Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/166

Rh fail to shoot with his flowery darts every maiden who is not united to her lover. Bear these in mind, and have mercy on me.” Calling her maid Vasanta-Màlai, she gave the letter into her hands, bidding her to present it to Kovilan. Vasanta-Màlai took the epistle accordingly, and meeting Kovilan in the market road, offered it to him. He declined however to read it, and told her "I know your mistress too well. Trained to act any part on the stage, she is capable of every kind of dissimulation, you may take the letter back to your mistress.” Vasanta-Mâlai retraced her steps with grief and informed her mistress that Kovilan had declined to receive her letter and Mathavi retired to bed, sorrowfully saying to herself, “He is sure to come in the morning, even if he does not appear to-night.”

On that same evening, Kannaki was seated in her mansion alone and gloomy, she was now a prey to melancholy. Her eye-lids were not painted: her hair was not combed and she wore no ornament save the marriage badge on her neck.

Devanti, a Brahmin woman who came to console Kannaki, sprinkled grass and rice on her, and blessed her saying “may you regain the love of your husband.” “Alas! I fear I shall not enjoy that happiness again,” said Kannaki, “I dreamt that my husband took me to a great city, and while we were there, strangers accused us of a grave crime. My husband met with a serious misfortune, and I went to plead his cause before the king. Evil befell the king and his great city; but I and my husband attained a bliss which you would not believe, if I told you.” “Your husband does not hate you,” rejoined Devanti, “In your former birth, you failed to keep a vow, The evil effects of that sin may be removed, if you bathe in the two tanks sacred to the Sun and Moon, at the mouth of the river Kaviri, and worship the God of Love at his temple. We shall go one day and bathe in those tanks.”

“It is not proper for me to do so,” said Kannaki. A servant-maid then announced that Kovilan had entered the house, and Kannaki hastened to. meet her lord. Kovilan entered his bedroom, and drawing his wife near to him, noted her sad look and thin body worn by grief.