The King of the Dark Chamber

By Rabindranath Tagore

[Translated from Bengali to English by Kshitish Chandra Sen]

[New York: The Macmillan Company, 1914;Copyright, 1914, by Drama League of America, by The Macmillan Company]

I

[A street. A few wayfarers, and a CITY GUARD]

FIRST MAN. Ho, Sir!

CITY GUARD. What do you want?

SECOND MAN. Which way should we go? We are strangers here. Please tell us which street we should take. 

CITY GUARD. Where do you want to go?

THIRD MAN. To where those big festivities are going to be held, you know. Which way do we go?

CITY GUARD. One street is quite as good as another here. Anystreet will lead you there. Go straight ahead, and you cannotmiss the place. [Exit. ]

FIRST MAN. Just hear what the fool says: "Any street will leadyou there!" Where, then, would be the sense of having so manystreets?

SECOND MAN. You needn't be so awfully put out at that, my man. A country is free to arrange its affairs in its own way. As forroads in our country--well, they are as good as non-existent;narrow and crooked lanes, a labyrinth of ruts and tracks. OurKing does not believe in open thoroughfares; he thinks thatstreets are just so many openings for his subjects to fly awayfrom his kingdom. It is quite the contrary here; nobody standsin your way, nobody objects to your going elsewhere if you liketo; and yet the people are far from deserting this kingdom. Withsuch streets our country would certainly have been depopulated inno time. 

FIRST MAN. My dear Janardan, I have always noticed that this isa great fault in your character. 

JANARDAN. What is?

FIRST MAN. That you are always having a fling at your country. How can you think that open highways may be good for a country?Look here, Kaundilya; here is a man who actually believes thatopen highways are the salvation of a country. 

KAUNDILYA. There is no need, Bhavadatta, of my pointing outafresh that Janardan is blessed with an intelligence which isremarkably crooked, which is sure to land him in danger some day. If the King comes to hear of our worthy friend, he will make it apretty hard job for him to find any one to do him his funeralrites when he is dead. 

BHAVADATTA. One can't help feeling that life becomes a burden inthis country; one misses the joys of privacy in these streets--this jostling and brushing shoulders with strange people day andnight makes one long for a bath. And nobody can tell exactlywhat kind of people you are meeting with in these public roads--ugh!

KAUNDILYA. And it is Janardan who persuaded us to come to thisprecious country! We never had any second person like him in ourfamily. You knew my father, of course; he was a great man, apious man if ever there was one. He spent his whole life withina circle of a radius of 49 cubits drawn with a rigid adherence tothe injunctions of the scriptures, and never for a single day didhe cross this circle. After his death a serious difficultyarose--how cremate him within the limits of the 49 cubits and yetoutside the house? At length the priests decided that though wecould not go beyond the scriptural number, the only way out ofthe difficulty was to reverse the figure and make it 94 cubits;only thus could we cremate him outside the house withoutviolating the sacred books. My word, that was strict observance!Ours is indeed no common country. 

BHAVADATTA. And yet, though Janardan comes from the very samesoil, he thinks it wise to declare that open highways are bestfor a country. 

[Enter GRANDFATHER with a band of boys]

GRANDFATHER. Boys, we will have to vie with the wild breeze ofthe south to-day--and we are not going to be beaten. We willsing till we have flooded all streets with our mirth and song. 

SONG. 

/* The southern gate is unbarred. Come, my spring, come! Thou wilt swing at the swing of my heart, come, my spring, come! Come in the lisping leaves, in the youthful surrender of flowers; Come in the flute songs and the wistful sighs of the woodlands! Let your unfastened robe wildly flap in the drunken wind! Come, my spring, come!*/

[Exeunt. ]

[Enter a band of CITIZENS]

FIRST CITIZEN. After all, one cannot help wishing that the Kinghad allowed himself to be seen at least this one day. What agreat pity, to live in his kingdom and yet not to have seen himfor a single day!

SECOND CITIZEN. If you only knew the real meaning of all thismystery! I could tell you if you would keep a secret. 

FIRST CITIZEN. My dear fellow, we both live in the same quarterof the town, but have you ever known me letting out any man ssecret? Of course, that matter of your brother's finding ahidden fortune while digging for a well--well, you know wellenough why I had to give it out. You know all the facts. 

SECOND CITIZEN. Of course I know. And it is because I know thatI ask, could you keep a secret if I tell you? It may meanruination to us all, you know, if you once let it out. 

THIRD CITIZEN. You are a nice man, after all, Virupaksha! Whyare you so anxious to bring down a disaster which as yet only mayhappen? Who will be responsible for keeping your secret all hislife?

VIRUPAKSHA. It is only because the topic came up--well, then, Ishall not say anything. I am not the man to say things fornothing. You had yourself brought up the question that the Kingnever showed himself; and I only remarked that it was not fornothing that the King shut himself up from the public gaze. 

FIRST CITIZEN. Pray do tell us why, Virupaksha. 

VIRUPAKSHA. Of course I don't mind telling you--for we are allgood friends, aren't we? There can be no harm. (With a lowvoice. ) The King--is--hideous to look at, so he has made up hismind never to show himself to his subjects. 

FIRST CITIZEN. Ha! that's it! It must be so. We have alwayswondered . .. Why, the mere sight of a King in all countriesmakes one's soul quake like an aspen leaf with fear; but whyshould our King never have been seen by any mortal soul? Even ifhe at least came out and consigned us all to the gibbet, we mightbe sure that our King was no hoax. After all, there is much inVirupaksha's explanation that sounds plausible enough. 

THIRD CITIZEN. Not a bit--I don't believe in a syllable of it. 

VIRUPAKSHA. What, Vishu, do you mean to say that I am a liar?

VISHU. I don't exactly mean that--but I cannot accept yourtheory. Excuse me, I cannot help if I seem a bit rude orchurlish. 

VIRUPAKSHA. Small wonder that you can't believe my words--youwho think yourself sage enough to reject the opinions of yourparents and superiors. How long do you think you could havestayed in this country if the King did not remain in hiding? Youare no better than a flagrant heretic. 

VISHU. My dear pillar of orthodoxy! Do you think any other Kingwould have hesitated to cut off your tongue and make it food fordogs? And you have the face to say that our King is horrid tolook at!

VIRUPAKSHA. Look here, Vishu. Will you curb your tongue?

VISHU. It would be superfluous to point out whose tongue needsthe curbing. 

FIRST CITIZEN. Hush, my dear friends--this looks rather bad. .. . It seems as if they are resolved to put me in danger as well. Iam not going to be a party to all this. [Exit. ]

[Enter a number of men, dragging in GRANDFATHER, in boisterousexuberance]

SECOND CITIZEN. Grandpa, something strikes me to-day . .. 

GRANDFATHER. What is it?

SECOND CITIZEN. This year every country has sent its people toour festival, but every one asks, "Everything is nice andbeautiful--but where is your King?" and we do not know what toanswer. That is the one big gap which cannot but make itselffelt to every one in our country. 

GRANDFATHER. "Gap, " do you say! Why, the whole country is allfilled and crammed and packed with the King: and you call him a"gap"! Why, he has made every one of us a crowned King!

SINGS. 

/* We are all Kings in the kingdom of our King. Were it not so, how could we hope in our heart to meet him! We do what we like, yet we do what he likes; We are not bound with the chain of fear at the feet of a slave- owning King. Were it not so, how could we hope in our heart to meet him! Our King honours each one of us, thus honours his own very self. No littleness can keep us shut up in its walls of untruth for aye. Were it not so, how could we have hope in our heart to meet him! We struggle and dig our own path, thus reach his path at the end. We can never get lost in the abyss of dark night. Were it not so, how could we hope in our heart to meet him!*/

THIRD CITIZEN. But, really, I cannot stand the absurd thingspeople say about our King simply because he is not seen inpublic. 

FIRST CITIZEN. Just fancy! Any one libelling me can bepunished, while nobody can stop the mouth of any rascal whochooses to slander the King. 

GRANDFATHER. The slander cannot touch the King. With a merebreath you can blow out the flame which a lamp inherits from thesun, but if all the world blow upon the sun itself its effulgenceremains undimmed and unimpaired as before. 

[Enter VISHVAVASU and VIRUPAKSHA]

VISHU. Here's Grandfather! Look here, this man is going abouttelling everybody that our King does not come out because he isugly. 

GRANDFATHER. But why does that make you angry, Vishu? His Kingmust be ugly, because how else could Virupaksha possess suchfeatures in his kingdom? He fashions his King after the image ofhimself he sees in the mirror. 

VIRUPAKSHA. Grandfather, I shall mention no names, but nobodywould think of disbelieving the person who gave me the news. 

GRANDFATHER. Who could be a higher authority than yourself!

VIRUPAKSHA. But I could give you proofs . .. 

FIRST CITIZEN. The impudence of this fellow knows no bounds!Not content with spreading a ghastly rumour with an unabashedface, he offers to measure his lies with insolence!

SECOND CITIZEN. Why not make him measure his length on theground?

GRANDFATHER. Why so much heat, my friends? The poor fellow isgoing to have his own festive day by singing the ugliness of hisKing. Go along, Virupaksha, you will find plenty of people readyto believe you: may you be happy in their company. [Exeunt. ]

[Re-enter the party of FOREIGNERS]

BHAVADATTA. It strikes me, Kaundilya, that these people haven'tgot a King at all. They have somehow managed to keep the rumourafloat. 

KAUNDILYA. You are right, I think. We all know that the supremething that strikes one's eye in any country is the King, who ofcourse loses no opportunity of exhibiting himself. 

JANARDAN. But look at the nice order and regularity prevailingall over the place--how do you explain it without a King?

BHAVADATTA. So this is the wisdom you have arrived at by livingso long under a ruler! Where would be the necessity of having aKing if order and harmony existed already?

JANARDAN. All these people have assembled to rejoice at thisfestival. Do you think they could come together like this in acountry of anarchy?

BHAVADATTA. My dear Janardan, you are evading the real issue, asusual. There can be no question about the order and regularity, and the festive rejoicing too is plain enough: there is nodifficulty so far. But where is the King? Have you seen him?Just tell us that. 

JANARDAN. What I want to say is this: you know from yourexperience that there can be chaos and anarchy even if a King bepresent: but what do we see here?

KAUNDILYA. You are always coming back to your quibbling. Whycan you not give a straight answer to Bhavadatta's question--Haveyou, or have you not, seen the King? Yes or no? [Exeunt. ]

[Enter a band of MEN, singing]

SONG. 

/* My beloved is ever in my heart That is why I see him everywhere, He is in the pupils of my eyes That is why I see him everywhere. I went far away to hear his own words, But, ah, it was vain! When I came back I heard them In my own songs. Who are you who seek him like a beggar from door to door! Come to my heart and see his face in the tears of my eyes!*/

[Enter HERALDS and ADVANCE GUARDS of the KING]

FIRST HERALD. Stand off! Get away from the street, all of you!

FIRST CITIZEN. Eh, man, who do you think you are? You weren'tof course born with such lofty strides, my friend?--Why should westand off, my dear sir? Why should we budge? Are we streetdogs, or what?

SECOND HERALD. Our King is coming this way. 

SECOND CITIZEN. King? Which King?

FIRST HERALD. Our King, the King of this country. 

FIRST CITIZEN. What, is the fellow mad? Whoever heard of ourKing coming out heralded by these vociferous gentry?

SECOND HERALD. The King will no longer deny himself to hissubjects. He is coming to command the festivities himself. 

SECOND CITIZEN. Brother, is that so?

SECOND HERALD. Look, his banner is flying over there. 

SECOND CITIZEN. Ah, yes, that is a flag indeed. 

SECOND HERALD. Do you see the red Kimshuk flowerpainted on it?

SECOND CITIZEN. Yes, yes, it is the Kimshukindeed!--what a bright scarlet flower!

FIRST HERALD. Well! do you believe us now?

SECOND CITIZEN. I never said I didn't. That fellow Kumbhastarted all this fuss. Did I say a word?

FIRST HERALD. Perhaps, though a pot-bellied man, he is quiteempty inside; an empty vessel sounds most, you know. 

SECOND HERALD. Who is he? Is he any kinsman of yours?

SECOND CITIZEN. Not at all. He is just a cousin of our villagechief's father-in-law, and he does not even live in the same partof our village with us. 

SECOND HERALD. Just so: he quite looks the seventh cousin ofsomebody's father-in-law, and his understanding appears also tobear the stamp of uncle-in-lawhood. 

KUMBHA. Alas, my friends, many a bitter sorrow has given my poormind a twist before it has become like this. It is only theother day that a King came and paraded the streets, with as manytitles in front of him as the drums that made the town hideous bytheir din, . .. What did I not do to serve and please him! Irained presents on him, I hung about him like a beggar--and inthe end I found the strain on my resources too hard to bear. Butwhat was the end of all that pomp and majesty? When peoplesought grants and presents from him, he could not somehowdiscover an auspicious day in the Calendar: though all days werered-letter days when we had to pay our taxes!

SECOND HERALD. Do you mean to insinuate that our King is a bogusKing like the one you have described?

FIRST HERALD. Mr. Uncle-in-law, I believe the time has come foryou to say good-bye to Aunty-in-law. 

KUMBHA. Please, sirs, do not take any offence. I am a poorcreature--my sincerest apologies, sirs: I will do anything to beexcused. I am quite willing to move away as far as you like. 

SECOND HERALD. All right, come here and form a line. The Kingwill come just now--we shall go and prepare the way for him. [They go out. ]

SECOND CITIZEN. My dear Kumbha, your tongue will be your deathone day. 

KUMBHA. Friend Madhav, it isn't my tongue, it is fate. When thebogus King appeared I never said a word, though that did notprevent my striking at my own feet with all the self-confidenceof innocence. And now, when perhaps the real King has come, Isimply must blurt out treason. It is fate, my dear friend!

MADHAV. My faith is, to go on obeying the King--it does notmatter whether he is a real one or a pretender. What do we knowof Kings that we should judge them! It is like throwing stonesin the dark--you are almost sure of hitting your mark. I go onobeying and acknowledging--if it is a real King, well and good:if not, what harm is there?

KUMBHA. I should not have minded if the stones were nothingbetter than stones. But they are often precious things: here, aselsewhere, extravagance lands us in poverty, my friend. 

MADHAV. Look! There comes the King! Ah, a King indeed! What afigure, what a face! Whoever saw such beauty--lily-white, creamy-soft! What now, Kumbha? What do you think now?

KUMBHA. He looks all right--yes, he may be the real King for allI know. 

MADHAV. He looks as if he were moulded and carved for kingship, a figure too exquisite and delicate for the common light of day. 

[Enter the "KING"]

[Transcriber's note: The author indicates the trumped up King as "KING" in this play, enclosing the word King in double quotes tohelp us distinguish the imposter from the real one. ]

MADHAV. Prosperity and victory attend thee, O King! We havebeen standing here to have a sight of thee since the earlymorning. Forget us not, your Majesty, in your favours. 

KUMBHA. The mystery deepens. I will go and callGrandfather. [Goes out. ]

[Enter another band of MEN]

FIRST MAN. The King, the King! Come along, quick, the King ispassing this way. 

SECOND MAN. Do not forget me, O King! I am Vivajadatta, thegrandson of Udayadatta of Kushalivastu. I came here at the firstreport of thy coming--I did not stop to hear what people weresaying: all the loyalty in me went out towards thee, O Monarch, and brought me here. 

THIRD MAN. Rubbish! I came here earlier than you--before thecockcrow. Where were you then? O King, I am Bhadrasena, ofVikramasthali. Deign to keep thy servant in thy memory!

"KING". I am much pleased with your loyalty and devotion. 

VIVAJADATTA. Your Majesty, many are the grievances andcomplaints we have to make to thee: to whom could we turn ourprayers so long, when we could not approach thy august presence?

"KING". Your grievances will all be redressed. [Exit. ]

FIRST MAN. It won't do to lag behind, boys--the King will losesight of us if we get mixed up with the mob. 

SECOND MAN. See there-look what that fool Narottam is doing! Hehas elbowed his way through all of us and is now sedulouslyfanning the King with a palm leaf!

MADHAV. Indeed! Well, well, the sheer audacity of the man takesone's breath away. 

SECOND MAN. We shall have to pitch the fellow out of thatplace--is he fit to stand beside the King?

MADHAV. Do you imagine the King will not see through him? Hisloyalty is obviously a little too showy and profuse. 

FIRST MAN. Nonsense! Kings can't scent hypocrites as we do--Ishould not be surprised if the King be taken in by that fool'sstrenuous fanning. 

[Enter KUMBHA with GRANDFATHER]

KUMBHA. I tell you--he has just passed by this street. 

GRANDFATHER. Is that a very infallible test of Kingship?

KUMBHA. Oh no, he did not pass unobserved: not one or two menbut hundreds and thousands on both sides of the street have seenhim with their own eyes. 

GRANDFATHER. That is exactly what makes the whole affairsuspicious. When ever has our King set out to dazzle the eyes ofthe people by pomp and pageantry? He is not the King to makesuch a thundering row over his progress through the country. 

KUMBHA. But he may just have chosen to do so on this importantoccasion: you cannot really tell. 

GRANDFATHER. Oh yes, you can! My King cherishes no weathercockfancy, no fantastic vein. 

KUMBHA. But, Grandfather, I wish I could only describe him! Sosoft, so delicate and exquisite like a waxen doll! As I lookedon him, I yearned to shelter him from the sun, to protect himwith my whole body. 

GRANDFATHER. Fool, O precious ass that you are! My King a waxen doll, and you to protect him!

KUMBHA. But seriously, Grandpa, he is a superb god, a miracle ofbeauty: I do not find a single other figure in this vast assemblythat can stand beside his peerless loveliness. 

GRANDFATHER. If my King chose to make himself shown, your eyeswould not have noticed him. He would not stand out like thatamongst others--he is one of the people, he mingles with thecommon populace. 

KUMBHA. But did I not tell you I saw his banner?

GRANDFATHER. What did you see displayed on his banner?

KUMBHA. It had a red Kimshuk flower painted on it--thebright and glittering scarlet dazzled my eyes. 

GRANDFATHER. My King has a thunderbolt within a lotuspainted on his flag. 

KUMBHA. But every one is saying, the King is out in thisfestival: every one. 

GRANDFATHER. Why, so he is, of course: but he has no heralds, noarmy, no retinue, no music bands or lights to accompany him. 

KUMBHA. So none could recognise him in his incognito, it seems. 

GRANDFATHER. Perhaps there are a few that can. 

KUMBHA. And those that can recognise him--does the King grantthem whatever they ask for?

GRANDFATHER. But they never ask for anything. No beggar willever know the King. The greater beggar appears like the King tothe eyes of the lesser beggar. O fool, the man that has come outto-day attired in crimson and gold to beg from you--it is himwhom you are trumpeting as your King! . .. Ah, there comes mymad friend! Oh come, my brothers! we cannot spend the day inidle wrangling and prating--let us now have some mad frolic, somewild enjoyment!

[Enter the MAD FRIEND, who sings]

/* Do you smile, my friends? Do you laugh, my brothers? I roam in search of the golden stag! Ah yes, the fleet-foot vision that ever eludes me!

 Oh, he flits and glimpses like a flash and then is gone, the untamed rover of the wilds! Approach him and he is afar in a trice, leaving a cloud of haze and dust before thy eyes!

 Yet I roam in search of the golden stag, though I may never catch him in these wilds! Oh, I roam and wander through woods and fields and nameless lands like a restless vagabond, never caring to turn my back. 

 You all come and buy in the marketplace and go back to your homes laden with goods and provisions: but me the wild winds of unscalable heights have touched and kissed--Oh, I know not when or where!

 I have parted with my all to get what never has become mine! And yet think my moanings and my tears are for the things I thus have lost!

 With a laugh and a song in my heart I have left all sorrow and grief far behind me: Oh, I roam and wander through woods and fields and nameless lands--never caring to turn my vagabond's back!*/

II

[A DarkChamber. QUEEN SUDARSHANA. Her Maid of Honour, SURANGAMA]

SUDARSHANA. Light, light! Where is light? Will the lamp neverbe lighted in this chamber?

SURANGAMA. My Queen, all your other rooms are lighted--will younever long to escape from the light into a dark room like this?

SUDARSHANA. But why should this room be kept dark?

SURANGAMA. Because otherwise you would know neither light nordarkness. 

SUDARSHANA. Living in this dark room you have grown to speakdarkly and strangely--I cannot understand you, Surangama. Buttell me, in what part of the palace is this chamber situated? Icannot make out either the entrance or the way out of this room. 

SURANGAMA. This room is placed deep down, in the very heart ofthe earth. The King has built this room specially for your sake. 

SUDARSHANA. Why, he has no dearth of rooms--why need he havemade this chamber of darkness specially for me?

SURANGAMA. You can meet others in the lighted rooms: but only inthis dark room can you meet your lord. 

SUDARSHANA. No, no--I cannot live without light--I am restlessin this stifling dark. Surangama, if you can bring a light intothis room, I shall give you this necklace of mine. 

SURANGAMA. It is not in my power, O Queen. How can I bringlight to a place which he would have kept always dark!

SUDARSHANA. Strange devotion! And yet, is it not true that theKing punished your father?

SURANGAMA. Yes, that is true. My father used to gamble. Allthe young men of the country used to gather at my father'shouse-and they used to drink and gamble. 

SUDARSHANA. And when the King sent away your father in exile, did it not make you feel bitterly oppressed?

SURANGAMA. Oh, it made me quite furious. I was on the road toruin and destruction: when that path was closed for me, I seemedleft without any support, without any succour or shelter. Iraged and raved like a wild beast in a cage--how I wanted to tearevery one to pieces in my powerless anger!

SUDARSHANA. But how did you get this devotion towards that sameKing?

SURANGAMA . How can I tell? Perhaps I could rely and depend onhim because he was so hard, so pitiless!

SUDARSHANA. When did this change of feeling take place?

SURANGAMA. I could not tell you--I do not know that myself. Aday came when all the rebel in me knew itself beaten, and then mywhole nature bowed down in humble resignation on the dust of theearth. And then I saw . .. I saw that he was as matchless inbeauty as in terror. Oh. I was saved, I was rescued. 

SUDARSHANA. Tell me, Surangama, I implore you, won't you tell mewhat is the King like to look at? I have not seen him yet for asingle day. He comes to me in darkness, and leaves me in thisdark room again. How many people have I not asked--but they allreturn vague and dark answers--it seems to me that they all keepback something. 

SURANGAMA. To tell you the truth, Queen, I could not say wellwhat he is like. No--he is not what men call handsome. 

SUDARSHANA. You don't say so? Not handsome!

SURANGAMA. No, my Queen, he is not handsome. To call himbeautiful would be to say far too little about him. 

SUDARSHANA. All your words are like that--dark, strange, andvague. I cannot understand what you mean. 

SURANGAMA. No, I will not call him handsome. And it is becausehe is not beautiful that he is so wonderful, so superb, somiraculous!

SUDARSHANA. I do not quite understand you--though I like to hearyou talk about him. But I must see him at any cost. I do noteven remember the day when I was married to him. I have heardmother say that a wise man came before my marriage and said, "Hewho will wed your daughter is without a second on this earth. "How often have I asked her to describe his appearance to me, butshe only answers vaguely, and says she cannot say--she saw himthrough a veil, faintly and obscurely. But if he is the bestamong men, how can I sit still without seeing him?

SURANGAMA. Do you not feel a faint breeze blowing?

SUDARSHANA. A breeze? Where?

SURANGAMA. Do you not smell a soft perfume?

SUDARSHANA. No, I don't. 

SURANGAMA. The large door has opened . .. He is coming; my Kingis coming in. 

SUDARSHANA. How can you perceive when he comes?

SURANGAMA. I cannot say: I seem to hear his footsteps in my ownheart. Being his servant of this dark chamber, I have developeda sense--I can know and feel without seeing. 

SUDARSHANA. Would that I had this sense too, Surangama!

SURANGAMA. You will have it, O Queen . .. This sense will awakenin you one day. Your longing to have a sight of him makes yourestless, and therefore all your mind is strained and warped inthat direction. When you are past this state of feverishrestlessness, everything will become quite easy. 

SUDARSHANA. How is it that it is easy to you, who are a servant, and so difficult to me, the Queen?

SURANGAMA. It is because I am a mere servant that no difficultybaulks me. On the first day, when he left this room to my care, saying, "Surangama, you will always keep this chamber ready forme: this is all your task, " then I did not say, even in thought, "Oh, give me the work of those who keep the other rooms lighted. "No, but as soon as I bent all my mind to my task, a power wokeand grew within me, and mastered every part of me unopposed. .. . Oh, there he comes! . .. He is standing outside, before thedoor. Lord! O King!

SONG outside. 

/* Open your door. I am waiting. The ferry of the light from the dawn to the dark is done for the day, The evening star is up. Have you gathered your flowers, braided your hair, And donned your white robe for the night? The cattle have come to their folds and birds to their nests. The cross paths that run to all quarters have merged into one in the dark. Open your door. I am waiting. */

SURANGAMA. O King, who can keep thy own doors shut against thee?They are not locked or bolted--they will swing wide open if youonly touch them with thy fingers. Wilt thou not even touch them?Wilt thou not enter unless I go and open the doors?

SONG. 

/* At a breath you can remove my veils, my lord! If I fall asleep on the dust and hear not your call, would you wait till I wake? Would not the thunder of your chariot wheel make the earth tremble? Would you not burst open the door and enter your own house unbidden?*/

Then do you go, O Queen, and open the door for him: he will notenter otherwise. 

SUDARSHANA. I do not see anything distinctly in the dark--I donot know where the doors are. You know everything here--go andopen the doors for me. 

[SURANGAMA opens the door, bows to the KING, and goes out. TheKING will remain invisible throughout this play. ]

SUDARSHANA. Why do you not allow me to see you in the light?

KING. So you want to see me in the midst of a thousand things inbroad daylight! Why should I not be the only thing you can feelin this darkness?

SUDARSHANA. But I must see you--I am longing to have a sight ofyou. 

KING. You will not be able to bear the sight of me--it will onlygive you pain, poignant and overpowering. 

SUDARSHANA. How can you say that I shall be unable to bear yoursight? Oh, I can feel even in this dark how lovely and wonderfulyou are: why should I be afraid of you in the light? But tellme, can you see me in the dark?

KING. Yes, I can. 

SUDARSHANA. What do you see?

KING. I see that the darkness of the infinite heavens, whirledinto life and being by the power of my love, has drawn the lightof a myriad stars into itself, and incarnated itself in a form offlesh and blood. And in that form, what aeons of thought andstriving, untold yearnings of limitless skies, the countlessgifts of unnumbered seasons!

SUDARSHANA. Am I so wonderful, so beautiful? When I hear youspeak so, my heart swells with gladness and pride. But how can Ibelieve the wonderful things you tell me? I cannot find them inmyself!

KING. Your own mirror will not reflect them--it lessens you, limits you, makes you look small and insignificant. But couldyou see yourself mirrored in my own mind, how grand would youappear! In my own heart you are no longer the daily individualwhich you think you are--you are verily my second self. 

SUDARSHANA. Oh, do show me for an instant how to see with youreyes! Is there nothing at all like darkness to you? I am afraidwhen I think of this. This darkness which is to me real andstrong as death--is this simply nothing to you? Then how canthere be any union at all between us, in a place like this? No, no--it is impossible: there is a barrier betwixt us two: not here, no, not in this place. I want to find you and see you where Isee trees and animals, birds and stones and the earth

KING. Very well, you can try to find me--but none will point meout to you. You will have to recognise me, if you can, yourself. And even if anybody professes to show me to you, how can you besure he is speaking the truth?

SUDARSHANA. I shall know you; I shall recognise you. I shallfind you out among a million men. I cannot be mistaken. 

KING. Very well, then, to-night, during the festival of the fullmoon of the spring, you will try to find me out from the highturret of my palace--search for me with your own eyes amongst thecrowd of people. 

SUDARSHANA. Wilt thou be there among them?

KING. I shall show myself again and again, from every side ofthe crowd. Surangama!

[Enter SURANGAMA]

SURANGAMA. What is thy pleasure, lord?

KING. To-night is the full moon festival of the spring. 

SURANGAMA. What have I to do to-night?

KING. To-day is a festive day, not a day of work. The pleasuregardens are in their full bloom--you will join in my festivitiesthere. 

SURANGAMA. I shall do as thou desirest, lord. 

KING. The Queen wants to see me to-night with her own eyes. 

SURANGAMA. Where will the Queen see you?

KING. Where the music will play at its sweetest, where the airwill be heavy with the dust of flowers--there in the pleasuregrove of silver light and mellow gloom. 

SURANGAMA. What can be seen in the hide-and-seek of darkness andlight? There the wind is wild and restless, everything is danceand swift movement--will it not puzzle the eyes?

KING. The Queen is curious to search me out. 

SURANGAMA. Curiosity will have to come back baffled and intears!

SONG. 

/* Ah, they would fly away, the restless vagrant eyes, the wild birds of the forest! But the time of their surrender will come, their flights hither and thither will be ended when The music of enchantment will pursue them and pierce their hearts. Alas, the wild birds would fly to the wilderness!*/

III

[Before the Pleasure Gardens. Enter AVANTI, KOSHALA, KANCHI, andother KINGS]

AVANTI. Will the King of this place not receive us?

KANCHI. What manner of governing a country is this? The King ishaving a festival in a forest, where even the meanest andcommonest people can have easy access!

KOSHALA. We ought to have had a separate place set apart andready for our reception. 

KANCHI. If he has not prepared such a place yet, we shall compelhim to have one erected for us. 

KOSHALA. All this makes one naturally suspect if these peoplehave really got any King at all--it looks as if an unfoundedrumour has led us astray. 

AVANTI. It may be so with regard to the King, but the QueenSudarshana of this place isn't at all an unfounded rumour. 

KOSHALA. It is only for her sake that I have cared to come atall. I don't mind omitting to see one who never makes himselfvisible, but it would be a stupid mistake if we were to go awaywithout a sight of one who is eminently worth a visit. 

KANCHI. Let us make some definite plan, then. 

AVANTI. A plan is an excellent thing, so long as you are notyourself entangled in it. 

KANCHI. Hang it, who are these vermin swarming this way? Here!who are you?

[Enter GRANDFATHER and the boys]

GRANDFATHER. We are the Jolly Band of Have-Nothings. 

AVANTI. The introduction was superfluous. But you will takeyourselves away a little further and leave us in peace. 

GRANDFATHER. We never suffer from a want of space: we can affordto give you as wide a berth as you like. What little sufficesfor us is never the bone of contention between any rivalclaimants. Is not that so, my little friends? [They sing. ]

SONG. 

/* We have nothing, indeed we have nothing at all! We sing merrily fol de rol de rol! Some build high walls of their houses On the bog of the sands of gold. We stand before them and sing Fol de rol de rol. Pickpockets hover about us And honour us with covetous glances. We shake our empty pockets and sing Fol de rol de rol. When death, the old hag, steals to our doors We snap our fingers at her face, And we sing in a chorus with gay flourishes Fol de rol de rol. */

KANCHI. Look over there, Koshala, who are those coming this way?A pantomime? Somebody is out masquerading as a King. 

KOSHALA. The King of this place may tolerate all thistomfoolery, but we won't. 

AVANTI. He is perhaps some rural chief. 

[Enter GUARDS on foot]

KANCHI. What country does your King come from?

FIRST SOLDIER. He is the King of this country. He is going tocommand the festivities. [They go out. ]

KOSHALA. What! The King of this country come out for thefestivities!

AVANTI. Indeed! We shall then have to return with a sight ofhim only--leaving the delectable Queen unseen. 

KANCHI. Do you really think that fellow spoke the truth?Anybody can pass himself off as the King of this kinglesscountry. Can you not see that the man looks like a dressed-upKing--much too over-dressed?

AVANTI. But he looks handsome--his appearance is not without acertain pleasing attractiveness. 

KANCHI. He may be pleasing to your eye, but if you look at himclosely enough there can be no mistaking him . You will see howI expose him before you all. 

[Enter the trumped-up "KING". ]

"KING". Welcome, princes, to our kingdom! I trust yourreception has been properly looked after by my officials?

KINGS. [with feigned courtesy] Oh yes--nothing was lacking inthe reception. 

KANCHI. If there was any shortcoming at all, it has been made upby the honour of our sight of your Majesty. 

"KING". We do not show ourselves to the general public, but yourgreat devotion and loyalty to us has made it a pleasure for usnot to deny ourselves to you. 

KANCHI. It is truly hard for us, your Majesty, to bear theweight of your gracious favours. 

"KING". We are afraid we shall not be able to stop here long. 

KANCHI. I have thought so, already: you do not quite look up toit. 

"KING". In the meantime if you have any favours to ask of us

KANCHI. We have: but we would like to speak a little more inprivate. 

"KING". [to his attendants] Retire a little from our presence. [They retire. ] Now you can express your desires without anyreserve. 

KANCHI. There will be no reserve on our part--our only fear isthat you might think restraint necessary for yourself. 

"KING". Oh no, you need have no scruples on that score. 

KANCHI. Come, then, do us homage by placing your head on theground before us. 

"KING". It seems my servants have distributed the Varuni spiritstoo liberally in the reception camps. 

KANCHI. False pretender, it is you who are suffering from anoverdose of arrogant spirits. Your head will soon kiss the dust. 

"KING". Princes, these heavy jokes are not worthy of a king. 

KANCHI. Those who will jest properly with you are near at hand. General!

"KING". No more, I entreat you. I can see plainly I owe homage toyou all. The head is bowing down of itself--there is no need forthe application of any sharp methods to lay it low. So here I domy obeisance to you all. If you kindly allow me to escape Ishall not inflict my presence long on you. 

KANCHI. Why should you escape? We will make you king of thisplace--let us carry our joke to its legitimate finish. Have yougot any following?

"KING". I have. Every one who sees me in the streets flocks afterme. When I had a meagre retinue at first every one regarded mewith suspicion, but now with the increasing crowd their doubtsare waning and dissolving. The crowd is being hypnotised by itsown magnitude. I have not got to do anything now. 

KANCHI. That's excellent! From this moment we all promise tohelp and stand by you. But you will have to do us one service inreturn. 

"KING". Your commands and the crown you are putting on my headwill be equally binding and sacred to me. 

KANCHI. At present we want nothing more than a sight of theQueen Sudarshana. You will have to see to this. 

"KING". I shall spare no pains for that. 

KANCHI. We cannot put much faith on your pains--you will besolely directed by our instructions. But now you can go and jointhe festivities in the royal arbour with all possible splendourand magnificence. [They go out. ]

[Enter GRANDFATHER and a band of people]

FIRST CITIZEN. Grandfather, I cannot help saying--yes, andrepeating it five hundred times--that our King is a perfectfraud. 

GRANDFATHER. Why only five hundred times? There is no need topractise such heroic self-control--you can say it five thousandtimes if that adds to your pleasure. 

SECOND CITIZEN. But you cannot keep up a dead lie forever. 

GRANDFATHER. It has made me alive, my friend. 

THIRD CITIZEN. We shall proclaim to the whole world that ourKing is a lie, the merest and emptiest shadow!

FIRST CITIZEN. We shall all shout from our housetops that wehave no King--let him do whatever he likes if he exists. 

GRANDFATHER. He will do nothing at all. 

SECOND CITIZEN. My son died untimely at twenty-five of ragingfever in seven days. Could such a calamity befall me under therule of a virtuous King?

GRANDFATHER. But you still have got two sons left: while I havelost all my five children one after another. 

THIRD CITIZEN. What do you say now?

GRANDFATHER. What then? Shall I lose my King too because I havelost my children? Don't take me for such a big fool as that. 

FIRST CITIZEN. It is a fine thing to argue whether there is aKing or not when one is simply starving for want of food! Willthe King save us?

GRANDFATHER. Brother, you are right. But why not findthe King who owns all the food? You certainly will not find byyour wailings at home. 

SECOND CITIZEN. Look at the justice of our King! ThatBhadrasen--you know what a touching sight he is when he isspeaking of his King--the sentimental idiot! He is reduced tosuch a state of penury that even the bats that infest his housefind it a too uncomfortable place. 

GRANDFATHER. Why, look at me! I am toiling and slaving nightand day for my King, but I have not yet received so much as abrass farthing for my pains. 

THIRD CITIZEN. Now, what do you think of that?

GRANDFATHER. What should I think? Does any one reward hisfriends? Go, my friends, and say if you like that our Kingexists nowhere. That is also a part of our ceremony incelebrating this festival. 

IV

[Turret of the Royal Palace. SUDARSHANA and her friend ROHINI]

SUDARSHANA. You may make mistakes, Rohini, but I cannot bemistaken: am I not the Queen? That, of course, must be my King. 

ROHINI. He who has conferred such high honour upon you cannot belong in showing himself to you. 

SUDARSHANA. His very form makes me restless like a caged bird. Did you try well to ascertain who he is?

ROHINI. Yes, I did. Every one I asked said that he was theKing. 

SUDARSHANA. What country is he the King of?

ROHINI. Our country, King of this land. 

SUDARSHANA. Are you sure that you are speaking of him who has asunshade made of flowers held over his head?

ROHINI. The same: he whose flag has the Kimshuk flowerpainted on it. 

SUDARSHANA. I recognised him at once, of course, but it is youwho had your doubts. 

ROHINI. We are apt to make mistakes, my Queen, and we are afraidto offend you in case we are wrong. 

SUDARSHANA. Would that Surangama were here! There would remainno room for doubt then. 

ROHINI. Do you think her cleverer than any of us?

SUDARSHANA. Oh no, but she would recognise him instantly. 

ROHINI. I cannot believe that she would. She merely pretends toknow him. There is none to test her knowledge if she professesto know the King. If we were as shameless as she is, it wouldnot have been difficult for us to boast about our acquaintancewith the King. 

SUDARSHANA. But no, she never boasts. 

ROHINI. It is pure affectation, the whole of it: which oftengoes a longer way than open boasting. She is up to all manner oftricks: that is why we could never like her. 

SUDARSHANA. But whatever you may say, I should have liked to askher if she were here. 

ROHINI. Very well, Queen. I shall bring her here. She must belucky if she is indispensable for the Queen to know the King. 

SUDARSHANA. Oh no--it isn't for that--but I would like to hearit said by every one. 

ROHINI. Is not every one saying it? Why, just listen, theacclamations of the people mount up even to this height!

SUDARSHANA. Then do one thing: put these flowers on a lotusleaf, and take them to him. 

ROHINI. And what am I to say if he asks who sends them?

SUDARSHANA. You will not have to say anything--he will know. Hethought that I would not be able to recognise him: I cannot lethim off without showing that I have found him out. [ROHINI goes out with the flowers. ]

SUDARSHANA. My heart is all a-quiver and restless to-night: Ihave never felt like this before. The white, silver light of thefull moon is flooding the heavens and brimming over on every sidelike the bubbling foam of wine, . .. It seizes on me like ayearning, like a mantling intoxication. Here, who is here?

[Enter a SERVANT]

SERVANT. What is your pleasure, your Majesty?

SUDARSHANA. Do you see those festive boys singing and movingthrough the alleys and avenues of the mango trees? Call themhither, bring them to me: I want to hear them sing. [SERVANTgoes out and enters with the boys. ] Come, living emblems ofyouthful spring, begin your festive song! All my mind and bodyis song and music to-night--but the ineffable melody escapes mytongue: do you then sing for my sake!

SONG. 

/* My sorrow is sweet to me in this spring night. My pain smites at the chords of my love and softly sings. Visions take birth from my yearning eyes and flit in the moonlit sky. The smells from the depths of the woodlands have lost their way in my dreams. Words come in whispers to my ears, I know not from where, And bells in my anklets tremble and jingle in time with my heart thrills. */

SUDARSHANA. Enough, enough--I cannot bear it any more! Yoursong has filled my eyes with tears. .. . A fancy comes to me--thatdesire can never attain its object--it need never attain it. What sweet hermit of the woods has taught you this song? Oh thatmy eyes could see him whose song my ears have heard! Oh, how Iwish--I wish I could wander rapt and lovely in the thick woodlandarbours of the heart! Dear boys of the hermitage! how shall Ireward you? This necklace is but made of jewels, hard stones--its hardness will give you pain--I have got nothing like thegarlands of flowers you have on. [The boys bow and go out. ]

[Enter ROHINI]

SUDARSHANA. I have not done well--I have not done well, Rohini. I feel ashamed to ask you what happened. I have just realisedthat no hand can really give the greatest of gifts. Still, letme hear all. 

ROHINI. When I gave the King those flowers, he did not appear tounderstand anything. 

SUDARSHANA. You don't say so? He did not understand

ROHINI. No; he sat there like a doll, without uttering a singleword. I think he did not want to show that he understoodnothing, so he just held his tongue. 

SUDARSHANA. Fie on me! My shamelessness has been justlypunished. Why did you not bring back my flowers?

ROHINI. How could I? The King of Kanchi, a very clever man, whowas sitting by him, took in everything at a glance, and he justsmiled a bit and said, "Emperor, the Queen Sudarshana sends yourMajesty her greetings with these blossoms--the blossoms thatbelong to the God of Love, the friend of Spring. " The Kingseemed to awake with a start, and said, "This is the crown of allmy regal glory to-night. " I was coming back, all out ofcountenance, when the King of Kanchi took off this necklace ofjewels from the King's person, and said to me, "Friend, theKing's garland gives itself up to you, in return for the happyfortune you have brought. "

SUDARSHANA. What, Kanchi had to make the King understand allthis! Woe is me, to-night's festival has opened wide for me thedoors of ignominy and shame! What else could I expect? Leave mealone, Rohini; I want solitude for a time. [ROHINI goes out. ] Agreat blow has shattered my pride to atoms to-day, and yet . .. Icannot efface from my mind that beautiful, fascinating figure!No pride is left me--I am beaten, vanquished, utterly helpless. .. . I cannot even turn away from him. Oh, how the wish comes back tome again and again--to ask that garland of Rohini! But whatwould she think! Rohini!

[Enter ROHINI]

ROHINI. What is your wish?

SUDARSHANA. What reward do you deserve for your services to-day?

ROHINI. Nothing from you--but I had my reward from the King asit should be. 

SUDARSHANA. That is no free gift, but an extortion, of reward. I do not like to see you put on what was given in so indifferenta manner. Take it off--I give you my bracelets if you leave ithere. Take these bracelets, and go now. [ROHINI goes out. ]Another defeat! I should have thrown this necklace away, --but Icould not! It is pricking me as if it were a garland of thorns--but I cannot throw it away. This is what the god of the festivalhas brought me to-night--this necklace of ignominy and shame!

V

[GRANDFATHER near the door of the Pleasure House. A Company ofMEN]

GRANDFATHER. Have you had enough of it, friends?

FIRST MAN. Oh, more than that, Grandpa. Just see, they havemade me red all over. None has escaped. 

[Author's note: During the spring festival in India people throwred powder on each other. In this play this red powder has beentaken to be the symbol of the passion of love. ]

GRANDFATHER. No? Did they throw the red dust on the Kings too?

SECOND MAN. But who could approach them? They were all secureinside the enclosures. 

GRANDFATHER. So they have escaped you! Could you not throw theleast bit of colour on them? You should have forced your waythere. 

THIRD MAN. My dear old man, they have a different sort of redspecially to themselves. Their eyes are red: the turbans oftheir guards and retinue are red too. And the latter flourishedtheir swords about so much that a little more nearness on ourpart would have meant a lavish display of the fundamental redcolour. 

GRANDFATHER. Well done, friends--always keep them at a distance. They are the exiles of the Earth--and we have got to keep themso. 

THIRD MAN. I am going home, Grandpa; it is past midnight. [Goesout. ]

[Enter a BAND of SINGERS, singing. ]

/* All blacks and whites have lost their distinction And have become red--red as the tinge of your feet. Red is my bodice and red are my dreams, My heart sways and trembles like a red lotus. */

GRANDFATHER. Excellent, my friends, splendid! So you had areally enjoyable time!

SINGERS. Oh, grand! Everything was red, red! Only the moon inthe sky gave us the slip--it remained white. 

GRANDFATHER. He only looks so innocent from the outside. If youhad only taken off his white disguise, you would have seen histrickery. I have been watching what red colours he is throwingon the Earth to-night. And yet, fancy his remaining white andcolourless all the while!

SONG. 

/* With you is my game, love, my love! My heart is mad, it will never own defeat, Do you think you will escape stainless yourself reddening me with red powder? Could I not colour your robe with the red pollens of the blossom of my heart?*/

[They go out. ]

[Enter the "KING" and KANCHI. ]

KANCHI. You must do exactly as I have told you. Let there be nomistake of any kind. 

"KING". There shall be no mistake. 

KANCHI. The Queen Sudarshana's mansions are in the . .. 

"KING". Yes, sire, I have seen the place well. 

KANCHI. What you have got to do is to set fire to the garden, and then you will take advantage of the bustle and confusion toaccomplish your object straightway. 

"KING". I shall remember. 

KANCHI. Look here, Sir Pretender, I cannot help thinking that aneedless fear is troubling us--there is really no King in thiscountry. 

"KING". My sole aim is to rid this country of this anarchy. Yourcommon man cannot live without a King, whether a real one or afraud! Anarchy is always a source of danger. 

KANCHI. Pious benefactor of the people, your wonderful self-sacrifice should really be an example to all of us. I amthinking of doing this extraordinary service to the peoplemyself. [They go out. ]

VI

ROHINI. What is the matter? I cannot make out what is all this![To the GARDENERS. ] Where are you all going away in such a hurry?

FIRST GARDENER. We are going out of the garden. 

ROHINI. Where?

SECOND GARDENER. We do not know where--the King has called us. 

ROHINI. Why, the King is in the garden. Which King has calledyou?

FIRST GARDENER. We cannot say. 

SECOND GARDENER. The King we have been serving all our life, ofcourse. 

ROHINI. Will you all go?

FIRST GARDENER. Yes, all--we have to go instantly. Otherwise wemight get into trouble. [They go out. ]

ROHINI. I cannot understand their words. .. . I am afraid. Theyare scampering off like wild animals that fly just before thebank of a river breaks down into the water. 

[Enter KING OF KOSHALA]

KOSHALA. Rohini, do you know where your King and Kanchi havegone?

ROHINI. They are somewhere in the garden, but I could not tellyou where. 

KOSHALA. I cannot really understand their intentions. I havenot done well to put my trust in Kanchi. [Exit. ]

ROHINI. What is this dark affair going on amongst these kings?Something dreadful is going to happen soon. Shall I too be drawninto this affair? [Enter AVANTI]

AVANTI. Rohini, do you know where the other princes are?

ROHINI. It is difficult to say which of them is where. The Kingof Koshala just passed by in this direction. 

AVANTI. I am not thinking of Koshala. Where are your King andKanchi?

ROHINI. I have not seen them for a long time. 

AVANTI. Kanchi is always avoiding us. He is certainly planningto deceive us all. I have not done well to put my hand in thisimbroglio. Friend, could you kindly tell me any way out of thisgarden?

ROHINI. I have none. 

AVANTI. Is there no man here who will show me the way out?

ROHINI. The servants have all left the garden. 

AVANTI. Why did they do so?

ROHINI. I could not exactly understand what they meant. Theysaid the King had commanded them to leave the garden at once. 

AVANTI. King? Which King? Rohini They could not say exactly. 

AVANTI. This does not sound well. I shall have to find a wayout at any cost. I cannot stay here a single moment more. [Goesout hurriedly. ]

ROHINI. Where shall I find the King? When I gave him theflowers the Queen had sent, he did not seem much interested in meat the time; but ever since that hour he has been showering giftsand presents on me. This causeless generosity makes me moreafraid. .. . Where are the birds flying at such an hour of thenight? What has frightened them all of a sudden? This is notthe usual time of their flight, certainly, . .. Why is theQueen's pet deer running that way? Chapata! Chapata! She doesnot even hear my call. I have never seen a night like this! Thehorizon on every side suddenly becomes red, like a madman's eye!The sun seems to be setting at this untimely hour on all sides atthe same time. What madness of the Almighty is this! . .. Oh, Iam frightened! . .. Where shall I find the King?

VII

[At the Door of the QUEEN'S Palace]

"KING". What is this you have done, Kanchi?

KANCHI. I wanted to fire only this part of the garden near thepalace. I had no idea that it would spread so quickly on allsides. Tell me, quick, the way out of this garden. 

"KING". I can tell you nothing about it. Those who brought ushere have all fled away. 

VII

KANCHI. You are a native of this country--you must know the way. 

"KING". I have never entered these inner royal gardens before. 

KANCHI. I won't hear of it--you must show me the way, or I shallsplit you into halves. 

"KING". You may take my life by that means, but it would be a veryprecarious method of finding the way out of this garden. 

KANCHI. Why were you, then, going about saying that you were theKing of this country?

"KING". I am not the King--I am not the King. [Throwing himselfon the ground with folded hands. ] Where art thou, my King? Saveme, oh, save me! I am a rebel--punish me, but do not kill me!

KANCHI. What is the use of shouting and cringing to the emptyair? It is a much better way of spending the time to search forthe way. 

"KING". I shall lie down here--I shall not move an inch. Comewhat will, I shall not complain. 

KANCHI. I will not allow all this nonsense. If I am to be burntto death, you will be my companion to the very end. 

FROM THE OUTSIDE. Oh, save us, save us, our King! The fire ison all sides of us!

KANCHI. Fool, get up, lose no more time. 

SUDARSHANA. [entering] King, O my King! save me, save me fromdeath! I am surrounded by fire. 

"KING". Who is the King? I am no King. 

SUDARSHANA. You are not the King?

"KING". No, I am a hypocrite, I am a scoundrel. [Flinging hiscrown on the ground. ] Let my deception and hypocrisy be shatteredinto dust! [Goes out with KANCHI. ]

SUDARSHANA. No King! He is not the King? Then, O thou God offire, burn me, reduce me to ashes! I shall throw myself into thyhands, O thou great purifier; burn to ashes my shame, my longing, my desire. 

ROHINI. [entering] Queen, where are you going? All your innerchambers are shrouded in raging fire--do you not enter there. 

SUDARSHANA. Yes! I will enter those burning chambers! It isthe fire of my death! [Enters the Palace. ]

VIII

[The Dark Room. The KING and SUDARSRANA]

KING. Do not be afraid--you have no cause for fear. The firewill not reach this room. 

SUDARSHANA. I have no fear--but oh, shame has accompanied melike a raging fire. My face, my eyes, my heart, every part of mybody is being scorched and burnt by its flames. 

KING. It will be some time before you get over this burning. 

SUDARSHANA. This fire will never cease-will never cease!

KING. Do not be despondent, Queen!

SUDARSHANA. O King, I shall not hide anything from you. .. . Ihave another's garland round my neck. 

KING. That garland, too, is mine--how else could he get it? Hestole it from my room. 

SUDARSHANA. But it is his gift to me: yet I could notfling this garland away! When the fire came roaring on allsides of me, I thought of throwing this garland into the fire. But no, I could not. My mind whispered, "Let that garland beon you in your death. " . .. What fire is this, O King, intowhich I, who had come out to see you, leaped like a moth thatcannot resist the flame? What a pain is this, oh, what agony!The fire keeps burning as fiercely as ever, but I go onliving within its flames!

KING. But you have seen me at last--your desire has beenfulfilled. 

SUDARSHANA. But did I seek to see you in the midst of thisfearful doom? I know not what I saw, but my heart is stillbeating fast with fear. 

KING. What did you see?

SUDARSHANA. Terrible, --oh, it was terrible! I am afraid even tothink of it again. Black, black--oh, thou art black like theeverlasting night! I only looked on thee for one dreadfulinstant. The blaze of the fire fell on your features--you lookedlike the awful night when a comet swings fearfully into our ken--oh, then I closed my eyes--I could not look on you any more. Black as the threatening storm-cloud, black as the shoreless seawith the spectral red tint of twilight on its tumultuous waves!

KING. Have I not told you before that one cannot bear my sightunless one is already prepared for me? One would want to runaway from me to the ends of the earth. Have I not seen thistimes without number? That is why I wanted to reveal myself toyou slowly and gradually, not all too sudden. 

SUDARSHANA. But sin came and destroyed all your hopes--the verypossibility of a union with you has now become unthinkable to me. 

KING. It will be possible in time, my Queen. The utter andbleak blackness that has to-day shaken you to your soul with fearwill one day be your solace and salvation. What else can my loveexist for?

SUDARSHANA. It cannot be, it is not possible. What will yourlove only do? My love has now turned away from you. Beauty has cast its spell on me--this frenzy, this intoxicationwill never leave me--it has dazzled and fired my eyes, it hasthrown its golden glamour over my very dreams! I have told youall now--punish me as you like. 

KING. The punishment has already begun. 

SUDARSHANA. But if you do not cast me off. I will leave you

KING. You have the utmost liberty to do as you like. 

SUDARSHANA. I cannot bear your presence! My heart is angry atyou. Why did you--but what have you done to me? . .. Why areyou like this? Why did they tell me you were fair and handsome?Thou art black, black as night--I shall never, I can never, likeyou. I have seen what I love--it is soft as cream, delicate asthe shirisha flower, beautiful as a butterfly. 

KING. It is false as a mirage, empty as a bubble. 

SUDARSHANA. Let it be--but I cannot stand near you--I simplycannot! I must fly away from here. Union with you, it cannot bepossible! It cannot be anything but a false union--my mind mustinevitably turn away from you. 

KING. Will you not even try a little?

SUDARSHANA. I have been trying since yesterday--but the more Itry, the more rebellious does my heart become. If I stay withyou I shall constantly be pursued and hounded by the thought thatI am impure, that I am false and faithless. 

KING. Well then, you can go as far from me as you like. 

SUDARSHANA. I cannot fly away from you--just because you do notprevent my going. Why do you not hold me back, hold me by thehair, saying, "You shall not go"? Why do you not strike me? Oh, punish me, strike me, beat me with violent hands! But yourunresisting silence makes me wild--oh, I cannot bear it!

KING. How do you think that I am really silent? How do you knowthat I am not trying to keep you back?

SUDARSHANA. Oh, no, no !--I cannot bear this--tell me aloud, command me with the voice of thunder, compel me with words thatwill drown everything else in my ears--do not let me off soeasily, so mildly!

KING. I shall leave you free, but why should I let you breakaway from me?

SUDARSHANA. You will not let me? Well then, I must go!

KING. Go then!

SUDARSHANA. Then I am not to blame at all. You could have heldme back by force, but you did not! You have not hindered me--andnow I shall go away. Command your sentinels to prevent my going. 

KING. No one will stand in your way. You can go as free as thebroken storm-cloud driven by the tempest. 

SUDARSHANA. I can resist no more--something in me is impellingme forward--I am breaking away from my anchor! Perhaps I shallsink, but I shall return no more. [She rushes out. ]

[Enter SURANGAMA, who sings]

SURANGAMA. What will of thine is this that sends me afar! Againshall I come back at thy feet from all my wanderings. It is thylove that feigns this neglect--thy caressing hands are pushing meaway--to draw me back to thy arms again! O my King, what is thisgame that thou art playing throughout thy kingdom?

SUDARSHANA. [re-entering] King, O King!

SURANGAMA. He has gone away. 

SUDARSHANA. Gone away? Well then, . .. Then he has cast me offfor good! I have come back, but he could not wait a singleinstant for me! Very well, then, I am now perfectly free. Surangama, did he ask you to keep me back?

SURANGAMA. No, he said nothing. 

SUDARSHANA. Why should he say anything? Why should he care forme? . .. I am then free, perfectly free. But, Surangama, Iwanted to ask one thing of the King, but could not utter it inhis presence. Tell me if he has punished the prisoners withdeath. 

SURANGAMA. Death? My King never punishes with death. 

SUDARSHANA. What has he done to them, then?

SURANGAMA. He has set them at liberty. Kanchi has acknowledgedhis defeat and gone back to his kingdom. 

SUDARSHANA. Ah, what a relief!

SURANGAMA. My Queen, I have one prayer to make to you. 

SUDARSHANA. You will not have to utter your prayer in words, Surangama. Whatever jewellery and ornaments the King gave me, Ileave to you--I am not worthy to wear them now. 

SURANGAMA. No, I do not want them, my Queen. My master hasnever given me any ornaments to wear--my unadorned plainness isgood enough for me. He has not given me anything of which I canboast before people. 

SUDARSHANA. What do you want of me then?

SURANGAMA. I too shall go with you, my Queen. 

SUDARSHANA. Consider what you are saying; you are wanting toleave your master. What a prayer for you to make!

SURANGAMA. I shall not go far from him--when you are going outunguarded he will be with you, close by your side. 

SUDARSHANA. You are talking nonsense, my child. I wanted totake Rohini with me, but she would not come. What gives youcourage enough to wish to come with me?

SURANGAMA. I have got neither courage nor strength. But I shallgo--courage will come of itself, and strength too will come. 

SUDARSHANA. No, I cannot take you with me; your presence willconstantly remind me of my shame; I shall not be able to endurethat. 

SURANGAMA. O my Queen, I have made all your good and all yourevil my own as well; will you treat me as a stranger still? Imust go with you. 

IX

[The KING OF KANYA KUBJA, father of SUDARSHANA, and his MINISTER]

KING OF KANYA KUBJA. I heard everything before her arrival. 

MINISTER. The princess is waiting alone outside the city gateson the bank of the river. Shall I send people to welcome herhome?

KING OF KANYA KUBJA. What! She who has faithlessly left herhusband--do you propose trumpeting her infamy and shame to everyone by getting up a show for her?

MINISTER. Shall I then make arrangements for her residence atthe palace?

KING OF KANYA KUBJA. You will do nothing of the sort. She hasleft her place as the Empress of her own accord--here she willhave to work as a maid-servant if she wants to stay in my house. 

MINISTER. It will be hard and bitter to her, Your Highness. 

KING OF KANYA KUBJA. If I seek to save her from her sufferings, then I am not worthy to be her father. 

MINISTER. I shall arrange everything as you wish, Your Highness. 

KING OF KANYA KUBJA. Let it be kept a secret that she is mydaughter; otherwise we shall all be in an awful trouble. 

MINISTER. Why do you fear such disaster, Your Highness?

KING OF KANYA KUBJA. When woman swerves from the right path, then she appears fraught with the direst calamity. You do notknow with what deadly fear this daughter of mine has inspiredme--she is coming to my home laden with peril and danger. 

X

[Inner Apartments of the Palace. SUDARSHANA and SURANGAMA]

SUDARSHANA. Go away from me, Surangama! A deadly anger rageswithin me--I cannot bear anybody--it makes me wild to see you sopatient and submissive. 

SURANGAMA. Whom are you angry with?

SUDARSHANA. I do not know; but I wish to see everythingdestroyed and convulsed in ruin and disaster! I left my place onthe throne as the Empress in a moment's time. Did I lose my allto sweep the dust, to sweat and slave in this dismal hole? Whydo the torches of mourning not flare up for me all over theworld? Why does not the earth quake and tremble? Is my fall butthe unobserved dropping of the puny bean-flower? Is it not morelike the fall of a glowing star, whose fiery blazon bursts theheavens asunder?

SURANGAMA. A mighty forest only smokes and smoulders before itbursts into a conflagration: the time has not come yet. 

SUDARSHANA. I have thrown my queen's honour and glory to thedust and winds--but is there no human being who will come out tomeet my desolate soul here? Alone--oh, I am fearfully, terriblyalone!

SURANGAMA. You are not alone. 

SUDARSHANA. Surangama, I shall not keep anything from you. Whenhe set the palace on fire, I could not be angry with him. Agreat inward joy set my heart a-flutter all the while. What astupendous crime! What glorious prowess! It was this couragethat made me strong and fired my own spirits. It was thisterrible joy that enabled me to leave everything behind me in amoment's time. But is it all my imagination only? Why is thereno sign of his coming anywhere?

SURANGAMA. He of whom you are thinking did not set fire to thepalace--it is the King of Kanchi who did it. 

SUDARSHANA. Coward! But is it possible? So handsome, sobewitching, and yet no manhood in him! Have I deceived myselffor the sake of such a worthless creature? O shame! Fie on me!. .. But, Surangama, don't you think that your King should yethave come to take me back? [SURANGAMA remains silent. ] You thinkI am anxious to go back? Never! Even if the King really came Ishould not have returned. Not even once did he forbid me to comeaway, and I found all the doors wide open to let me out! And thestony and dusty road over which I walked--it was nothing to itthat a queen was treading on it. It is hard and has no feelings, like your King; the meanest beggar is the same to it as thehighest Empress. You are silent! Well, I tell you, your King'sbehaviour is--mean, brutal, shameful!

SURANGAMA. Every one knows that my King is hard and pitiless--noone has ever been able to move him. 

SUDARSHANA. Why do you, then, call him day and night?

SURANGAMA. May he ever remain hard and relentless like rock--maymy tears and prayers never move him! Let my sorrows be ever mineonly--and may his glory and victory be for ever!

SUDARSHANA. Surangama, look! A cloud of dust seems to rise overthe eastern horizon across the fields. 

SURANGAMA. Yes, I see it. 

SUDARSHANA. Is that not like the banner of a chariot?

SURANGAMA. Indeed, a banner it is. 

SUDARSHANA. Then he is coming. He has come at last!

SURANGAMA. Who is coming?

SUDARSHANA. Our King--who else? How could he live without me?It is a wonder how he could hold out even for these days. 

SURANGAMA. No, no, this cannot be the King. 

SUDARSHANA. "No, " indeed! As if you know everything! Your Kingis hard, stony, pitiless, isn't he? Let us see how hard he canbe. I knew from the beginning that he would come--that he wouldhave to rush after me. But remember, Surangama, I never for asingle moment asked him to come. You will see how I make yourKing confess his defeat to me! Just go out, Surangama, and letme know everything. [SURANGAMA goes out. ] But shall I go if hecomes and asks me to return with him? Certainly not! I will notgo! Never!

[Enter SURANGAMA]

SURANGAMA. It is not the King, my Queen. 

SUDARSHANA. Not the King? Are you quite sure? What! he hasnot come yet?

SURANGAMA. No, my King never raises so much dust when he comes. Nobody can know when he comes at all. 

SUDARSHANA. Then this is--

SURANGAMA. The same: he is coming with the King of Kanchi. 

SUDARSHANA. Do you know his name?

SURANGAMA. His name is Suvarna. 

SUDARSHANA. It is he, then. I thought, "I am lying here likewaste refuse and offal, which no one cares even to touch. " Butmy hero is coming now to release me. Did you know Suvarna?

SURANGAMA. When I was at my father's home, in the gambling den

SUDARSHANA. No, no, I won't hear anything of him from you. Heis my own hero, my only salvation. I shall know him without yourtelling stories about him. But just see, a nice man your Kingis! He did not care to come to rescue me from even thisdegradation. You cannot blame me after this. I could not havewaited for him all my life here, toiling ignominiously like abondslave. I shall never have your meekness andsubmissiveness. 

XI

[Encampment]

KANCHI. [To KANYA KUBJA'S MESSENGER. ] Tell your King that heneed not receive us exactly as his guests. We are on our wayback to our kingdoms, but we are waiting to rescue QueenSudarshana from the servitude and degradation to which she iscondemned here. 

MESSENGER. Your Highness, you will remember that the princess isin her father's house. 

KANCHI. A daughter may stay in her father's home only so long asshe remains unmarried. 

MESSENGER. But her connections with her father's family remainintact still. 

KANCHI. She has abjured all such relations now. 

MESSENGER. Such relationship can never be abjured, YourHighness, on this side of death: it may remain in abeyance attimes, but can never be wholly broken up. 

KANCHI. If the King chooses not to give up his daughter to me onpeaceful terms, our Kshatriya code of righteousness willoblige me to employ force. You may take this as my last word. 

MESSENGER. Your Highness, do not forget that our King too isbound by the same code. It is idle to expect that he willdeliver up his daughter by merely hearing your threats. 

KANCHI. Tell your King that I have come prepared for such ananswer. [MESSENGER goes out. ]

SUVARNA. King of Kanchi, it seems to me that we are daring toomuch. 

KANCHI. What pleasure would there be in this adventure if itwere otherwise?

SUVARNA. It does not cost much courage to challenge KanyaKubja--but . .. 

KANCHI. If you once begin to be afraid of "but, " you will hardlyfind a place in this world safe enough for you. 

[Enter a SOLDIER]

SOLDIER. Your Highness! I have just received the news that theKings of Koshala, Avanti, and Kalinga are coming this way withtheir armies. [Exit. ]

KANCHI. Just what I was afraid of! The report of Sudarshana'sflight has spread abroad--now we are going to be in for a generalscramble which is sure to end in smoke. 

SUVARNA. It is useless now, Your Highness. These are not goodtidings. I am perfectly certain that it is our Emperor himselfwho has secretly spread the report everywhere. 

KANCHI. Why, what good will it bring him?

SUVARNA. The greedy ones will tear one another to pieces in thegeneral rivalry and scramble--and he will take advantage of thesituation to go back with the booty. 

KANCHI. Now it becomes clear why your King never shows himself. His trick is to multiply himself on every side--fear makes himvisible everywhere. But I will still maintain that your King isbut an empty fraud from top to bottom. 

SUVARNA. But, please Your Highness, will you have the kindnessto let me off?

KANCHI. I cannot let you go--I have some use for you in thisaffair. 

[Enter a SOLDIER]

SOLDIER. Your Highness, Virat, Panchal, and Vidarbha too havecome. They have encamped on the other side of the river. [Exit. ]

KANCHI. In the beginning we must all fight together. Let thebattle with Kanya Kubja first be over, then we shall find someway out of the difficulty. 

SUVARNA. Please do not drag me into your plans--I shall be happyif you leave me alone--I am a poor, mean creature--nothing can--

KANCHI. Look here, king of hypocrites, ways and means are neverof a very exalted order--roads and stairs and so forth are alwaysto be trodden under our feet. The advantage of utilising menlike you in our plans is that we have to make use of no mask orillusion. But if I were to consult my prime minister, it wouldbe absurd for me to call theft by any name less dignified thanpublic benefit. I will go now, and move the princes about likepawns on the chessboard; the game cannot evidently go on if allthe chessmen propose moving like kings!

XII

[Interior of the Palace]

SUDARSHANA. Is the fight still going on?

SURANGAMA. As fiercely as ever. 

SUDARSHANA. Before going out to the battle my father came to meand said, "You have come away from one King, but you have drawnseven Kings after you: I have a mind to cut you up into sevenpieces and distribute them among the princes. It would have beenwell if he did so. Surangama!

SURANGAMA. Yes?

SUDARSHANA. If your King had the power to save me, could mypresent state have left him unmoved?

SURANGAMA. My Queen, why do you ask me? Have I the power toanswer for my King? I know my understanding is dark; that is whyI never dare to judge him. 

SUDARSHANA. Who have joined in this fight?

SURANGAMA. All the seven princes. 

SUDARSHANA. No one else?

SURANGAMA. Suvarna attempted to escape--in secret before thefight began--but Kanchi has kept him a prisoner in his camps. 

SUDARSHANA. Oh, I should have been dead long ago! But, O King, my King, if you had come and helped my father, your fame wouldhave been none the less! It would have become brighter andhigher. Are you quite sure, Surangama, that he has not come?

SURANGAMA. I know nothing for certain. 

SUDARSHANA. But since I came here I have felt suddenly many atime as if somebody were playing on a vina below my window. 

SURANGAMA. There is nothing impossible in the idea that somebodyindulges his taste for music there. 

SUDARSHANA. There is a deep thicket below my window--I try tofind out who it is every time I hear the music, but I can seenothing distinctly. 

SURANGAMA. Perhaps some wayfarer rests in the shade and plays onthe instrument. 

SUDARSHANA. It may be so, but my old window in the palace comesback to my memory. I used to come after dressing in the eveningand stand at my window, and out of the blank darkness of ourlampless meeting-place used to stream forth strains and songs andmelodies, dancing and vibrating in endless succession andoverflowing profusion, like the passionate exuberance of aceaseless fountain!

SURANGAMA. O deep and sweet darkness! the profound and mysticdarkness whose servant I was!

SUDARSHANA. Why did you come away with me from that room?

SURANGAMA. Because I knew he would follow us and take us back. 

SUDARSHANA. But no, he will not come--he has left us for good. Why should he not?

SURANGAMA. If he can leave us like that, then we have no need ofhim. Then he does not exist for us: then that dark chamber istotally empty and void--no vina ever breathed its music there--none called you or me in that chamber; then everything has been adelusion and an idle dream. 

[Enter the DOORKEEPER]

SUDARSHANA. Who are you?

DOORKEEPER. I am the porter of this palace. 

SUDARSHANA. Tell me quickly what you have got to say. 

DOORKEEPER. Our King has been taken prisoner. 

SUDARSHANA. Prisoner? O Mother Earth! [Faints. ]

XIII

[KING OF KANCHI and SUVARNA]

SUVARNA. You say, then, that there will be no more necessity ofany fight amongst yourselves?

KANCHI. No, you need not be afraid. I have made all the princesagree that he whom the Queen accepts as her husband will haveher, and the others will have to abandon all further struggle. 

SUVARNA. But you must have done with me now, Your Highness--so Ibeg to be let off now. Unfit as I am for anything, the fear ofimpending danger has unnerved me and stunned my intellect. Youwill therefore find it difficult to put me to any use. 

KANCHI. You will have to sit there as my umbrella-holder. 

SUVARNA. Your servant is ready for anything; but of what profitwill that be to you?

KANCHI. My man, I see that your weak intellect cannot go with ahigh ambition in you. You have no notion yet with what favourthe Queen looked upon you. After all, she cannot possibly throwthe bridal garland on an umbrella-bearer's neck in a company ofprinces, and yet, I know, she will not be able to turn her mindaway from you. So on all accounts this garland will fall underthe shade of my regal umbrella. 

SUVARNA. Your Highness, you are entertaining dangerousimaginings about me. I pray you, please do not implicate me inthe toils of such groundless notions. I beg Your Highness mosthumbly, pray set me at liberty. 

KANCHI. As soon as my object is attained, I shall not keep youone moment from your liberty. Once the end is attained, it isfutile to burden oneself with the means. 

XIV

[SUDARSHANA and SURANGAMA at the Window]

SUDARSHANA. Must I go to the assembly of the princes, then? Isthere no other means of saving father's life?

SURANGAMA. The King of Kanchi has said so. 

SUDARSHANA . Are these the words worthy of a King? Did he sayso with his own lips?

SURANGAMA. No, his messenger, Suvarna, brought this news. 

SUDARSHANA. Woe, woe is me!

SURANGAMA. And he produced a few withered flowers and said, "Tell your Queen that the drier and more withered these souvenirsof the Spring Festival become, the fresher and more blooming dothey grow within in my heart. "

SUDARSHANA. Stop! Tell me no more. Do not torment me any more. 

SURANGAMA. Look! There sit all the princes in the greatassembly. He who has no ornament on his person, except a singlegarland of flowers round his crown--he is the King of Kanchi. And he who holds the umbrella over his head, standing behindhim--that is Suvarna. 

SUDARSHANA. Is that Suvarna? Are you quite certain?

SURANGAMA. Yes, I know him well. 

SUDARSHANA. Can it be that it is this man that I saw the otherday? No, no, --I saw something mingled and transfused and blendedwith light and darkness, with wind and perfume, --no, no, itcannot be he; that is not he. 

SURANGAMA. But every one admits that he is exceedingly beautifulto look at. 

SUDARSHANA. How could that beauty fascinate me? Oh, what shallI do to purge my eyes of their pollution?

SURANGAMA. You will have to wash them in that bottomlessdarkness. 

SUDARSHANA. But tell me, Surangama, why does one make suchmistakes?

SURANGAMA. Mistakes are but the preludes to their owndestruction. 

MESSENGER. [entering] Princess, the Kings are waiting for you inthe hall. [Exit. ]

SUDARSHANA. Surangama, bring me the veil. [SURANGAMA goes out. ]O King, my only King! You have left me alone, and you have beenbut just in doing so. But will you not know the inmost truthwithin my soul? [Taking out a dagger from within her bosom. ]This body of mine has received a stain--I shall make a sacrificeof it to-day in the dust of the hall, before all these princes!But shall I never be able to tell you that I know of no stain offaithlessness within the hidden chambers of my heart? That darkchamber where you would come to meet me lies cold and emptywithin my bosom to-day--but, O my Lord! none has opened itsdoors, none has entered it but you, O King! Will you never comeagain to open those doors? Then, let death come, for it is darklike yourself, and its features are beautiful as yours . It isyou--it is yourself, O King!

XV

[The Gathering of the PRINCES]

VIDARBHA. King of Kanchi, how is it that you have not got asingle piece of ornament on your person?

KANCHI. Because I entertain no hopes at all, my friend. Ornaments would but double the shame of my defeat. 

KALINGA. But your umbrella-bearer seems to have made up forthat, --he is loaded with gold and jewellery all over. 

VIRAT. The King of Kanchi wants to demonstrate the futility andinferiority of outer beauty and grandeur. Vanity of his prowesshas made him discard all outer embellishments from his limbs. 

KOSLIALA. I am quite up to his trickery; he is seeking to provehis own dignity, maintaining a severe plainness among thebejewelled princes. 

PANCHALA. I cannot commend his wisdom in this matter. Every oneknows that a woman's eyes are like a moth in that they flingthemselves headlong on the glare and glitter of jewel and gold. 

KALINGA. But how long shall we have to wait more?

KANCHI. Do not grow impatient, King of Kalinga--sweet are thefruits of delay. 

KALINGA. If I were sure of the fruit I could have endured it. It is because my hopes of tasting the fruit are extremelyprecarious that my eagerness to have a sight of her breaksthrough all bounds. 

KANCHI. But you are young still--abandoned hope comes back toyou again and again like a shameless woman at your age: we, however, have long passed that stage. 

KOSHALA. Kanchi, did you feel as if something shook your seatjust now? Is it an earthquake?

KANCHI. Earthquake? I do not know. 

VIDARBHA. Or perhaps some other prince is coming with his army. 

KALINGA. There is nothing against your theory except that weshould have first heard the news from some herald or messenger inthat case. 

VIDARBHA. I cannot regard this as a very auspicious omen. 

KANCHI. Everything looks inauspicious to the eye of fear. 

VIDARBHA. I fear none except Fate, before which courage orheroism is as futile as it is absurd. 

PANCHALA. Vidarbha, do not darken to-day's happy proceedingswith your unwelcome prognostications. 

KANCHI. I never take the unseen into account till it has become"seen. "

VIDARBHA. But then it might be too late to do anything. 

PANCHALA. Did we not all of us start at a specially auspiciousmoment?

VIDARBHA. Do you think you insure against every possible risk bystarting at auspicious moments? It looks as if--

KANCHI. You had better let the "as if" alone: though our owncreation, it often proves our ruin and destruction. 

KALINGA. Isn't that music somewhere outside?

PANCHALA. Yes, it sounds like music, sure enough. 

KANCHI. Then at last it must be the Queen Sudarshana who isapproaching near. [Aside to SUVARNA. ] Suvarna, you must not hide and cower behind me like that. Mind, the umbrella in yourhand is shaking!

[Enter GRANDFATHER, dressed as a warrior]

KALINGA. Who is that?--Who are you?

PANCHALA. Who is this that dares to enter this hall withoutbeing invited?

VIRAT. Amazing impudence! Kalinga, just prevent the fellow fromadvancing further. 

KALINGA. You are all my superiors in age--you are fitter to dothat than myself. 

VIDARBHA. Let us hear what he has to say. 

GRANDFATHER. The KING has come. 

VIDARBHA. [starting] King?

PANCHALA. Which King?

KALINGA. Where does he come from?

GRANDFATHER. My King!

VIRAT. Your King?

KALINGA. Who is he?

KOSHALA. What do you mean?

GRANDFATHER. You all know whom I mean. He has come. 

VIDARBHA. He has come?

KOSHALA. With what intention?

GRANDFATHER. He has summoned you all to come to him. 

KANCHI. Summoned us, indeed? In what terms has he been pleasedto summon us?

GRANDFATHER. You can take his call in any way you like--there isnone to prevent you--he is prepared to make all kinds of welcometo suit your various tastes. 

VIRAT. But who are you?

GRANDFATHER. I am one of his generals. 

KANCHI. Generals? It is a lie! Do you think of frightening us?Do you imagine that I cannot see through your disguise? We allknow you well--and you pose as a "general" before us!

GRANDFATHER. You have recognised me to perfection. Who is sounworthy as I to bear my King's commands? And yet it is he whohas invested me with these robes of a general and sent me here:he has chosen me before greater generals and mightier warriors. 

KANCHI. All right, we shall go to observe the proprieties andamenities on a fitting occasion--but at present we are in themidst of a pressing engagement. He will have to wait till thislittle function is over. 

GRANDFATHER. When he sends out his call he does not wait. 

KOSHALA. I shall obey his call; I am going at once. 

VIDARBHA. Kanchi, I cannot agree with you in your proposal towait till this function is over. I am going. 

KALINGA. You are older than I am--I shall follow you. 

PANCHALA. Look behind you, Prince of Kanchi, your regal umbrellais lying in the dust: you have not noticed when yourumbrella-holder has stolen away. 

KANCHI. All right, general. I too am going--but not to do himhomage. I go to fight him on the battle-ground. 

GRANDFATHER. You will meet my King in the field of battle: thatis no mean place for your reception. 

VIRAT. Look here, friends, perhaps we are all flying before animagined terror--it looks as if the King of Kanchi will have thebest of it. 

PANCHALA. Possibly, when the fruit is so near the hand, it iscowardly and foolish to go away without plucking it. 

KALINGA. It is better to join the King of Kanchi. He cannot bewithout a definite plan and purpose when he is doing and daringso much. 

XVI

[SUDARSHANA and SURANGAMA]

SUDARSHANA. The fight is over now. When will the King come?

SURANGAMA. I do not know myself: I am also looking forward tohis coming. 

SUDARSHANA. I feel such a throb of joy, Surangama, that mybreast is positively aching. But I am dying with shame too; howshall I show my face to him?

SURANGAMA. Go to him in utmost humility and resignation, and allshame will vanish in a moment. 

SUDARSHANA. I cannot help confessing that I have met with myuttermost defeat for all the rest of my life. But pride made meclaim the largest share in his love so long. Every one used tosay I had such wonderful beauty, such graces and virtues; everyone used to say that the King showed unlimited kindness towardsme--this is what makes it difficult for me to bend my heart inhumility before him. 

SURANGAMA. This difficulty, my Queen, will pass off. 

SUDARSHANA. Oh, yes, it will pass--the day has arrived for me tohumble myself before the whole world. But why does not the Kingcome to take me back? What more is he waiting for yet?

SURANGAMA. Have I not told you my King is cruel and hard--veryhard indeed?

SUDARSHANA. Go out, Surangama, and bring me news of him. 

SURANGAMA. I do not know where I should go to get any news ofhim. I have asked Grandfather to come; perhaps when he comes weshall hear something from him. 

SUDARSHANA. Alack, my evil fate! I have been reduced to askingothers to hear about my own King!

[Transciber's note: Alack should probably be replaced with Alas. ]

[Enter GRANDFATHER]

SUDARSHANA. I have heard that you are my King's friend, soaccept my obeisance and give me your blessings. 

GRANDFATHER. What are you doing, Queen? I never acceptanybody's obeisance. My relation with every one is only that ofcomradeship. 

SUDARSHANA. Smile on me, then--give me good news. Tell me whenthe King is coming to take me back. 

GRANDFATHER. You ask me a hard question, indeed! I hardlyunderstand yet the ways of my friend. The battle is over, but noone can tell where he is gone. 

SUDARSHANA. Is he gone away, then?

GRANDFATHER. I cannot find any trace of him here. 

SUDARSHANA. Has he gone? And do you call such a person yourfriend?

GRANDFATHER. That is why he gets people's abuse as well assuspicion. But my King simply does not mind it in the least. 

SUDARSHANA. Has he gone away? Oh, oh, how hard, how cruel, howcruel! He is made of stone, he is hard as adamant! I tried tomove him with my own bosom--my breast is torn and bleeding--buthim I could not move an inch! Grandfather, tell me, how can youmanage with such a friend?

GRANDFATHER. I have known him now--I have known him through mygriefs and joys--he can make me weep no more now. 

SUDARSHANA. Will he not let me know him also?

GRANDFATHER. Why, he will, of course. Nothing else will satisfyhim. 

SUDARSHANA. Very well, I shall see how hard he can be! I shallstay here near the window without saying a word; I shall not movean inch; let me see if he will not come!

GRANDFATHER. You are young still--you can afford to wait forhim; but to me, an old man, a moment's loss is a week. I mustset out to seek him whether I succeed or not. [Exit. ]

SUDARSHANA. I do not want him--I will not seek him! Surangama, I have no need of your King! Why did he fight with the princes?Was it for me at all? Did he want to show off his prowess andstrength? Go away from here--I cannot bear your sight. He hashumbled me to the dust, and is not satisfied still!

XVII

[A Band of CITIZENS]

FIRST CITIZEN. When so many Kings met together, we thought wewere going to have some big fun; but somehow everything took sucha turn that nobody knows what happened at all!

SECOND CITIZEN. Did you not see, they could not come to anagreement among themselves?--every one distrusted every one else. 

THIRD CITIZEN. None kept to their original plans; one wanted toadvance, another thought it better policy to recede; some went tothe right, others made a rush to the left: how can you call thata fight?

FIRST CITIZEN. They had no eye to real fighting--each had hiseye on the others. 

SECOND CITIZEN. Each was thinking, "Why should I die to enableothers to reap the harvest?"

THIRD CITIZEN. But you must all admit that Kanchi fought like areal hero. 

FIRST CITIZEN. He for a long time after his defeat seemed lothto acknowledge himself beaten. 

SECOND CITIZEN. He was at last fixed in the chest by a deadlymissile. 

THIRD CITIZEN. But before that he did not seem to realise thathe had been losing ground at every step. 

FIRST CITIZEN. As for the other Kings--well, nobody knows wherethey fled, leaving poor Kanchi alone in the field. 

SECOND CITIZEN. But I have heard that he is not dead yet. 

THIRD CITIZEN. No, the physicians have saved him--but he willcarry the mark of his defeat on his breast till his dying day. 

FIRST CITIZEN. None of the other Kings who fled has escaped;they have all been taken prisoners. But what sort of justice isthis that was meted out to them?

SECOND CITIZEN. I heard that every one was punished exceptKanchi, whom the judge placed on his right on the throne ofjustice, putting a crown on his head. 

THIRD CITIZEN. This beats all mystery hollow. 

SECOND CITIZEN. This sort of justice, to speak frankly, strikesus as fantastic and capricious. 

FIRST CITIZEN. Just so. The greatest offender is certainly theKing of Kanchi; as for the others, greed of gain now pressed themto advance, now they drew back in fear. 

THIRD CITIZEN. What kind of justice is this, I ask? It is as ifthe tiger got scot-free, while his tail got cut off. 

SECOND CITIZEN. If I were the judge, do you think Kanchi wouldbe whole and sound at this hour? There would be nothing left ofhim altogether. 

THIRD CITIZEN. They are great, high justices, my friends; theirbrains are of a different stamp from ours. 

FIRST CITIZEN. Have they got any brains at all, I wonder? Theysimply indulge their sweet whims as there are none to sayanything to them from above. 

SECOND CITIZEN. Whatever you may say, if we had the governingpower in our hands we should certainly have carried on thegovernment much better than this. 

THIRD CITIZEN. Can there be any real doubts about that? That ofcourse goes without saying. 

XVIII

[The Street. GRANDFATHER and KANCHI]

GRANDFATHER. What, Prince of Kanchi, you here!

KANCHI. Your King has sent me on the road. 

GRANDFATHER. That is a settled habit with him. 

KANCHI. And now, no one can get a glimpse of him. 

GRANDFATHER. That too is one of his amusements. 

KANCHI. But how long more will he elude me like this? Whennothing could make me acknowledge him as my King, he came all ofa sudden like a terrific tempest--God knows from where--andscattered my men and horses and banners in one wild tumult: butnow, when I am seeking the ends of the earth to pay him my humblehomage, he is nowhere to be seen. 

GRANDFATHER. But however big an Emperor he may be, he has tosubmit to him that yields. But why have you come out at night, Prince?

KANCHI. I still cannot get rid of the feeling of a secret dreadof being laughed at by people when they see me meekly doing myhomage to your King, acknowledging my defeat. 

GRANDFATHER. Such indeed is the people. What would move othersto tears only serves to move their empty laughter. 

KANCHI. But you too are on the road, Grandfather. 

GRANDFATHER. This is my jolly pilgrimage to the land of losingeverything. 

SINGS. 

/* I am waiting with my all in the hope of losing everything. I am watching at the roadside for him who turns one out into the open road, Who hides himself and sees, who loves you unknown to you, I have given my heart in secret love to him, I am waiting with my all in the hope of losing everything. */

XIX

[A Road. SUDARSHANA and SURANGAMA]

SUDARSHANA. What a relief, Surangama, what freedom! It is mydefeat that has brought me freedom. Oh, what an iron pride wasmine! Nothing could move it or soften it. My darkened mindcould not in any way be brought to see the plain truth that itwas not the King who was to come, it was I who ought to have goneto him. All through yesternight I lay alone on the dusty floorbefore that window--lay there through the desolate hours andwept! All night the southern winds blew and shrieked and moanedlike the pain that was biting at my heart; and all through it Iheard the plaintive "Speak, wife!" of the nightbird echoing inthe tumult outside! . .. It was the helpless wail of the darknight, Surangama!

SURANGAMA. Last night's heavy and melancholy air seemed to hangon for an eternity--oh, what a dismal and gboomy night!

SUDARSHANA. But would you believe it--I seemed to hear the softstrains of the vina floating through all that wild din andtumult! Could he play such sweet and tender tunes, he who is socruel and terrible? The world knows only my indignity andignominy--but none but my own heart could hear those strains thatcalled me through the lone and wailing night. Did you too, Surangama, hear the vina? Or was that but a dream of mine?

SURANGAMA. But it is just to hear that same vina's musicthat I am always by your side. It is for this call of music, which I knew would one day come to dissolve all the barriers oflove, that I have all along been listening with an eager ear. 

SUDARSHANA. He did at last send me on the open road--I could notwithstand his will. When I shall find him, the first words thatI shall tell him will be, "I have come of my own will--I have notawaited your coming. " I shall say, "For your sake have I troddenthe hard and weary roads, and bitter and ceaseless has been myweeping all the way. " I shall at least have this pride in mewhen I meet him. 

SURANGAMA. But even that pride will not last. He came beforeyou did--who else could have sent you on the road?

SUDARSHANA. Perhaps he did. As long as a sense of offendedpride remained with me, I could not help thinking that he hadleft me for good; but when I flung my dignity and pride to thewinds and came out on the common streets, then it seemed to methat he too had come out: I have been finding him since themoment I was on the road. I have no misgivings now. All thissuffering that I have gone through for his sake, the verybitternesss of all this is giving me his company. Ah! yes, hehas come--he has held me by the hand, just as he used to do inthat chamber of darkness, when, at his touch, all my body wouldstart with a sudden thrill: it is the same, the same touch again!Who says that he is not here?--Surangama, can you not see that hehas come, in silence and secret? . .. Who is that there? Look, Surangama, there is a third traveller of this dark road at thishour of the night. 

SURANGAMA. I see, it is the King of Kanchi, my Queen. 

SUDARSHANA. King of Kanchi!

SURANGAMA. Don't be afraid, my Queen!

SUDARSHANA. Afraid! Why should I be afraid? The days of fearare gone for ever for me. 

KANCHI. [entering] Queen-mother, I see you two on this road! Iam a traveller of the same path as yourself. Have no fear of me, O Queen!

SUDARSHANA. It is well, King of Kanchi, that we should be goingtogether, side by side--this is but right. I came on your waywhen I first left my home, and now I meet you again on my wayback. Who could have dreamed that this meeting of ours wouldaugur so well?

KANCHI. But, Queen-mother, it is not meet that you should walkover this road on foot. Will you permit me to get a chariot foryou?

SUDARSHANA. Oh, do not say so: I shall never be happy if I couldnot on my way back home tread on the dust of the road that led meaway from my King. I would be deceiving myself if I were now togo in a chariot. 

SURANGAMA. King, you too are walking in the dust to-day: thisroad has never known anybody driving his horse or chariot overit. 

SUDARSHANA. When I was the Queen, I stepped over silver andgold--I shall have now to atone for the evil fortune of my birthby walking over dust and bare earth. I could not have dreamedthat thus I would meet my King of common earth and dust at everystep of mine to-day. 

SURANGAMA. Look, my Queen, there on the eastern horizon comesthe dawn. We have not long to walk: I see the spires of thegolden turrets of the King's palace. 

[Enter GRANDFATHER]

GRANDFATHER. My child, it is dawn--at last!

SUDARSHANA. Your benedictions have given me Godspeed, and here Iam, at last. 

GRANDFATHER. But do you see how ill-mannered our King is? Hehas sent no chariot, no music band, nothing splendid or grand. 

SUDARSHANA. Nothing grand, did you say? Look, the sky is rosyand crimson from end to end, the air is full of the welcome ofthe scent of flowers. 

GRANDFATHER. Yes, but however cruel our King may be, we cannotseek to emulate him: I cannot help feeling pain at seeing you inthis state, my child. How can we bear to see you going to theKing's palace attired in this poor and wretched attire? Wait alittle--I am running to fetch you your Queen's garments. 

SUDARSHANA. Oh no, no, no! He has taken away those regal robesfrom me for ever--he has attired me in a servant's dress beforethe eyes of the whole world: what a relief this has been to me!I am his servant now, no longer his Queen. To-day I stand at thefeet of all those who can claim any relationship with him. 

GRANDFATHER. But your enemies will laugh at you now: how can youbear their derision?

SUDARSHANA. Let their laughter and derision be immortal--letthem throw dust at me in the streets: this dust will to-day bethe powder with which I shall deck myself before meeting my lord. 

GRANDFATHER. After this, we shall say nothing. Now let us playthe last game of our Spring Festival--instead of the pollen offlowers let the south breeze blow and scatter dust of lowlinessin every direction! We shall go to the lord clad in the commongrey of the dust. And we shall find him too covered with dustall over. For do you think the people spare him? Even he cannotescape from their soiled and dusty hands, and he does not evencare to brush the dirt off his garments. 

KANCHI. Grandfather, do not forget me in this game of yours! Ialso will have to get this royal garment of mine soiled till itis beyond all recognition. 

GRANDFATHER. That will not take long, my brother. Now that youhave come down so far--you will change your colour in no time. Just look at our Queen--she got into a temper with herself andthought that she could spoil her matchless beauty by flingingaway all her ornaments: but this insult to her beauty has made itshine forth in tenfold radiance, and now it is in its unadornedperfection. We hear that our King is all innocent of beauty--that is why he loves all his manifold beauty of form which shinesas the very ornament of his breast. And that beauty has to-daytaken off its veil and cloak of pride and vanity! What could Inot give to be allowed to hear the wonderful music and song thathas filled my King's palace to-day!

SURANGAMA. Lo, there rises the sun!

XX

[The Dark Chamber]

SUDARSHANA. Lord, do not give me back the honour which you oncedid turn away from me! I am the servant of your feet--I onlyseek the privilege of serving you. 

KING. Will you be able to bear me now?

SUDARSHANA. Oh yes, yes, I shall. Your sigh repelled me becauseI had sought to find you in the pleasure garden, in my Queen'schambers: there even your meanest servant looks handsomer thanyou. That fever of longing has left my eyes for ever. You arenot beautiful, my lord--you stand beyond all comparisons!

KING. That which can be comparable with me lies within yourself. 

SUDARSHANA. If this be so, then that too is beyond comparison. Your love lives in me--you are mirrored in that love, and you seeyour face reflected in me: nothing of this mine, it is all yours, O lord!

KING. I open the doors of this dark room to-day--the game isfinished here! Come, come with me now, come outside--into thelight!

SUDARSHANA. Before I go, let me bow at the feet of my lord ofdarkness, my cruel, my terrible, my peerless one!

THE END