There reigned here long ago a king named Ádityavarman, and he had a very wise minister, named Sivavarman. Now it came to pass that one of that king's queens became pregnant, and when he found it out, the king said to the guards of the harem, "It is now two years since I entered this place, then how has this queen become pregnant? Tell me." Then they said, "No man except your minister Sivavarman is allowed to enter here, but he enters without any restriction." When he heard that, the king thought,--"Surely he is guilty of treason against me, and yet if I put him to death publicly, I shall incur reproach,"--thus reflecting, that king sent that Sivavarman on some pretext to Bhogavarman a neighbouring chief, [68] who was an ally of his, and immediately afterwards the king secretly sent off a messenger to the same chief, bearing a letter by which he was ordered to put the minister to death. When a week had elapsed after the minister's departure, that queen tried to escape out of fear, and was taken by the guards with a man in woman's attire, then Ádityavarman when he heard of it was filled with remorse, and asked himself why he had causelessly brought about the death of so excellent a minister. In the meanwhile Sivavarman reached the Court of Bhogavarman, and that messenger came bringing the letter; and fate would have it so that after Bhogavarman had read the letter he told to Sivavarman in secret the order he had received to put him to death. The excellent minister Sivavarman in his turn said to that chief,--"put me to death; if you do not, I will slay myself with my own hand." When he heard that, Bhogavarman was filled with wonder, and said to him, "What does all this mean? Tell me Bráhman, if you do not, you will lie under my curse." Then the minister said to him, "King, in whatever land I am slain, on that land God will not send rain for twelve years." When he heard that, Bhogavarman debated with his minister,--"that wicked king desires the destruction of our land, for could he not have employed secret assassins to kill his minister? So we must not put this minister to death, moreover we must prevent him from laying violent hands on himself." Having thus deliberated and appointed him guards, Bhogavarman sent Sivavarman out of his country that moment; so that minister by means of his wisdom returned alive, and his innocence was established from another quarter, for righteousness cannot be undone. In the same way your innocence will be made clear, Kátyáyana; remain for a while in my house; this king too will repent of what he has done. When Sakatála said this to me, I spent those days concealed in his house, waiting my opportunity.