Of love for me—­my slender-waisted one! 
    Yet no, no, no! she would not—­she that is
    My children’s mother!  Be it false or true,
    Best shall I know in going; therefore now
    The will of Rituparna must I serve.” 
      Thus pondering in his mind, the troubled Prince
    With joined palms meekly to his master said:—­
    “I shall thy hest accomplish!  I can drive
    In one day, Raja, to Vidarbha’s gates.” 
      Then in the royal stables—­steed by steed,
    Stallions and mares, Vahuka scanned them all,
    By Rituparna prayed quickly to choose. 
    Slowly he picked four coursers, under-fleshed,
    But big of bone and sinew; fetlocked well
    For journeying; high-bred, heavy-framed; of blood
    To match the best, yet gentle; blemish-free;
    Broad in the jaw, with scarlet nostrils spread;
    Bearing the Avarthas, the ten true marks—­
    Reared on the banks of Indus, swift as wind. 
    Which, when the Raja looked upon, he cried,
    Half-wrathful:  “What thing thinkest thou to do? 
    Wilt thou betray me?  How should sorry beasts,
    Lean-ribbed and ragged, take us all that way,
    The long road we must swiftly travel hence?”
      Vahuka answered:  “See on all these four
    The ten sure marks:  one curl upon each crest,
    Two on the cheeks, two upon either flank,
    Two on the breast, and on each crupper one.[26]
    These to Vidarbha—­doubt it not—­will go;
    Yet, Raja, if thou wilt have others, speak;
    And I shall yoke them.” 
                            Rituparna said:—­
    “I know thou hast deep skill in stable-craft;
    Yoke therefore such four coursers as thou wilt,
    But quickly!”
                  Thus those horses, two by two,
    High-mettled, spare, and strong, Prince Nala put
    Under the bars; and when the car was hitched,
    And eagerly the Raja made to mount,
    At sign the coursers bent their knees, and lay
    Along the earth.  Then Nala (O my King!),
    With kindly voice cheering the gaunt bright steeds,
    Loosed them, and grasped the reins, and bade ascend
    Varshneya:  so he started, headlong, forth. 
      At cry of Vahuka the four steeds sprung
    Into the air, as they would fly with him;
    And when the Raja felt them, fleet as wind,
    Whirling along, mute sat he and amazed;
    And much Varshneya mused to hear and see
    The thundering of those wheels; the fiery four
    So lightly held; Vahuka’s matchless art. 
    “Is Matali, who driveth Indra’s car,
    Our charioteer? for all the marks of him
    Are here! or Salihotra can this be,
    The god of horses, knowing all their ways,
    Who here in mortal form his greatness hides? 
    Or is it—­can it be—­Nala the Prince,
    Nala the steed-tamer?” Thus pondered he:—­
    “Whatever Nala knew