UPAGUPTA, the disciple of Buddha, lay asleep on the dust by the city wall of Mathura.
Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and stars were all hidden by the murky sky of August.
Whose feet were those tinkling with anklets, touching his breast of a sudden?
He woke up startled, and the light from a woman's lamp struck his forgiving eyes.
It was the dancing girl, starred with jewels, clouded with a pale-blue mantle, drunk with the wine of her youth.
She lowered her lamp and saw the young face, austerely beautiful.
"Forgive me, young ascetic," said the woman; "graciously come to my house. The dusty earth is not a fit bed for you."
The ascetic answered, "Woman, go on your way; when the time is ripe I will come to you."
Suddenly the black night showed its teeth in a flash of lightning.
The storm growled from the corner of the sky, and the woman trembled in fear.
The branches of the wayside trees were aching with blossom.
Gay notes of the flute came floating in the warm spring air from afar.
The citizens had gone to the woods, to the festival of flowers.
From the mid-sky gazed the full moon on the shadows of the silent town.
The young ascetic was walking in the lonely street, while overhead the lovesick koels urged from the mango branches their sleepless plaint.
Upagupta passed through the city gates, and stood at the base of the rampart.
What woman lay in the shadow of the wall at his feet, struck with the black pestilence, her body spotted with sores, hurriedly driven away from the town?
The ascetic sat by her side, taking her head on his knees, and moistened her lips with water and smeared her body with balm.
"Who are you, merciful one?" asked the woman.
"The time, at last, has come to visit you, and I am here," replied the young ascetic.
佛陀的门徒乌帕古普塔躺在马图拉城墙边的尘土上，酣然入睡了。
灯火全部熄灭，门户全都关闭，星辰全都躲进了八月的阴沉的天空。
是谁的双脚丁丁当当地响着脚镯，突然触击他的胸膛？
他蓦然惊醒，一个女人手中的灯光射到了他仁慈的眼睛上。
这是一位舞女，珠光宝气，披着淡蓝的斗篷，陶醉于美酒般的青春之中。
她把灯火凑近，看到了一张端庄英俊的年轻脸膛。
“请原谅，苦行者，”女人说道，“请您厚意光顾寒舍。这尘埃飞扬的地面不是你合适的温床。”
苦行僧答道：“女人，走你的路吧；一旦时机成熟，我会去找你的。”
突然，黑夜露出了锃锃发亮的牙齿。
雷电在天空轰鸣，女人吓得瑟瑟发抖。
……
路边树木的枝丫经历着花儿绽放时的阵痛。
在温和的春天的空气中，欢快的笛声从远处飘来。
平民百姓已经进入树林，参加花节。
一轮圆月从半空中注目凝望寂静城镇的阴影。
年轻的苦行僧走在孤寂无人的街道，头顶上，害相思病的杜鹃歇在芒果树梢，倾诉着夜不成眠的哀怨。
乌帕古普塔经过一道道城门，伫立在护城堤下。
城墙的阴影中，躺着一个染上了鼠疫的女人，遍体斑痕，被匆匆赶出城外。这个女人是谁呢？
苦行僧在她身边坐下，把她的头放在自己的膝上，用净水润着她的嘴唇，用香膏敷着她的全身。
“大慈大悲的人啊，你是谁呀？”女人问道。
“看望你的时机终于来临，于是我就来了。”年轻的苦行僧答道。
