The ocean of story, being C.H. Tawney's translation of Somadeva's ...

194 THE OCEAN OF STORY
some days Svayamprabha heard how he had sped, so she
again sent Indumati from Patala to his palace with a
message.
And Indumati arrived, and had herself announced by the
female warder, and went into the presence of the great queen,
who received her graciously. And she bowed before her,
"
and said to her : Queen, Queen Svayamprabha sends you
'
this : message Have you forgotten your own promise ?
The seas and the principal mountains will suffer change at
the day of doom, but the promises of people like you will not
change even then. Although my husband has not consented
to bestow our daughters as you wished, reflect, how could he
have given them as a present while himself a prisoner ? If
you release him in a proper way as an act of kindness l he
will certainly make you a return by giving you his daughters.
Otherwise Svayamprabha and her daughters will abandon
their lives, and in this way you will fail to obtain daughtersin-law,
and also to keep your promise.' So manage, Queen,
to make the king set our lord free on the conditions of
compact and security and so on, in order that all may turn
out well ;
and accept this ornament sent by Svayamprabha,
studded with various gems, that confer the power of becoming
a Vidyadhara, and other advantages."
When Indumati said this, the queen answered her :
" How can I take this from your mistress now that she is
in trouble ? " But Indumati urged her vehemently to take
" We shall be quite unhappy if you refuse to
it, saying :
accept it, but if you take it, we shall consider our affliction
alleviated."
Being thus strongly urged by Indumati, the queen took
from her that jewelled ornament, to comfort her; and she
"
Remain here, noble
made her wait there, saying to her :
lady, until the king shall come this way."
In the meanwhile the king came there, and Indumati rose
up and, having been introduced by the queen, bowed before
him, and he received her graciously. And she gave to that
king a crest-jewel sent by Svayamprabha that was a talisman
1 I read muchyate, with the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit
College MS.