From that time these four young men became the confidential advisers
of king Alakesa in all important affairs of state, and, as night is
the house of sins, they in turn kept a regular watch in the city of
Alakapuri, each patrolling the streets during three hours of the
night. Thus they continued to faithfully serve king Alakesa, till
one night, the First Minister, when his watch was over, proceeded
as usual, to see whether the royal bedchamber was properly guarded;
after which he went to the temple of the goddess Kali, where he heard
what seemed to him the voice of a woman, lamenting and sobbing in
great distress. Concealing himself behind the vad-tree of the temple,
he called out:--
"Who are you, poor woman? and why do you thus weep?"