if so now
    Thou spare to curse me, seeking grace of thee.” 
      Thus supplicated, Nala stayed his wrath,
    Acceding; and the direful Kali fled
    Into the wounded tree, possessing it. 
    But of no eyes, save Nala’s, was he seen,
    Nor heard of any other; and the Prince,
    His sorrows shaking off, when Kali passed,
    After that numbering of the leaves, in joy
    Unspeakable, and glowing with new hope,
    Mounted the car again, and urged his steeds. 
    But from that hour the tall Myrobolan,
    Possessed by Kali, stood there, sear and dead. 
      Then onward, onward, speeding like the birds,
    Those coursers flew; and fast and faster still
    The glad Prince cheered them forward, all elate: 
    And proudly rode the Raja towards the walls
    Of high Vidarbha.  Thus did journey down
    Exultant Nala, free of trouble now,
    Quit of the evil spell, but bearing still
    His form misshapen, and the shrunken limb. 
      At sunset in Vidarbha (O great King!)
    The watchers on the walls proclaimed, “There comes
    The Raja Rituparna!” Bhima bade
    Open the gates; and thus they entered in,
    Making all quarters of the city shake
    With rattling of the chariot-wheels.  But when
    The horses of Prince Nala heard that sound,
    For joy they neighed, as when of old their lord
    Drew nigh.  And Damayanti, in her bower,
    Far off that rattling of the chariot heard,
    As when at time of rains is heard the voice
    Of clouds low thundering; and her bosom thrilled
    At echo of that ringing sound.  It came
    Loud and more loud, like Nala’s, when of old,
    Gripping the reins, he cheered his mares along. 
    It seemed like Nala to the Princess then—­
    That clatter of the trampling of the hoofs;
    It seemed like Nala to the stabled steeds: 
    Upon the palace-roof the peacocks heard
    And screamed; the elephants within their stalls
    Heard it and trumpeted; the coursers, tied,
    Snorted for joy to hear that leaping car;
      Peacocks and elephants and cattle stalled
    All called and clamored with uplifted heads,
    As wild things do at noise of coming rain. 
      Then to herself the Princess spake:  “This car,
    The rolling of it, echoing all around,
    Gladdens my heart.  It must be Nala comes,
    My King of men!  If I see not, this day,
    My Prince that hath the bright and moon-like face,
    My hero of unnumbered gifts, my lord,
    Ah, I shall die!  If this day fall I not
    Into his opening arms—­at last, at last—­
    And feel his close embrace, oh, beyond doubt,
    I cannot live!  If—­ending all—­to-day
    Nishadha cometh not, with this deep sound
    Like far-off thunder, then to-night I’ll leap
    Into the golden, flickering, fiery flames! 
    If now, now, now, my lion