Brief Extract: That was full of brick cells, gaily painted with the figures of gods and kings and elephants, where worn-out priests could sit and meditate on the latter end of things; the paths were brick-paved, and the naked feet of thousands had wo ... Read more

Brief Extract: That was full of brick cells, gaily painted with the figures of gods and kings and elephants, where worn-out priests could sit and meditate on the latter end of things; the paths were brick-paved, and the naked feet of thousands had worn them into gutters. Clumps of mangoes sprouted from between the bricks; great pipal trees overhung the well-windlass that whined all day, and hosts of parrots tore through the trees. Crows and squirrels were tame in that place, for they knew that never a priest would touch them. Less