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empty heart. I am deeply in love with that girl, but I cannot obtain her, as I cannot get certain news of her; still, I do not choose death. But there is an artifice by which you may obtain Kesará. She will be married to-morrow morning, so to-day she must perform worship to the god of love; this worship she will perform alone, such is the custom. So let you and me enter the city before she arrives, and go to the tempie of the god of love. When she comes to the temple of the god, I will, with her consent, put on her dress and go to her house. But when I have gone some distance, you must take Kesará and make off as fast as possible." When Vasantadeva heard this, he said, This is just like your nobleness," and rejoiced. Then he said to Kámapála: "My friend, my gain will be your ruin." At this moment somebody sneezed,* and Kámapála said: "By forwarding your business, I shall ensure my own prosperity also." At this moment someone near said, with reference to his own business: "There can be no doubt about that." Vasantadeva, catching the meaning of the omen, agreed to the proposal of Kámapála, and the two went into the city together. After taking food they went together at the time of evening to the temple of the god of love, and both of them remained concealed behind the image of the god. After a short time the sound of cymbals was heard. Both of them, hearing the sound, were delighted, as it showed that Kesará was approaching; and in a short time she arrived, thinking, from the throbbing of her limbs, that she was about to meet her beloved. Kesará got out of her litter, and entered the temple of the god of love. She took the instruments of worship from the hand of Priyankará, and Priyankará shut the door. Kesará performed her worship, and after the worship she thus addressed the god of love: "O lord, husband of Rati, thou seest into the hearts of all creatures; how is it, then, that, though knowing my heart, thou dost join me to a husband whom have not chosen? My heart is not
* This seems to be a good omen, like the Trápvvrai rig in Xenophon's 'Anabasis,' iii. 2, 9. See also Catullus, xlv. 8.
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