"Offended!" I answered. "You do me a very great favour; I shall be most delighted to accept your invitation." Upon this, she rose, and I followed her to her house, where I was most kindly entertained. When I was refreshed with bathing and food, she said to me: "You have been travelling about in various countries. Have you, in your travels, met with any very extraordinary adventure?"
On hearing this question, I thought: "I have now good ground for hope. The picture represents that very room which I saw, with its lofty ceiling and white canopies—even the bed where the princess was lying. Instigated by love, she has doubtless painted my portrait from recollection; and, in the hope that I may be discovered through the likeness, has entrusted it to this lady who has now invited me to her house. She evidently thinks that I am the person; but hesitates to put a direct question to me. If I am right, I will soon remove her doubt."
I asked her, therefore: "Will you allow me to examine that picture?" She put it into my hand; and I drew on it the princess lying as I had seen her; and giving it back, said: "One night, while sleeping in a forest, I had a very wonderful dream. I found myself lying in just such a room as that which is represented in this painting; and saw there a very beautiful young lady, such as I have painted here; could that have been anything more than a dream?"
When she heard this, her face lighted up, and she answered: "That was no dream, but a reality; and you are indeed the person I was looking for." Then she told me the whole story; how the princess had seen and fallen in love with me; and how she had painted that picture and given it to her friend, that it might be the means of discovering me; and how delighted she would now be to hear that I was found at last.
I begged her to assure the princess that I was even more anxious to see her, and had come to Sravasti solely from the hope of finding her.
"If your friend is disposed to favour me," I continued, "beg her to wait patiently a few days; I will arrange a plan which will enable us to be together in her apartments, without danger to either of us." To this she agreed, and having taken leave of her, I went back to the village where the old brahman lived, whom I had met at the cock-fight. I found him at home, and delighted to see me. After I was rested and refreshed, he asked me, "What has brought you back so soon? is there anything in which you require my assistance?"
"There is,"' I answered, "a very important affair, in which you can materially assist me. The King of the Sravastans, Dharmavardhana,[[8]] whose character corresponds with his name, has a very beautiful daughter. By an extraordinary chance, I have seen and fallen in love with her. I have reason to believe that she was equally struck by me, but know not how to contrive a meeting between us without your help; will you therefore assist me?"
"What is your plan?" he asked, "and how can I be of service in carrying it out?"
"My plan is this," I replied. "I will dress as a woman, and pass for your daughter; and you are so clever and ready-witted, that I think you will be able to get me into the palace as a companion to the princess, and even to manage so that she shall become my wife." Then I told him how I thought this might be accomplished; and he quite approved of what I proposed, entered into it with great spirit, and promised his ready co-operation.
Accordingly, the first day that the king was sitting in public to administer justice, the old man approached, followed by me dressed as a woman, walking modestly behind him, and bowing down to the king, he said: "My lord, I have heard of your great beneficence, and how you are the father of all your subjects, the protector and friend of the helpless; I am therefore come to ask a great favour. This girl is my only daughter. Her mother died soon after her birth. I have brought her up, and she has never left me; but I am desirous now to be relieved of this charge and to see her well married. A long time ago, she was engaged to a young brahman, who went to Oujein, to study there, and acquire the means of supporting a wife and family. I have been expecting his return for some time, but have heard nothing of him; I am, therefore, very uneasy on my daughter's account, and purpose to go to Oujein, and find out whether he is alive or dead. I cannot leave my daughter alone, and have no friend or near relation with whom I can place her. Will your majesty deign to allow her to remain under your protection until my return?"