विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

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and her nightly dream, and it now struck her, strangely
enough, that perhaps this might prove to be Soomunt him-
self. As this idea crossed her mind, she ordered a horse to
be brought to her immediately, and having mounted, she
rode out to the spot where the Manbhavy was impatiently
awaiting permission to prosecute his journey. She soon
distinguished him, seated on a stone in the road, and as her
eye rested on him she recognised her long-lost and dear
Prince Soomunt! She rode up to him, prostrated herself
at his feet, and, with clasped hands and glistening eyes, paid
him pure and earnest adoration, after the manner prescribed
by the Hindu law for a devotee. She then entreated him
to accompany her to her abode, but the Manbhavy replied,
‘No; I have no business at your majesty’s palace, since, as
I have already told your minister, I have taken a vow against
partaking of dainties.’ ‘No matter,’ replied Malattee; ‘I
shall feel highly obliged by your kindly complying with my
request; and I hope and trust that the Almighty will in
due time restore you to your former position and happiness.’
She managed, after much persuasion, to prevail upon him
to accompany her to the palace in a palanquin. When
they had arrived there, the king and the mendicant
adjourned to a private apartment, and the former desired the
latter to make known the cause of his present disguise.
‘You need not,’ said the king, ‘be under any apprehension.
Speak freely.’ Prince Soomunt, seeing the king so eager to
learn his secret, immediately told him all, adding, ‘When I
returned from the palace with the garland, which I recovered
in the chamber of the Gowrihar, and found that my beloved
Malattee was not where I had left her, I searched every
tree, one by one, thinking I might have missed the right
one, but all to no purpose,—she was nowhere to be found!
I then made as much haste as I could to escape the
pursuit of my uncle, who would, I had no doubt, when he
became aware of our absence, send troops out in search of
us. Next morning, by sunrise, I had assumed the disguise
you now see me in, and have since travelled through cities