Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/549

 enclosure of Gaurí, he delivered me from the terrible fire of the Rákshasí's wrath, plunged me nevertheless in the fire of love, with its intolerable flame of separation. So I do not know, where to go, whom to speak to, what to do, or what expedient I must have recourse to, since my heart is fixed on one hard to obtain."

When the princess said this, her friend answered her, " My dear, this attachment of your mind is quite becoming and suitable; your union would certainly be to the enhancement of one another's beauty, as the union of the digit of the new moon with the hair of Śiva matted into the form of a diadem. And do not be despondent about this matter: of a truth he will not be able to live without you; did you not see that he was affected in the same way as yourself? Even women, who see you,* are so much in love with your beauty that they desire to become men; so what man would not be a suitor for your hand ? Much more will he be, who is equal to you in beauty. Do you suppose that Śiva, who declared that you should be man and wife, can say what is false? However, what afflicted one feels quite patient about an object much desired, even though it is soon to be attained? So cheer up ! He will soon become your husband. It is not hard for you to win any husband, but all men must feel that you are a prize hard to win." When the princess's attendant said this to her, she answered her, " My friend, though I know all this, what am I to do ? My heart cannot endure to remain for a moment without that lord of my life, to whom it is devoted, and Cupid will not bear to be trifled with any further. For when I think of him, my mind is immediately refreshed. † but my limbs burn, and my breath seems to leave my body with glowing heat." Even as the princess was saying this, she, being soft as a flower, fell fainting with distraction into the arms of that friend of hers. Then her weeping friend gradually brought her round by sprinkling her with water and fanning her with plantain-leaves. Her friend employed with her the usual remedies of a necklace and bracelet of lotus-fibres, a moist anointing with sandal-wood unguent, and a bed of lotus-leaves; but these contracted neat by coming in contact with her body, and seemed by their heating and withering to feel the same pain as she felt. Then Padmávatí, in her agitation, said to that friend, " Why do you weary yourself in vain ? My suffering cannot be alleviated in this way. It would be a happy thing, if you would take the only step likely to alleviate it." When she said this in her pain, her friend answered her,