sort of gaud and ornament, passed by and gazed upon them. Straightway the brethren laid hands on her, and Satrughna so beat her that his brother exclaimed: "A woman may not be slain, or myself should have done the deed. Were Rama to hear that the humpbacked wench had been slain, it would please him ill." So they suffered her to depart.
Anon came the folk to beg Bharat to take the reins of government in his hands, but he refused, and commanded, instead, that an army should be got ready to go forth to Rama's forest dwelling, to escort him home as king, while he himself would remain in the woods. This pious resolve was greeted with reverent admiration, and all bent them to the work of preparing. When all was ready, a great multitude set out in company with the army. At the River Ganges, King Guha, seeing the great host, at first thought that Bharat had gathered this puissance to follow Rama and slay him; wrath filled his heart, and he took thought to bar the passage of the river by force. But when he learned the high purpose of Bharat's coming, he cried with delight to the prince, "Blessed art thou ! None on earth know I to rival thee, O prince!"
On the next morning, therefore, Guha had five hundred boats made ready to give passage to Bharat's host, who, after taking leave of the king, proceeded to the hermitage where Rama's party also had halted. The sage greeted Vasishtha with honour ; to Bharat, after divers questions on either hand, he said, "Why art thou here? I misdoubt me somewhat of thy coming, lest, haply, knowing that thy brother has
