The World of Courtesans c12.67

c12.67

When she learnt of the arrival of the merchant Vīradasa, she sent him, through her maids, a present of clothes. The maids invited him to visit their mistress as a guest. Vīradasa, however, courteously declined the offer but in return sent her eight hundred silver *drammas*. Hariṇi felt insulted and returned the money. She insisted that she did not care for money but desired him. But when he again refused her invitation, she sent some strumpets (*bhujyā*) and some clever maids to lure him. At Vīradāsa’s place they happened to see Narmadāsundarī and were struck by her beauty. The maids again begged Vīradāsa to visit their mistress. The advice of his friends was that there could be no harm in visiting her merely for amusement. So he sent her a letter accepting her invitation.