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 other rites performed. And the next day she took that concealed wealth, and went off with her daughter, and travelling along reached in course of time that city Vakrolaka. There she bought a house from a great merchant named Vasudatta, and lived in it with her daughter Dhanavatí. Now at that time there lived in that city a teacher of the name of Vishnusvámin. And he had a pupil, a very handsome Bráhman of the name of Manahsvámin. And he, though he was of high birth and well- educated, was so enslaved by the passions of youth that he fell in love with a hetœra of the name of Hansávalí, But she demanded a fee of five hundred gold dínárs, and he did not possess this sum, so he was in a state of perpetual despondency. And one day that merchant's daughter Dhanavatí saw him from the top of her palace, such as I have described, with attenuated but handsome frame. Her heart was captivated by his beauty; so she called to mind the injunction of that thief her husband, and artfully said to her mother, who was near her; " Mother, behold the beauty and youth of this young Bráhman, how charming they are, raining nectar into the eyes of the whole world." When that merchant's widow heard this, she saw that her daughter was in love with the young Bráhman, and she thought thus in her mind; " My daughter is bound by the orders of her husband to choose some man, in order to raise up issue to her husband, so why should she not invite this one?" When she had gone through these reflections, she entrusted her wish to a confidential maid, and sent her to bring the Bráh- man for her daughter.

The maid went and took that Bráhman aside, and communicated her mistress's wish to him, and that young and dissolute Bráhman said to her; " If they will give me five hundred gold dinars for Hansávalí, I will go there for one night." When he said this to the maid, she went and communicated it to the merchant's widow, and she sent the money to him by her hand. When Manahsvámin had received the money, he went with the maid to the private apartments of the widow's daughter, Dhanavatí, who had been made over to him. Then he saw that expectant fair one, the ornament of the earth, as the partridge beholds the moonlight, and rejoiced; and after passing the night there, he went away secretly next morning.

And Dhanavatí, the merchant's daughter, became pregnant by him, and in due time she brought forth a son, whose auspicious marks fore-shadowed his lofty destiny. She and her mother were much pleased at the birth of a son; and then Śiva manifested himself to them in a dream by night, and said to them; " Take this boy, as he lies in his cradle, and leave him, with a thousand gold pieces, early in the morning, at the door of king Súryaprabha. In this way all will turn out well." The merchant's widow and the merchant's daughter, having received this command from Śiva, woke