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130
JAINA STORIES
and was a woman with dirty habits. Whenever she saw a young man with physical grace, she became covetous of his company and it was impossible for the man to escape from her clutches
One evening, when Hamirsingh was out on horseback, Kamalata sitting at her window saw him and she lost herself She sent her maid to invite him to her chamber. For a moment, Hamirsingh felt a mild hesitation to call on his sister-in-law at this hour of dusk, but he could not disrespect the order from the elder which, he felt, would be like insulting her So he came. Kamalata desired that he should give his company to her. This made Hamirsingh extremely angry. But he restrained himself somehow and tried to pacify the queen through words of reason. He said,
"You are my sister-in-law and elder to me in status Hence you are like my own mother How can I submit myself to your desires? I am sorry and I beg to be excused
"
Hamirsingh got up and went out. Kamalata felt disheartened. She decided to insult Hamirsingh and disgrace him too. She ran after him and caught him on the staircase. And then she started shouting,
"Save me.
I am being molested."
Many maids at once ran to the rescue of the queen. She was brought back to her chamber. Feeling greatly insulted and harrassed, Hamirsingh came back to his own apartment. Out came from his lips the following words,
"
"Destiny! Mysterious is thy way I'
This unexpected event totally upset Hamır. He was thinking how mean women could be Just then he received a letter sent by his elder brother, the king, which had the following content,
1
I
"Hamır ? You have proved yourself to be a brute had a different impression about you, but that is proved false now I had great respect for you and I had never doubted you even for a moment. But darkened all my bright ideas about you
to-day you have
When I got the
