raya Samudram he would carry her along with him, and return with her; [and] he [still] lodged on the bank of the lake.
Such being the state of things, this Vasantamma's elder sister Laççamma seeing that his lordship kept her younger sister in his palace, feared lest some harm might happen [to herself, the eldest.] She therefore set out and went to Tādimarri, and took[1] up her abode with Pedda Tirumala Nayudu, the baron of that place.
2. She sent a message to her younger sister Vasantamma saying, "It is not well for thee to be thus in the hands of strangers. If thou wilt come to me, thou mayest live at liberty. You should gather together money where you are, and by any contrivance flee from bondage, escape, and come." So saying she was carrying on fraud under hand.
This Vasantamma sent [an answer, telling] the following plan to her elder sister. If thou wilt take some troops and set out arid come to Anantapuram, to pay a visit to Vencateswara [the god at] Devaraconda, I also will obtain permission from my lord and come as thou proposest, to that place. She sent a letter in reply to this effect.
Then, accordingly, this Lacamma came to that place with troops: she placed some of them in ambush near Pasuluru, a village in the Tadimarri district, a league from Devaraconda: while with a moderate attendance she arrived at Devaraconda.
On hearing this news Vasanta said to Prasannappa Nayudu, "My eldest sister Laççamma has come to visit [the god] Vencateswara who lives at Devaraconda: I have not for many days had a sight of her, and I therefore wish to go there and see her and to visit the god, and return here in the evening." So saying she earnestly intreated him; Prasannapa Nayu gave her a guard and sent her, saying Go quickly and return in the evening.
3. So Vasanta[2] set out: and after she had gone a little way Prasannapa Nayudu suspected something: he again sent ten men from hence, and called her back and said "After we [that is, I] have returned home to the village [from this tent at the lake] we will send some people to guard you." He persuaded her and stopped her that day But a doubt arose in her mind, "Surely somebody has gone and told his
