Page:The Enchanted Parrot.djvu/112

108 The king heard Subhakara's words, and felt flattered; meanwhile the wise man comforted the queen with delicate attentions and pleasant speeches.

Next morning the king sent for the queen, and summoned the Pandit to meet her. Turning to Subhakara, he said: " Surely it is a mere pretence that women cannot endure even the eye of the lotus." Subhakara, hearing this, gave himself up for lost, for he thought that everything had been found out, for —

" Even in a humble dwelling, punishment follows evil doing; How much more in the king's palace."

So he reflected for a moment, and then he said — " Thy glory, most noble lord, rules the waters of the ocean filled with terrible monsters, penetrates even to the heaven, climbs the inaccessible mountain; is powerful even in hell filled with poison- breathing monsters. O love incarnate ! Surely the fear of women that can face this must be feigned."

The king heard what the Pandit said, and looked at him and the queen. He thought to himself: Here is a wise and prudent man, he is not easy to catch out, but as for women there is no difficulty with them. So he took the queen by the hand, and said to the wise man: " Here is the queen,