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

168 fuls in her rage. The prince, as was customary with him, made his ablutions and performed his usual worship before he sat down to his meal, but was astonished, after waiting some time, that his consort did not make her appearance. He enquired of Shambae where Moheeny was, and the widow said she was in her bed-room, but that she did not know what she was doing. The prince went hastily into the room, and there saw his wife asleep, with her counte- nance swollen with recent weeping and her hair dishevelled and in disorder. He wondered at all this, and, after gazing at her for awhile in bewilderment, he approached her and roused her from her slumber. To his eager enquiries as to what had occurred to disturb her so violently, she replied that she was surprised he should take any interest in her after what had passed between them the previous night. ‘By refusing to comply with a reasonable request on my part,’ said she, ‘you have proved that you no longer deem me worthy of sharing your confidence. Is that not a suffi- cient cause to make me miserable for life?’ The prince was much mortified and even enraged at this language from one whom he had hitherto considered quite a pattern of obedience; his love for her, however, got the better of him after a short time, and he said, ‘If you are determined upon knowing the secret, I will impart it to you; the consequence you already know. Go and bathe, and after you have taken your food and adorned your person, come to me.’ Moheeny, hearing this, did all she was asked to do, and once more regained her usual vivacity and good humour. At night, when they retired to rest, she desired Sowdass to fulfil his promise of that morning, as she was very impatient to receive the desired information. The prince told her that, from her importunity on the forbidden subject, he appre- hended some calamity was about to befal them, but that as she seemed resolved upon it, he could not in his heart refuse her, though his revealing the secret would be at the risk of his very existence, as he had already told her, ‘Look at that sword,’ continued he, pointing to the one hanging in his