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THE NÁGÁNANDA.
49

then place a pearl ornament on your waist? The weight of your hips is wearisome,—much more this girdle! There is hardly sufficient power in your feet to carry your limbs, far less your anklets! Your limbs being so lovely, why should you wear ornaments that only tend to weary you?


Girl.

Here is the flower-garden. Be pleased to enter.

[All enter.

Jímútaváhana (looking round).

Well, truly the beauty of the flower-garden is great! Here the droppings from the sandal-trees cool the creeper-bower with its tesselated pavement. The peacock dances yet more wildly to the shrill sound of the shower-baths. The cascade, brown with the pollen of flowers, shaken from the trees by the impetuous foam, falls with a rush from the machine, and fills the basins at the foot of the trees. Again, these bees, making the creeper-bower resound with their attempts at song, as they drink in abundant honey, in company with their wives, covered with a perfumed dust by the pollen of flowers, seem to enjoy on every side a drinking festival.

[Vidúshaka comes up.

Vidúshaka.

Victory to your highness! Welcome to your ladyship!


Jímútaváhana.

O friend! you have been very long in coming.