NALA AND DAMAYANTI 97
realising how strange this must seem, he turned to the waiting-woman and said apologetically —
- They are so like my own 1 But do not thou,
maiden, come this way again. We are strangers here from a far land. We are unknown, and I would fain be alone."
And now, having heard this, Damayanti could wait no longer, but sent for the permission of her father and mother, and had Nala brought to her own apartments. Coming thus into her presence, and seeing her clad just as he had left her, wearing only half her veil, the seeming charioteer was shaken with grief. And Damayanti, feeling sure that he was Nala, and seeing him as a servant, whose wont it was to be a king, could scarcely restrain her tears. But she com- posed herself; and said quietly, ^' Well, Vahuka, did you ever hear of a good man who went away and left a devoted wife, sleeping alone, in the forest ? Ah, what was the fault that Nala found in me, that he should so have left me, helpless and alone ? Did I not choose him once in preference to the very gods themselves ? And did he not, in their presence, and in that of the fire, take me by the hand, and say, ' Verily, I shall be ever thine ' ? Where was that promise, do you think, when he left me thus?"
And Nala answered, *^ In truth, it was not my fault. It was the act of Koli, who hath now
Q
