Such words I heard him speak,” Parnada said,
    “And, hastening thence, I tell them to thee, here;
    Thou knowest; thou wilt judge; make the King know.” 
    But Damayanti listened, with great eyes
    Welling quick tears, while thus Parnada spake,
    And afterwards crept secretly and said
    Unto her mother:  “Breathe no word hereof,
    Dear mother, to the King, but let me speak
    With wise Sudeva in thy presence here;
    Nothing should Bhima know of what I plan,
    But, if thou lovest me, by thee and me
    This shall be wrought.  As I was safely led
    By good Sudeva home, so let him go—­
    With not less happy fortune—­to bring back,
    Ere many days, my Nala; let him seek
    Ayodhya, mother dear, and fetch my Prince!”
      But first Parnada, resting from his road—­
    That best of twice-borns—­did the Princess thank
    With honorable words and gifts:  “If home
    My Nala cometh, Brahman!” so she spake,
    “Great guerdon will I give.  Thou hast well done
    For me herein—–­ better than any man;
    Helping me find again my wandered lord.” 
    To which fair words made soft reply, and prayers
    For “peace and fortune,” that high-minded one,
    And so passed home, his service being wrought. 
      Next to Sudeva spake the sad Princess
    This (O my King!), her mother standing by:—­
    “Good Brahman, to Ayodhya’s city go. 
    Say in the ears of Raja Rituparna,
    As though thou cam’st a simple traveller,
    ’The daughter of King Bhima once again
    Maketh to hold her high Swayamvara. 
    The kings and princes from all lands repair
    Thither; the time draws nigh; to-morrow’s dawn
    Shall bring the day.  If thou wouldst be of it,
    Speed quickly, conquering King! at sunsetting
    Another lord she chooseth for herself;
    Since whether Nala liveth or is dead,
    None knoweth.’”
                    These the words which he should say;
    And, learning them, he sped, and thither came—­
    That Brahmana Sudeva—­and he spake
    To Maharaja Rituparna so. 
      Now when the Raja Rituparna heard
    Sudeva’s words, quoth he to Vahuka
    Full pleasantly:  “Much mind I have to go
    Where Damayanti holds Swayamvara,
    If to Vidarbha, in a single day,
    Thou deemest we might drive, my charioteer!”
      Of Nala, by his Raja thus addressed,
    Torn was the heart with anguish; for he thought:—­
    “Can Damayanti purpose this?  Could grief
    So change her?  Is it not some fine device
    For my sake schemed?  Or doth my Princess seek,
    All holy as she was, this guilty joy,
    Being so wronged of me, her rash weak lord? 
    Frail is a woman’s heart, and my fault great! 
    Thus might she do it, being far from home,
    Bereft of friends, desolate with long woes