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DURGESA NANDINI.
181

"Death and r?uin," exclaimed the inventive Bimala, "make ha?ste, Sirs; ?some robbers have entered? the chamber; perhaps? they have mu?rdered the Nabab."

The men ran off in hot haste towards the room; Bimala ran to the gate of the inner apartment. There she found the guar?d in a p?rofound sleep throngh inebriation, ? and cross?ed the gate witho?ut hinderance. It was the same throughout. She ran uninter?ruptedl?y. On coming to the outer gate, she found the guard? awake. One of them, on seeing Bimata, said,

"Who is there? Where are you going??"

There was now a tremendous uproar within the inner apartmen?t; all were running in that direction.

"What are you doing here, sitting idle?" said Bimala; "don't you hear the noise?"

"What is it about?" enquired the gu?ard.

"Confusion!" exclaimed? Bimala, "t?he Nabab ha?s been a?ttacked."

Off ran the guards, leaving the gate; Bimala slipped ou?t without obstruction.

When she had gone some way from the gate, she found a man standing under a tree. Bimala imm?ediat?ely reco?gnised him as Abhiramswami.

When she came up, Abhiramsw?ami said,

"I was extremel?y anxious. What?'s the noise for??"

"I have? aveng?ed my ?wrong!" replied Bim?ala. "We shoul?dn't tarry he?re; let us h?asten to the cottage. I will let you know all afterwards. Tilottama is there already?"

"She is g?oing with Ashmani," said Abhiramswam?i. "We s?hall overtake her soon."