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

143 the rendezvous, whence, after a cordial greeting, they set forth, without making any one a party to their design. “On the day of their departure, the king arose at his usual hour, and, having bathed himself, as was his custom, proceeded to the apartment allotted to the purpose of medi- tation, there to pour forth his thanks to his beneficent Creator. In his prayers he did not omit his son Sewdass, on whom he called down the blessings of heaven, little dreaming that he had rebelled against him, and was at that moment far from his birth-place and anxious parent, with- out having given him the slightest notice or intimation of his intention. The king, having ended his devotions, em- ployed the intermediate time till noon in his court. After the labours of the day were over, he retired to take his usual meal, and was surprised at not finding his son in his customary place, as he had hitherto never failed to be pre- sent. He sent a messenger to the minister’s house to see if he was there with Hurridass, but no—he was not there. The king then ordered him to be sought for in all the places where he thought he was likely to be, yet he was not found. King Rutnamanee on this became agitated and alarmed, especially when he heard that the minister was also engaged, with equally bad success, in searching for his son. He immediately ordered the different parts of the city to be searched closely, as well as the roads leading from it: but the youths, having had a good many hours’ start, were out of reach, and jogging along quite pleasantly, without inter- ruption. The minister also, as has been said, was looking everywhere for his son, and loudly deploring his absence; and on his servants informing him that he had not been seen since the previous night, no doubt was left on the anxious father’s mind that Sewdass and Hurridass had left the city together. He immediately presented himself before the king, and communicated his suspicions. The latter was sorely grieved at the turn affairs had thus unexpectedly taken, and asked the minister of he had not been cognisant of the intended departure of the two youths, and if so, why.