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 "Death and ruin," exclaimed the inventive Bimala, "make haste, Sirs; some robbers have entered the chamber; perhaps they have murdered the Nabab."

The men ran off in hot haste towards the room; Bimala ran to the gate of the inner apartment. There she found the guard in a profound sleep throngh inebriation,  and crossed the gate without hinderance. It was the same throughout. She ran uninterruptedly. On coming to the outer gate, she found the guard awake. One of them, on seeing Bimata, said,

"Who is there? Where are you going?"

There was now a tremendous uproar within the inner apartment; all were running in that direction.

"What are you doing here, sitting idle?" said Bimala; "don't you hear the noise?"

"What is it about?" enquired the guard.

"Confusion!" exclaimed Bimala, "the Nabab has been attacked."

Off ran the guards, leaving the gate; Bimala slipped out without obstruction.

When she had gone some way from the gate, she found a man standing under a tree. Bimala immediately recognised him as Abhiramswami.

When she came up, Abhiramswami said,

"I was extremely anxious. What's the noise for?"

"I have avenged my wrong!" replied Bimala. "We shouldn't tarry here; let us hasten to the cottage. I will let you know all afterwards. Tilottama is there already?"

"She is going with Ashmani," said Abhiramswami. "We shall overtake her soon."