wife of your own kinsman, to become a
household slave? How can you vex your brethren thus? But Draupadi has
not become your slave; for Yudhishthira lost himself before he staked
his wife, and having first become a slave, he could no longer have power
to stake Draupadi." Vidura then turned to the assembly and said:--"Take
no heed to the words of Duryodhana, for he has lost his senses this
day." Duryodhana then said:--"A curse be upon this Vidura, who will do
nothing that I desire him."

'After this Duryodhana called one of his servants, and desired him to go
to the lodgings of the Pandavas, and bring Draupadi into the pavilion.
And the man departed out, and went to the lodgings of the Pandavas, and
entered the presence of Draupadi, and said to her:--"Raja Yudhishthira
has played you away, and you have become the slave of Raja Duryodhana:
So come now and do your duty like his other slave girls." And
Draupadi was astonished at these words, and exceedingly wroth, and she
replied:--"Whose slave was I that I could be gambled away? And who
is such a senseless fool as to gamble away his own wife?" The servant
said:--"Raja Yudhishthira has lost himself, and his four brothers, and
you also, to Raja Duryodhana, and you cannot make any objection: Arise,
therefore, and go to the house of the Raja!"

'Then Draupadi cried out:--"Go you now and inquire whether Raja
Yudhishthira lost me first or himself first; for if he played away
himself first, he could not stake me." So the man returned to the
assembly, and put the question to Yudhishthira; but Yudhishthira hung
down his head with shame, and answered not a word.

'Then Duryodhana was filled with wrath, and he cried out to his
servant:--"What waste of words is this? Go you and bring Draupadi
hither, that if she has aught to say, she may say it in the presence
of us all." And the man essayed to go, but he beheld the wrathful
countenance of Bhima and he was sore afraid, and he refused to go, and
remained where he was. Then Duryodhana sent his brother Duhsasana; and
Duhsasana went his way to the lodgings of Draupadi and said:--"Raja
Yudhishthira has lost you in play to Raja Duryodhana, and he has sent
for you: So arise now, and wait upon him according to his commands;
and if you have anything to say, you can say it in the presence of the
assembly." Draupadi replied:--"The death of the Kauravas is not far
distant, since they can do such deeds as these." And she rose up in
great trepid