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

10 the whole equipage to return to Oujein ; and, mounting the king’s horse, he quitted the place with them. In a few days he arrived at the capital, and it becoming known, the minister and all the courtiers assembled in the audience- hall to wait upon their king, and to congratulate him upon his safe return, which they did with every possible degree of esteem, love, and regard. The counterfeit Vickram then held a council with the members of the court, and told them that when he left the city it was not his intention to return so speedily, but that his follower Koobjuck having deserted, he was loath to proceed any further. “ I thought,” said he, “ of setting out again on my tour, but there are reasons the urgency of which prevent my doing so at present.” He then left the court and proceeded to the apartments of the queen. The queen was a person of great merit, and of much beauty. The accomplishments of her mind were also far above the common calibre ; and, above all, she was possessed of much solid virtue. She saw the king approaching her, and prepared to receive him. After the usual interchange of civilities, into which she threw much of that winning soft- ness of manner peculiar to her sex alone, and not sus- pecting the person before her to be other than her lawful king and husband, she entered into that free and confidential mode of talk pertaining to a wedded life, although surprised at seeing Vickramadetea enter her apartments at an hour of the day to him quite unusual. She said she was very anxious to see the trial of what the hermit had instructed him in, and pressed him much to set about it. She said, “ Your majesty need not come into these rooms allotted to me for the next six months at least, unless you satisfy me in what I now solicit at your hands. I am desirous equally with you to derive the pleasure to be found from the knowledge of such a wonderful secret. I shall then only— that is, after you satisfy me on this head—willingly obey your majesty in all that it may be your pleasure to direct me.” The base usurper thus replied to the queen : “ Oh, my lovely angel ! the desire of my soul ! if it be your wish