They transferred to the little son the homage they had done the father, but in a far, far greater degree.

If he had been a king's son they could have shown him no greater honour.

Native princes showered him with rich gifts; if he walked out, his path was strewn with flowers by bowing maidens; if he went into the market-place, the people prostrated themselves before him.
"When I questioned Buddhist women of this amazing homage to Cedric, they gave me a full explanation.

My son was sacred, they said.

Buddha had withdrawn his favour from his people because of the evil they had done in suspecting the father and of the innocent life--Ferralt's--which had been sacrificed, and they had been commanded of the priests to do homage to the child and thereby appease the offended god, who, doubtless, had himself spirited away the holy tooth, and would not restore it until full recompense was made to the sacred son of the sacred dead.
"When it became known that I had decided to return to England with my boy, native princes offered me fabulous sums to remain, and when they found that I could not be tempted to stay, the populace turned out in every town and village through which we passed on our way to the ship, and bowing multitudes followed us to the very last.