The charioteer answered: 'Your Majesty has a high official named Abhipâraga. His is that house, and she is his wife, a daughter to Kirî_t_avatsa, of herself she is called Unmâdayantî.' After hearing this, the thought that she was the wife of another caused his heart to faint, and sorrowful meditation made his eyes rigid. Often he heaved long and deep sighs, and thinking of nothing but her, said in a low voice to himself: 12. 'Alas! She bears her soft and lovely-sounding name rightly, indeed. This sweet-smiling Unmâdayantî has made me almost mad. 13. 'I would forget her, yet I see her always in my mind. For my thoughts are with her, or rather it is she who is the ruler of my mind. 14. 'And this weakness of mind is mine concerning the wife of another! No doubt, I am mad; shame, it seems, has left me, just as sleep has. 15. 'While absorbed in representing to myself with rapture the grace of her features, her smiles, her looks, O that sudden sound of the metal plate[113], reminding me by its bold tone of the regular order of my royal business, rouses my wrath.' [113] Strokes on a metal plate, sounding every half-hour, are to announce the time to the king. In such a way the king's firmness was shaken by the power of passionate love. And although he endeavoured to compose his mind, his languishing appearance and emaciating body, his frequent absorption in thoughts together with his sighs indicated very clearly his state of being in love. 16. However great his firmness was in disguising his heart's disease, it manifested itself in his countenance, his eyes rigid from thoughtfulness, and his emaciated limbs. Now Abhipâraga, the king's officer, was skilled in the interpretation of the expression of the face and of such gestures as betray internal feelings. When he had observed the behaviour of his master and discovered its cause, he apprehended evil consequences from it, for he loved the king and knew the excessive power of the God of Love. So he asked the king for a secret audience; which having been granted to him, he went up to his master, and having obtained permission, thus addressed him: 17, 18. 'While engaged in worshipping the Devas to-day, O lotus-eyed ruler of men, see, a Yaksha, presenting himself before my eyes, said to me: "How is it that you ignore the king having fallen in love with Unmâdayantî?" After speaking so, he disappeared immediately, and I, solicitous on this account, approached you. If this is true, why, Your Majesty, do you show in this manner your disaffection to me by your silence? 'Therefore, may Your Majesty do me the favour of accepting her from my hand.' The king was confounded, and dared not lift up his eyes for shame. Nevertheless, even though he was in the power of Love, he did not suffer his firmness to falter, thanks to his being conversant with the Law by long and good practice, and refused that offer in plain terms. 'No, that may not be. For what reason? Hear.