The word "serve，" which might mean "obey，" was peculiarly disagreeable to the fair one's ears， and she did not admire the check so soon placed upon her devotion， or the decided language and manner of the youth. She therefore mentally resolved never again to see that person， whom she determined to be stupid as an elephant.
"A mother，" said Gunakar， the third candidate， "protects her son in babyhood， and a father when his offspring is growing up. But the man of warrior descent defends his brethren at all times. Such is the custom of the world， and such is my state. I dwell on the heads of the strong！"
Therefore those assembled together looked with great respect upon the man of velour.
Devasharma， the fourth suitor， contented himself with listening to the others， who fancied that he was overawed by their cleverness. And when it came to his turn he simply remarked， "Silence is better than speech." Being further pressed， he said， "A wise man will not proclaim his age， nor a deception practiced upon himself， nor his riches， nor the loss of riches， nor family faults， nor incantations， nor conjugal love， nor medicinal prescriptions， nor religious duties， nor gifts， nor reproach， nor the infidelity of his wife."
Thus ended the first trial. The master of the house dismissed the two former speakers， with many polite expressions and some trifling presents. Then having given betel to them， scented their garments with attar， and sprinkled rose-water over their heads， he accompanied them to the door， showing much regret. The two latter speakers he begged to come on the next day.
Gunakar and Devasharma did not fail. When they entered the assembly-room and took the seats pointed out to them， the father said， "Be ye pleased to explain and make manifest the effects of your mental qualities. So shall I judge of them."
"I have made，" said Gunakar， "a four-wheeled carriage， in which the power resides to carry you in a moment wherever you may purpose to go."
"I have such power over the angel of death，" said Devasharma， "that I can at all times raise a corpse， and enable my friends to do the same."
Now tell me by thy brains， O warrior King Vikram， which of these two youths was the fitter husband for the maid？
Either the Raja could not answer the question， or perhaps he would not， being determined to break the spell which had already kept him walking to and fro for so many hours. Then the Baital， who had paused to let his royal carrier commit himself， seeing that the attempt had failed， proceeded without making any further comment.
The beautiful Unmadini was brought out， but she hung down her head and made no reply. Yet she took care to move both her eyes in the direction of Devasharma. Whereupon Haridas， quoting the proverb that "pearls string with pearls，" formally betrothed to him his daughter.
The soldier suitor twisted the ends of his mustachios into his eyes， which were red with wrath， and fumbled with his fingers about the hilt of his sword. But he was a man of noble birth， and presently his anger passed away.
Mahasani the poet， however， being a shameless person——and when can we be safe from such？——forced himself into the assembly and began to rage and to storm， and to quote proverbs in a loud tone of voice. He remarked that in this world women are a mine of grief， a poisonous root， the abode of solicitude， the destroyers of resolution， the occasioners of fascination， and the plunderers of all virtuous qualities. From the daughter he passed to the father， and after saying hard things of him as a "Maha-Brahman，"[FN#155] who took cows and gold and worshipped a monkey， he fell with a sweeping censure upon all priests and sons of priests， more especially Devasharma. As the bystanders remonstrated with him， he became more violent， and when Haridas， who was a weak man， appeared terrified by his voice， look， and gesture， he swore a solemn oath that despite all the betrothals in the world， unless Unmadini became his wife he would commit suicide， and as a demon haunt the house and injure the inmates.
[FN#155] "Great Brahman"； used contemptuously to priests who officiate for servile men. Brahmans lose their honour by the following things： By becoming servants to the king； by pursuing any secular business； by acting priests to Shudras （serviles）； by officiating as priests for a whole village； and by neglecting any part of the three daily services. Many violate these rules； yet to kill a Brahman is still one of the five great Hindu sins. In the present age of the world， the Brahman may not accept a gift of cows or of gold； of course he despises the law. As regards monkey worship， a certain Rajah of Nadiya is said to have expended ?000 in marrying two monkeys with all the parade and splendour of the Hindu rite.
Gunakar the soldier exhorted this shameless poet to slay himself at once， and to go where he pleased. But as Haridas reproved the warrior for inhumanity， Mahasani nerved by spite， love， rage， and perversity to an heroic death， drew a noose from his bosom， rushed out of the house， and suspended himself to the nearest tree.
