When sufficiently recovered, she said to me:  “On returning home after the ball dance, longing to see you, and sad with the thought that we might never meet again, I was filled with great happiness by the report which Chandrasena brought me of your love; but when I heard that you had been bound and thrown into the sea by my wicked brother, I fell into the deepest despair, and wished for death.  Wandering in this state of mind about the gardens, I was espied by that vile Rakshas, who, having assumed a human form, first made love to me, and then, when rejected, forcibly carried me off.  He is, happily, now dead, and all that I have suffered is as nothing now that I am with you; let us return as soon as possible to my parents, who will have been greatly distressed at my disappearance.”

Without delay I carried her down to the shore, embarked, set sail at once, and the wind being favourable, we soon reached Damalipta.  Here we found great confusion and grief among the people, and were told on inquiring:  “The king and queen, utterly broken down by the loss of their son and daughter, have determined to abandon life, and have just set out for a holy place on the bank of the Ganges, with the intention of fasting to death there; and several of the old citizens have accompanied them with the same purpose.”

On hearing this I immediately went after them, and having soon overtaken them, was able to give them great happiness, by telling them of all that had occurred, and how both their son and daughter were safely returned; and they went back with me to the city, to the great joy of the people.  The king treated me with great honour, and not long afterwards the princess became my wife.  Her brother was reconciled to me, and at my request, though very reluctantly, gave up all further attention to Chandrasena, who was happily united with her lover.

When King Sinhavarma was attacked as you know, I marched with an army to his assistance; and have thus the great pleasure of meeting with you.

The prince having heard this story said “Your adventures have indeed been strange, and your escape from death wonderful.  Great is the power of fate, but excellent also is courage and presence of mind such as you have shown.”  Then turning to Mantragupta, he desired him to relate his adventures, which he immediately began to do:—­

* * * * *

ADVENTURES OF MANTRAGUPTA.

My Lord, I also, in my anxiety to find you, wandered about like the others.

Late one evening I came to a wood, a few miles from the city of Kalinga, and very near a public cemetery.  Seeing no dwelling near, I made myself a bed of leaves, and lay down under a large tree, where I was soon asleep.  About midnight, when evil spirits are wont to roam, and everything was quiet around me, I awoke, and fancied I heard a whispering conversation going on among the branches of the tree immediately above me.  Listening very attentively, I was able to distinguish these words:  “We are powerless to resist that vile Siddha whenever he chooses to command us; could not some person be found powerful enough to counteract the designs of that vile magician?”