dy, he is not fit even to serve you." The
go-between should further talk to the woman about the weakness of the
passion of her husband, his jealousy, his roguery, his ingratitude, his
aversion to enjoyments, his dullness, his meanness, and all the other
faults that he may have, and with which she may be acquainted. She
should particularly harp upon that fault or that failing by which the
wife may appear to be the most affected. If the wife be a deer woman,
and the husband a hare man, then there would be no fault in that
direction, but in the event of his being a hare man, and she a mare
woman or elephant woman, then this fault should be pointed out to her.

Gonikaputra is of opinion that when it is the first affair of the woman,
or when her love has only been very secretly shown, the man should then
secure and send to her a go-between, with whom she may be already
acquainted, and in whom she confides.

But to return to our subject. The go-between should tell the woman about
the obedience and love of the man, and as her confidence and affection
increase, she should then explain to her the thing to be accomplished in
the following way. "Hear this, Oh beautiful lady, that this man, born of
a good family, having seen you, has gone mad on your account. The poor
young man, who is tender by nature, has never been distressed in such a
way before, and it is highly probable that he will succumb under his
present affliction, and experience the pains of death." If the woman
listens with a favourable ear, then on the following day the go-between,
having observed marks of good spirits in her face, in her eyes, and in
her manner of conversation, should again converse with her on the
subject of the man, and should tell her the stories of Ahalya[59] and
Indra, of Sakoontala[60] and Dushyanti, and such others as may be fitted
for the occasion. She should also describe to her the strength of the
man, his talents, his skill in the sixty-four sorts of enjoyments
mentioned by Babhravya, his good looks, and his liaison with some
praiseworthy woman, no matter whether this last ever took place or not.

In addition to this, the go-between should carefully note the behaviour
of the woman, which if favourable would be as follows: She would address
her with a smiling look, would seat herself close beside her, and ask
her, "Where have you been? What have you been doing? Where did you dine?
Where did you sleep? Where have you been sitting?" Moreover