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

201 drapers' goods from one shop to another, after which he spilled some ghee which he found in one, and broke a large jar of oil in another, but the owners only eyed him fiercely, without being able to utter a syllable, still less to prevent him from committing his depredations. Charoo next went into one of the largest buildings in the city, where he found men and women engaged in different domestic occupations, and every one of them in a similar paralysed state. He could not comprehend what this phenomenon meant—that they should one and all be thus deprived of the power of speech and locomotion. At last he came to a very extensive square, in the centre of which a large mansion was situated. He entered it, in the hope of gaining some information relative to the extraordinary state of affairs in the place. The building was magnificently furnished, and the windows and doors were set in gold. He entered the inner hall, where lay a quantity of costly articles, as well as rich utensils of pure gold and silver. Next to this was a cham- ber, which appeared to Charoo to belong to a princess or a queen, and in the centre of it a handsome alcove, lighted by four lamps of solid gold. A slave stood at each corner of this alcove,—the two at the head holding fans in their hands, as though to keep the flies from disturbing their mistress, who lay within, and the two at the foot having their hands raised, in the act of presenting virahs to her : they too were all as motionless and insensible as the dead. He approached the alcove, and lifted the curtain which surrounded it, that he might see the lady who lay therein, and he was much struck with her exquisite beauty and loveliness. He fell passionately in love with her on the instant, so fascina- ting were her celestial charms. ‘ It is impossible,’ he mentally said, ‘to behold so much loveliness without paying the homage due to it.’ He replaced the curtain as he found it, however, and left the place without exploring any further, nor did he even cast one stray look behind until he was fairly out of its neighbourhood. He felt very much dejected, nevertheless, as he retraced his steps to the place of AA