Page 201 - Malay sketches

A MALAY ROMANCE

At night the myriads of fireflies sparkling in the
riverside bushes, their twinkling lights reflected in
the water, gave some relief to tii:ed eyes ; but the
gain in the change of temperature and scene was
hardly appreciated when the mosquitoes and sand-
flies began their merciless attacks.
Under such circumstances and amidst such

surroundings, Raja Sleman came into the life of
Maimunah.
He was about the same as
age Raja Iskander,
but in other there was a difference
respects striking
between the two men. Sleman was a man of
and of
pleasing features, extremely quiet, courtly
manners ; the casual observer would probably fail
to realise that this outward appearance concealed a
firm determination and a dauntless Of
courage.
worldly goods he had little enough, and small
of
prospect multiplying them, but in rank he was
if not the of Iskander.
almost, quite, equal Raja
One day as Sleman sat in his boat he saw
Maimunah and her maidens come down to the river
to bathe. In his he had never beheld a
country
woman as beautiful as this one, and he fell hope-
lessly in love with Iskander's wife. Then each day
he watched for her, and never failed, morning and
evening, to follow her with his eyes for the few
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