RARA MENDUT
...and
she did not want to let him go. But his plea was so urgent the she
had to permit him to go, that tears streaming down her cheeks.
Wiraguna's
elder brothel- and lie asked his mother's permission to take part
in it. At first she refused, but as he kept urging her, she finally
gave her permission.
On
his journey Pranacitra wits accompanied by two servants, Blendung
and jagung, As they neared the roadside stall of Rara Mendut, Pranacitra
was surprised to see it great crowd of men and lie became curious.
No sooner had lie seen the cigarette vendor then his heart began
to beat violently, and overwhelmed by Rara Mendut's beauty, lie
said to himself that lie had never in his life seen a beautiful
woman. Likewise, when Rara Mendut saw Pranacitra she closed her
eyes, and it seemed a long time before she was able to open them
again; and when she did, she bowed her head and trembling, said
to herself that she had never seen anyone in the world so handsome.
She swore to herself that if her love was requited by the young
man, she was willing to (lie and be buried with him in one grave.
Returning
from the cock-fight as the winner, Pranacitra decided to-stop at
Rara Mendut's stall. Rara Mendut, knowing that he responded to her
love, was bold enough to write him a letter saying that if he loved
her too and took a pity on her, she would ask him to be willing
to enter Tumenggung Wiraguna's service. In this way she would be
able to dovote all her love to the man of her dreams, though it
would be secret and very dangerous.
At home, Pranacitra thought of Rara Mendut all day long. Deep within
him he felt that even though would have to pay with his life, he
was determined to respond to Rara Mendut,s love. The next morning
Pranacitra took leave of his mother to serve at Tumengung Wiraguna's.
The mother had a feeling that there was something the matter with
her only son, even that he might be facing great danger,
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