to hit my friend’s likeness, on which his Majesty was pleased to give me this specimen of his skill.”  The king confirms the explanation.  The queen observes, “And the female standing near you—­I suppose this is a specimen of Vasantaka’s skill.”  The king replies, “What should you suspect?  That is a mere fancy portrait, the original was never seen before.”  Vasantaka supports the king thus, “I will swear to this, by my Brahmanical thread, that the original was never seen before by either of us.”  Not satisfied with the explanation, the queen remarks, “My lord, excuse me.  Looking at the picture has given me a slight headache.  I leave you to your amusements.”

The king observes, “What can I say to you, dearest?  I really am at a loss.  If I ask you to forgive me, that is unnecessary, if you are not offended; and how can I promise to do so no more, when I have committed no fault, although you will not believe my assertions?” The queen, detaching herself gently and with politeness, takes leave and goes away with her attendant.  Vasantaka remarks, “Your Majesty has had a lucky escape.  The queen’s anger has dispersed like summer clouds.”  The king observes.  “Away, blockhead, we have no occasion to rejoice; could you not discover the queen’s anger through her unsuccessful attempts to disguise it?  Her face was clouded with a passing frown.  As she hung down her head, she looked on me with an affected smile.  She gave utterance to no angry words, it is true, and the swelling eye glowed not with rage—­but a starting tear was with difficulty repressed; and although she treated me with politeness, struggling indignation lurked in every gesture.  We must endeavour to pacify her.”

To insure the vigilance of Kanchanmala, the queen gives her some of her own clothes and ornaments.  With these it is plotted to equip Sagarika as the queen.  A stolen interview between the king and Sagarika, thus disguised, is arranged to take place at the Madhava bower about sunset.  The queen gets scent of the matter and forestalls Sagarika by meeting the king at the appointed time and place.  The king, mistaking her for Sagarika, thus speaks his honest self!  “My beloved Sagarika, thy countenance is radiant as the moon, thy eyes are two lotus buds, thy hand is the full blown flower, and thy arms, its graceful filaments.  Come thou, whose form is the shrine of ecstasy, come to my arms.”

The queen throws off her veil and says:—­“Believe me still Sagarika, my good lord; your heart is so fascinated by her, you fancy you behold Sagarika in everything.”  The king replies, “forgive me, dearest.”  The queen remarks, “Address not this to me, my lord—­the epithet is another’s property.”  The king falls at her feet.  The queen observes, “Rise, my lord, rise! that wife must be unreasonable indeed, who, with such evidence of her lord’s affection, can presume to be offended.  Be happy, I take my leave.”  She now goes away.