Kunwar Indrajit Singh stood by the edge of the lake, gazing at the strange building and the beautiful woman. He considered swimming across to the house that stood in the very center of the lake, but the young woman gestured with her hand to stop him.

With a gesture, she forbade him—not only that, but she signaled for him to flee from there. He understood her sign and stopped, but his heart would not allow it; once again, he entered the pond.

That beautiful maiden realized that the prince would not be satisfied without coming here, so she gestured for him to wait and also indicated that she would bring a boat. The woman untied a boat, boarded it herself, and, steering it in a peculiar manner, took it toward the far corner of the pond, signaling the prince to come that way as well. The prince went in that direction and, delighted, boarded the boat with the woman. She maneuvered the boat in the same winding way and brought it near a house. Both of them disembarked and went inside.

The prince was greatly pleased by the decoration of that small house. Everything needed was present there. The central large room was beautifully adorned, with priceless mirrors, Kashmiri carpets embroidered with various flowers and patterns, small but tall marble stools decorated with ornaments and vases. There were also instruments for music and singing; the paintings on the walls had been crafted with great artistry by the painters. Beside that room was another small, decorated chamber with a bed draped in a mosquito net for sleeping. Next to it was a bathing room, its floor made of white and black stones. In the center was a small pool, into which water from the pond flowed in from one side and out the other. Besides this, there were three or four more rooms for necessary purposes, but in that house, apart from that one woman, there was no other lady, nor any servant or maid to be seen.

Seeing the house and finding no one there except that young, beautiful woman, the prince was greatly astonished. The house was such that it could not possibly be kept clean or its things maintained without four or five people. Weary and sunburnt, Prince Indrajit Singh found the place exceedingly pleasant, and, enraptured by the supernatural beauty of that lovely woman, he forgot all else. With great grace and charm, the woman led the prince into the room, seated him on a cushion, and sat before him herself.

Prince: "For all the favors you have done for me, I can never repay you."

Woman: "That is true, but I hope you will never do anything that would bring disgrace upon me."

Prince: "No, no, never expect such a thing from me. But what is the reason you say this?"

Woman: "In this house, where I live alone, your coming in this manner and staying for long will certainly be the cause of my dishonor."

Prince (after some thought): "Why are you so beautiful? Alas! Every gesture of yours draws me toward you. (hesitantly) Be that as it may, I should leave this place now. If this was to be the case, then why did you bring me here on the boat?"

Woman: "I had already signaled you to leave, but when you began swimming toward this place, I was helpless and had to do this. I could not knowingly let a man fall into trouble, especially one whose life I myself had saved from a cruel, cunning enemy. Do not think that anyone can simply swim across this pond and reach here, for nets have been cast all around it. If anyone tries to swim here, he will surely get entangled in the nets and lose his life. That is why I had to bring the boat for you."

Prince: "Of course, for that too I must thank you. Forgive me, I did not know that my coming here would cause you trouble. Now I shall go, but please, at least tell me your name, so that I may remember that such-and-such woman helped me in my time of need."

Woman (laughing): "I do not wish to tell you my name, nor do I ask you to leave in this heat. Rather, I hope you will accept my hospitality."

Prince: "Well, well! At times you make me your guest, and at others you order me to leave. Do as you please."

Woman (laughing): "Well, let all that be for later. For now, please rise and have something to eat, for I know you have not eaten anything yet."

Prince: "I have not even performed my bath and evening prayers. But I am surprised that I see no maidservant with you here."

Woman: "Do not worry about that. I am your maidservant myself. Please sit for a moment; I shall set everything in order and return at once."

Saying this, without waiting for the prince's consent, the woman rose and went into an adjoining room. After she left, the prince began to pace the room, examining each object closely. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a scrap of paper pressed beneath a bouquet. It would not have been proper to pick up and read that note, but he was compelled. Several letters of the note, left visible from being pressed under the bouquet, were clearly legible, and those very letters forced the prince to take out the note and read it. The letters were:

"Kishori"

Helplessly, the prince took out the note and read what was written:

"As per your instructions, all actions are proceeding well. Lali and Kundan are laying their traps skillfully. Kishori too has been thoroughly deceived. Kishori's lover…"

are also present here, and she has high hopes for Kishori. I too have done work worthy of a reward. At this moment, the situation is taking on a strange new color, but never mind, in two or three days I will write you