Early the next morning the merchant’s daughter, attended by her maidens, went to see her dear little mare, taking with her an extra supply of sugar.  What was her distress when she found the stall empty!  She guessed at once that a thief had got in during the night, and hurried home to tell her father, who was very, very angry with the stablemen who had deserted their posts, and declared they should all be flogged for it.  “But the first thing to do is to get the mare back,” he said; and he ordered messengers to be sent in every direction, promising a big reward to anyone who brought news of the mare.

Vidya of course heard all there was to hear, and at once suspected that Hari-Sarman had had something to do with the matter.  “I expect he has hidden the mare,” she thought to herself, “and means to get the reward for finding it.”  So she asked to see the master of the house, and when leave was granted to her she said to him: 

“Why do you not send for my husband, the man who can reveal secrets, because of the wonderful power that has been given him of seeing what is hidden from others?  Many a time has he surprised me by what he has been able to do.”

5.  Do you think Vidya had any wish to help Hari-Sarman for his own sake?

6.  Is there anything you think she should have done before seeing the master?

CHAPTER IV

On hearing what Vidya said, the merchant at once told her to go and fetch her husband.  But to her surprise Hari-Sarman refused to go back with her.  “You can tell the master what you like,” he said, angrily.  “You all forgot me entirely yesterday; and now you want me to help you, you suddenly remember my existence.  I am not going to be at your beck and call or anyone else’s.”

Vidya entreated him to listen to reason, but it was no good.  She had to go back and tell the merchant that he would not come.  Instead of being made angry by this, however, the master surprised her by saying:  “Your husband is right.  I have treated him badly.  Go and tell him I apologise, and will reward him well, if only he will come and help me.”

Back again went Vidya and this time she was more successful.  But though Hari-Sarman said he would go back with her, he was very sulky and would not answer any of her questions.  She could not understand him, and wished she had not left him to himself for so long.  He behaved very strangely too when the master, who received him very kindly, asked him if he could tell him where the mare was.  “I know,” he said, “what a wise and clever man you are.”

“It didn’t seem much like it yesterday,” grumbled Hari-Sarman.  “Nobody took any notice of me then, but now you want something of me, you find out that I am wise and clever.  I am just the same person, that I was yesterday.”

“I know, I know,” said the merchant, “and I apologise for my neglect; but when a man’s daughter is going to be married, it’s no wonder some one gets neglected.”