itted
so many robberies. If you do not give up the stolen property, and
especially the magic purse, you shall suffer every possible variety of
torture before you are put to death."

I answered, smiling, "Even though I should give up all the other
stolen property, I will never let the purse go back to that wretch
Dhanamittra, my greatest enemy. You may try all your tortures; you
will never get this secret out of me."

Finding the fear of torture to have no effect, the next day he tried
promises; and so went on from day to day, with alternate soothing and
threatening.

Meanwhile, my wounds were attended to, and I was well fed; so that I
had regained my strength when, one day, Sringalika made her
appearance, well dressed, and with cheerful countenance.

To my surprise, she was allowed to speak to me in private. She said to
me, joyfully "Your plan has succeeded. As you directed, I went to
Dhanamittra and told him, from you: 'You must go to the king, and say,
"The magic purse so lately restored has again been stolen by one whom
I regarded as a friend--a certain gambler, the husband of the actress
Ragamanjari. He has taken it from spite, being jealous of his wife, to
whom, from kindness, I often made presents. He is now in prison for
other offences; and if, he is put to death immediately, as he
deserves, I fear that I shall never recover my purse. I pray,
therefore, that he may not be executed before he has confessed where
it is concealed. For he admits having taken it; but declares that he
will not give it up, unless his life is spared." Your friend,
admiring your ingenuity, and having full confidence in your resources,
immediately went to the king and obtained his request, so that your
life is safe for the present.'

"Meanwhile, with the help of gifts furnished by my mistress, I have
formed an intimacy with the nurse of the Princess Ambalika, and have
been introduced by her to the princess, whose favour I have gained by
telling her amusing stories, and whom I have induced to feel an
interest in the misfortune of my mistress.

"One day, when I was standing near her in the gallery round the
court-yard of the palace, Kantaka, having some business or other,
passed through below us. Picking up a flower which the princess had
dropped, I let it fall on his head; and when he looked up to see from
whose hand it came, I managed to make the princess laugh at something
which I said; and the conceited fool, thinking that it was