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224
THE WAY OF LIFE
PASSION IS ALWAYS SELFISH
The queen desired her own safety. She knew that if Lalitang was found by the king in the latrine, he would punish not only Lalitang but also he would punish her. The possibility was that he might kill both. The queen was greatly relieved and delighted when Lalitang was not to be seen in the latrine. She was delighted because she had been saved from the danger of being punished and killed. She knew that Lalitang had gone into the gutter but she never cared to think of his condition. She never cared even to think of what misery he was experiencing in the gutter. How could she think of it? She had no love for Lalitang. She merely used him as a means for the gratification of her own passion. She was not satisfied with the company of the king, so she invited Lalitang to her chamber. She never cared to think of what happened to Lalitang; she never cared to know whether, he went away into the gutter or whether he died. If she could not enjoy the company of Lalitang, she could seek pleasure from the company of some other man. Pure love and affection never exist in the heart of a passionate person.
What a terrible thing happened to Lalitang who sought the company of another woman ? He could not enjoy the company of the queen, on the contrary, he fell into an intolerable and miserable plight. Lalitang fell into the gutter and he began floating on the filthy waters of the gutter. He became unconscious and he was thus floating in a state of unconsciousness for some days and he was rotting. His father searched for him. His mother was loudly lamenting over her son's mysterious dis
pearance. His father moved heaven and earth to search for him. When he could not find his son, he fell into a state of bitter despair.
Some days later. Lalitang's body was found floating in the gutter outside the city. His body had become putrefied. Some people noticed the body. The news at once spread like wild fire in the city that someone was floating in the gutter outside the city. Many people came to see him. All saw him but no one could identify him. When the merchant heard the news, he
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