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The Flames of Jealousy
269
Well ! 'Tell us what you have in your mind without any hesitation."
“Well sister! The life in the forests was indeed painful. It was a great adversity. Your abduction by Ravan was a worse calamity but at the same time you had some good fortune also. You could see the magnificent empire of Lanka. You could understand the secrets of Lanka and you had the good fortune of seeing Ravan, the mightiest of heroes. Is not this a good fortune ?” Ratinibha said smiling with malice.
"Sister! I despised all those things. I had no mind to see or to enjoy those sights. I always kept praying for a reunion with our dear lord. I always kept yearning for a place at his holy feet.”
"Even then you saw Ravan. Did you not ?” Shridhama said with pretended affection.
"No. No. I did not even glance at the face of that wicked fellow. Yes, of course, every day he came to the Devaraman garden and made appeals and entreaties to me. At those times, I saw only his feet. I never lifted up my eyes.” Sita said in a dignified voice which was expressive of the purity of her heart.
“Well! How were his feet?” Shridhama and Prabhavati said together.
“What was there in those feet to be noted specially ?” Sita said showing her indifference.
"Please tell us if there was any thing special in the feet of Ravan. We are eager to know it. Please paint a picture of his feet and show it to us.” Shridhama said expressing great eagerness.
“What a funny thing ! How can I paint a picture ?”
“Dear Queen! You are an expert artist. Please draw a picture and show it to us,” Ratinibha said moving a little towards Sita in an apparently child-like manner.
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