Charudatta, who is within his house, converses
with his friend Maitreya, and deplores his poverty. While they are
speaking, Vasantasena appears in the street outside. She is pursued by
the courtier and Sansthanaka; the latter makes her degrading offers of
his love, which she indignantly rejects. Charudatta sends Maitreya from
the house to offer sacrifice, and through the open door Vasantasena
slips unobserved into the house. Maitreya returns after an altercation
with Sansthanaka, and recognizes Vasantasena. Vasantasena leaves a
casket of gems in the house for safe keeping and returns to her home.

ACT II., entitled _The Shampooer who Gambled_. Second day.--The
act opens in Vasantasena's house. Vasantasena confesses to her
maid Madanika her love for Charudatta. Then a shampooer appears
in the street, pursued by the gambling-master and a gambler, who
demand of him ten gold-pieces which he has lost in the gambling-house.
At this point Darduraka enters, and engages the gambling-master
and the gambler in an angry discussion, during which the
shampooer escapes into Vasantasena's house. When Vasantasena
learns that the shampooer had once served Charudatta, she pays his
debt; the grateful shampooer resolves to turn monk. As he leaves
the house he is attacked by a runaway elephant, and saved by
Karnapuraka, a servant of Vasantasena.

ACT III., entitled _The Hole in the Wall_. The night following the
second day.--Charudatta and Maitreya return home after midnight
from a concert, and go to sleep. Maitreya has in his hand the
gem-casket which Vasantasena has left behind. Sharvilaka enters.
He is in love with Madanika, a maid of Vasantasena's, and is
resolved to acquire by theft the means of buying her freedom. He
makes a hole in the wall of the house, enters, and steals the casket
of gems which Vasantasena had left. Charudatta wakes to find
casket and thief gone. His wife gives him her pearl necklace with
which to make restitution.

ACT IV., entitled _Madanika and Sharvilaka_. Third day.--Sharvilaka
comes to Vasantasena's house to buy Madanika's freedom.
Vasantasena overhears the facts concerning the theft of her gem-casket
from Charudatta's house, but accepts the casket, and gives
Madanika her freedom. As Sharvilaka leaves the house, he hears
that his friend Aryaka, who had been imprisoned by the king, has
escaped and is being pursued. Sharvilaka departs to help him.
Maitreya comes from Charudatta with the pearl necklace, to r