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

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prepared to make the sacrifice. While engaged in parting with each other, it occurred to the prince that if his wife should become pregnant it would give rise to unpleasant rumours, and attach disgrace to her he loved. 'My ever dear and fair princess,' said he, 'should it be the will of God that you become pregnant after the occurrences of this night, my parents may reasonably become jealous of their honor, and suppose, from my disappearance at this eventful period of your life, that you have played the harlot and proved false to your husband's bed; for which reason, and to prevent unpleasant consequences, take this ring, and in the event of anything of the kind taking place, produce it, and they cannot but then be satisfied that I have been with you since they lost sight of me.' On saying this, after tenderly embracing her, he disappeared with the deities. In the usual course of events, the result of her interview with her husband became apparent: she was found to be pregnant. One of the slaves' suspicion being roused, she ventured to enquire the cause of the visible alteration in her mistress' appearance; but the princess, instead of deigning her a reply, desired her to hold her tongue, and not meddle with affairs which concerned her not. The slave, being displeased at the rebuff she had met with, repaired to the queen's apartment, and disclosed her suspicion to her; the queen was astonished, and not a little grieved besides, to hear this, and she lost no time in visiting the princess, to see her and judge for herself. She there found unmis- takeable signs of the actual state of affairs, and became greatly alarmed as the conviction forced itself upon her. She suddenly became enraged, after pondering over the heinousness of the crime which she thought the princess had committed. 'Oh, wicked princess!' said she, 'what is this that I see? Have you reflected well on the disgrace you have brought on yourself and those connected with you, and on the consequences to which it must lead?' Here she was touched with grief as the recollection of her son crossed her mind. 'Oh, my son! you have by some unaccountable