66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

overhangs you. It rends my heart to see the carefree
innocence of your heart—it reminds me of the little dove
flitting at the jaws of a wildcat.”
All this amount of talk prepared Kaikeyi’s mind to be
receptive to what Kooni said next: “Your husband, the
Emperor, is very cunning; he is capable of great trickery,
unsuspected by you; great depths of trickery indeed,
unbeknown to you, such depths as you cannot suspect even
in your wildest dream. You and he are unequals. He was old
enough to be your father when he asked for your hand; and
your father refused the proposal, of course. But the old
bridegroom was intoxicated with the spectacle of your
beauty and youth, and was prepared to promise anything.
He vowed to your father that he’d make the son borne by you
the heir to the throne. I was the only one who overheard it. No
one else knows about it. Now when the time came, the old
man advised Bharatha sweetly: ‘Why don’t you go and
spend a few days with your grandfather? He has been
asking you so long.’ And forthwith got him and his
inseparable brother Sathrugna out of the way. He would
have sent you away too—but for the fact that he can’t survive
even a single day without your caresses! Your charms are
still potent. You will have to save yourself with their aid before
it’s too late… . Rama should not be enthroned tomorrow.”
“Why not? The King may have his own reasons; and I see
no difference between Rama and Bharatha.”