Brahmin youth, intermingled with his side-locks. At this, his knees involuntarily bent together and, slowtly and gradually, he sat himself down on the earth.
When the Kapalik noticed it, he took out a cocoa-nut shell that was fastened on his girdle and said "My son, you are losing strength. Drink this heroic medicine which is Bhowani's offering as this will restore your strength."
The Kapalik held up the vessel near Nabokumar's lips whereupon he drank off the contents at a draught and thus quenched his thirst. He knew not that the sweet drink was brewed by the Kapalik's own hands and so was a wine of terrible strength. The stimulant gave him power.
On the otherhand, Luthfunnisha softly said to Kapalkundala, "Sister, it is not in my power to requite the good you have done me. But I will think it a happiness if I get a niche in your heart. I have heard the ornaments, I made you a present of, you have given to the poor. I have nothing valuable on my person now. I have brought a ring concealed under the hair of my head with some ulterior object for to-morrow's use. But, God willing, I am spared the ill-use of it. Keep this ring—treat it as a souvenir—and remember your Javan sister afterwards. If husband questions you, to-day, about this ring tell him you have received it from Luthfunnisha. So saying, Luthfunnisha took out a costly ring from her finger and handed it to Kapalkundala. Nabokumar saw all this and, though under the firm grip of the Kapalik, he
