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CHAPTER FOUR
Yesterday some young women, after bathing, came to worship the god in the habitation and asked me the reason for taking the vow. I said carelessly the reason was the separation from á dear wife and I did not make the prayer prescribed by the guru, standing in water. At night in order to steal I entered, like a dog, Sheth Sagara's house whose door happened to be open. As I was leaving after taking the gold, silver, et cetera, I was caught by the police; and the magic art, ' going-throughthe air,' did not manifest itself, though recalled."
The minister asked him again: "Only a box of ornaments has not been found. Were you mistaken about the place? He said: "The box was taken from the place where it was buried by some one who came and learned about it by chance."
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After hearing that the chief-minister released the ascetic and he remembered the uncle and nephew who had taken the box. He thought: "Surely the box was taken by them in ignorance and they lied because they were terrified. They must be questioned without fear on their part." He summoned them and questioned them unafraid. When they had told everything in detail, they were released by the minister conversant with right conduct.
They stayed two days because of emaciation and left on the third day; and they were caught by Caṇḍasena's men who were looking for men. They were both thrown into the midst of prisoners by Kiratas for the sacrifice to the goddess Caṇḍasena. Taking Priyadarśana with slave-girls and her son, Candasena approached for the worship of Caṇḍasenā. Saying, "Merchants' wives are not able to look at this terrible goddess," he covered Priyadarśana's eyes with a cloth. After taking the boy himself, Candasena by a signal of his eye had Bandhudatta brought, the very first one by chance. The village-chief said to Priyadarśanā, After having your son bow to the goddess and having him give her red sandal, have him worship her."
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He himself, completely pitiless, drew his sword from its
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