The Moonstone [antikvár]

Taken from an old family letter I am writing to my family to explain why I am no longer my cousin's friend, and to end the mJsuaderstandlnsLmy silence has caused. My disagreement with my cousin, John Herncastle, began in India in 1791, during the paptui^ of the town of Seringapatam under General Baird. Before the battle the camp was alive with talk of gold and jewels in the Palace of Seringapatam, and particularly of a huge yellow diamond. Ancient Indian writings describe the diamond, known as the Moonstone, whose place was originally in the forehead of the Hindu God of the Moon. In the eleventh century a golden temple was built for the Moon-God in the holy city of Benares. The god Vishnu appeared in a dream to the three priests who guarded the diamond. He ordered that it should continue to be guarded by three priests, night and day until the end of time. Vishnu foresaw disaster for anyone who might take the holy stone, disaster for his family and for all those who received It after him. For centuries, three priests kept watch over the Moonstone until, in the early eighteenth century, the temple was destroyed by a Muslim army. Their leader, Aurungzebe, broke up the Moon-God and took the jewel. Powerless to get back their holy treasure by force, the priests followed the Muslim army, watching and waiting. Many years went by, Aurungzebe died a terrible death, and the Moonstone passed (carrying disaster with it) from one unlucky hand to another, always accompanied by three priests, waiting for their chance. In 1794, the Sultan of Seringapatam fitted the jewel into the handle of one of his ceremonial knives. Unknown to him, three Hindus, disguised as servants, were keeping watch in his palace.