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90
USĀNIRUDDHA
59.
The attendants looked suspiciously at the princess's apartment and guessed that she had a lover inside with her. They immediately rushed to her father, the king of the demons, folded their hands and reported :
60-61. “A curse seems to have landed on us all, your Majesty.
Some one is at a foul game with your daughter. A strong male voice deliberately softened to a whisper couldn't have led us to any mistake. From the apartment of the princess come suspicious sounds of constrained talk and the tinklings of the anklets. What else could cause them but the excitement of lovemaking ? Their passion has made them careless in their behaviour. Blind passion !”
62.
These words hit Bāna's ears like a sharp arrow; sorrow burnt him and anger made him tremble. He rushed towards his daughter's room.
63.
There at that time the lord of Daityas finds that bride and that bridegroom endowed with lovely forms and worthy of each other in their pure delicacy, playing at dice.
64.
Almost forgetting his intense hatred, he looked in wonder. He stood for a long time motionless like one painted in a picture gazing at the Prince. Afterwards getting wild he addressed him in harsh words :
65.
I should like to know if you, O paramour of my daughter, if you consider this region which very much belongs to me, to Bāna, to have no master at all ? How could it be that you have not heard of my valour, known throughout the world or of me, a thousandarmed warrior ?
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