she had in the world to save his life； and this thought deeply grieved him.

　　Then it struck him as being passing strange that she had begun to love him when the last sand of his life was well nigh run out； that wondrous are the ways of the revolving heavens which bestow wealth upon the niggard that cannot use it， wisdom upon the bad man who will misuse it， a beautiful wife upon the fool who cannot protect her， and fertilizing showers upon the stony hills. And thinking over these things， the gallant and beautiful thief laughed aloud.

　　"Before returning to my sires-tree，" continued the Vampire， "as I am about to do in virtue of your majesty's unintelligent reply， I may remark that men may laugh and cry， or may cry and laugh， about everything in this world， from their neighbours' deaths， which， as a general rule， in no wise concern them， to their own latter ends， which do concern them exceedingly. For my part， I am in the habit of laughing at everything， because it animates the brain， stimulates the lungs， beautifies the countenance， and——for the moment， good-bye， Raja Vikram！

　　The warrior king， being forewarned this time， shifted the bundle containing the Baital from his back to under his arm， where he pressed it with all his might.

　　This proceeding， however， did not prevent the Vampire from slipping back to his tree， and leaving an empty cloth with the Raja.

　　Presently the demon was trussed up as usual； a voice sounded behind Vikram， and the loquacious thing again began to talk.