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

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brahmin and his family for a long time, without being in the least suspected, as he conducted himself exactly as Moodgul used to do, at the same time sharing Moodgul's wife's bed. The time appointed for the ceremony of investing the young brahmin with the sacred thread was now fast approach- ing, so the necessary preparations were made, a beautiful temporary arbour was erected, and the false Moodgul accompanied Crustna Josey into the country to invite their friends and relatives to attend the ceremony. The real Moodgul, having within three months' time performed his pilgrimage, returned with the caravan to the city, and repaired at once to his father's house. He was delighted to see the preparations going on, and that he was still in time to take part in the ceremony and join in the festivities. He proceeded directly to his mother's apartment, and, pros- trating himself before her, begged her forgiveness and blessing. Seeing that her son had not been long away from her, in which case alone such a practice was followed, she could not understand it: he had only gone a short distance with his father, as she thought, to invite their friends; she therefore asked him to explain what he meant by asking her forgiveness and blessing in this unusual manner. He told her where he had been, but this only perplexed her the more. She said that she had but one son, and he had been with them all along, and had only gone that morning with his father into the country. Moodgul did not know what to make of this, but thought that perhaps his wife would know him better. She happened to come in at this very time, and he said to her, "Well, my dear wife, you at least will know me: am I not your hus- band?" She had, as she thought, only that morning parted from her husband, and it was not surprising, there- fore, that she should have replied angrily, taking him for an impostor, "What villain art thou?—whence dost thou come? Art thou not ashamed of thy baseness in trying thus to impose on me by calling me thy wife,—I who never GG