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

167 you from this day never again to allude to the subject, lest I be tempted to punish you for it. I am not allowed by my preceptor, on pain of death, to impart to any one the secret you wish me to reveal.’ Moheeny was struck dumb at this affronting answer. She experienced great difficulty in appeasing the anger of her lord, which, however, she at last in a great measure succeeded in effecting. “In the morning, Moheeny told Shambae that her husband had not deigned to reveal the secret to her, as he could not do it without subjecting himself to certain death. The widow replied, ‘Did not you, princess, boast to me of your exclusive control over the prince?—that he loves you as never man before loved, and that he would refuse you nothing? It is therefore surprising to me that you did not persist longer, in order to satisfy yourself on the subject I alluded to. You see what hard-hearted creatures men are! Notwithstanding all the prince’s professions of love for you, no sooner do you ask him to satisfy your curiosity on one little point than he scruples not to disappoint you. How- ever, you are his wife, and ought certainly to know every- thing that concerns him. You can persist in your request until he relents, and, by setting before him the relation in which you stand to him, bring him to a sense of what is due to you in your position.’ She then ridiculed the idea of the prince’s sudden death should he reveal the secret to his wife; and wound up by pointing out the marked and unfeeling manner in which he refused compliance with her wishes. Moheeny was naturally of an easy and pliable disposition, and her youth and inexperience rendered her incapable of perceiving the drift of Shambae’s continued and eager entreaties to obtain the desired information. ‘You speak truly,’ said Moheeny; ‘I have an undoubted right to be satisfied by my husband.’ So impressed was she with the slight that had been put upon her by Prince Sewdass, that she went into her room, and, having thrown aside her ornaments, gave herself up to the indulgence of immoderate grief, tearing out her beautiful and clustering hair by hand-