विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

129 innumerable, but have hitherto gained no tidings of my beloved! I at last thought she might have returned to her father’s palace, but I have since learned the contrary from a wicked thief, in the disguise of a mendicant, who told me how he had taken her away that night from the grove, and how he was cheated by her under a pretext she formed of sending him to purchase provisions in the market, during which interval she escaped. This thief has also, for her sake, assumed the same disguise as myself. Since I parted from him up to the present moment, I have been almost a stranger to rest,—uneasiness of mind and the fatigues of the journey have totally banished sleep!’ The Princess Malattee could not but be touched at the recital of the hardships and sufferings her beloved had undergone. How- ever, she curbed her inclination a little longer, and said, ‘Well, mendicant, do you intend to wander in search of her any more? She may be in some unknown place; if so, how can you expect to find her? She may ere now have found another lover, still more handsome than your- self; how then is it possible you can recover her from his hands? I would advise you to search for her no more. Live here happily with me: I will procure for you an excellent and beauteous lady who will respect you in a far greater degree than did your beloved Malattee.’ ‘Oh, gracious king!’ said Soomunt in reply, ‘pray hear me. With regard to women, I have sworn that they shall all be alike to me: I will never look on one save as a mother or a sister.’ He then showed her the garland which he had always carried about with him, at sight of which, and the associations connected with it then crowding upon her mind, she was deeply affected, and could scarcely conceal her emotion. ‘Do you think,’ said she, ‘that if your Malattee were to meet you in this place you would know her again?’ ‘She cannot be here,’ replied he; ‘and I beg you will excuse me for refusing to accept your invitation to remain. I would rather that this body of mine should fall gradually into decay, than that I should prove false to Malattee, and R