[All listen with astonishment.
GAUTAMÍ.
Daughter! the nymphs of the wood, who love thee with the affection of a sister, dismiss thee with kind wishes for thy happiness. Take thou leave of them reverentially.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
[Bowing respectfully and walking on. Aside to her friend.
Eager as I am, dear Priyamvadá, to see my husband once more, yet my feet refuse to move, now that I am quitting for ever the home of my girlhood.
PRIYAMVADÁ.
You are not the only one, dearest, to feel the bitterness of parting. As the time of separation approaches, the whole grove seems to share your anguish.
In sorrow for thy loss, the herd of deer
Forget to browse; the peacock on the lawn
Ceases its dance[67]; the very trees around
Shed their pale leaves, like tears, upon the ground.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Recollecting herself.
My father, let me, before I go, bid adieu to my pet jasmine, the
Moonlight of the Grove[68]. I love the plant almost as a sister.
KANWA.
Yes, yes, my child, I remember thy sisterly affection for the creeper. Here it is on the right.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Approaching the jasmine.
My beloved jasmine! most brilliant of climbing plants, how sweet it is to see thee cling thus fondly to thy husband, the mango-tree; yet, prithee, turn thy twining arms for a moment in this direction to embrace thy sister; she is going far away, and may never see thee again.
KANWA.
Daughter, the cherished purpose of my heart
Has ever been to wed thee to a man
That should be worthy of thee; such a spouse
Hast thou thyself, by thine own merits, won.
To him thou goest, and about his neck
Soon shalt thou cling confidingly, as now
Thy favourite jasmine twines its loving arms
Around the sturdy mango. Leave thou it
To its protector—e'en as I consign
Thee to thy lord, and henceforth from my mind
Banish all anxious thought on thy behalf.
Proceed on thy journey, my child.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [To PRIYAMVADÁ and ANASÚYÁ.
To you, my sweet companions, I leave it as a keepsake. Take charge of it when I am gone.
PRIYAMVADÁ AND ANASÚYÁ. [Bursting into tears.
And to whose charge do you leave us, dearest? Who will care for us when you are gone?
KANWA.
For shame, Anasúyá! dry your tears. Is this the way to cheer your friend at a time when she needs your support and consolation?
[All move on.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
My father, see you there my pet deer, grazing close to the hermitage? She expects soon to fawn, and even now the weight of the little one she carries hinders her movements. Do not forget to send me word when she becomes a mother.
KANWA.
I will not forget it.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Feeling herself drawn back.
What can this be, fastened to my dress?
[Turns round.
KANWA.
My daughter,
It is the little fawn, thy foster-child,
Poor helpless orphan! it remembers well
How with a mother's tenderness and love
Thou didst protect it, and with grains of rice
From thine own hand didst daily nourish it;
And, ever and anon, when some sharp thorn
Had pierced its mouth, how gently thou didst tend
The bleeding wound, and pour in healing balm.
The grateful nursling clings to its protectress,
Mutely imploring leave to follow her.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
My poor little fawn! dost thou ask to follow an ungrateful wretch who hesitates not to desert her companions! When thy mother died, soon after thy birth, I supplied her place, and reared thee with my own hand; and now that thy second mother is about to leave thee, who will care for thee? My father, be thou a mother to her. My child, go back, and be a daughter to my father.
[Moves on, weeping.
KANWA.
Weep not, my daughter, check the gathering tear
That lurks beneath thine eyelid, ere it flow
And weaken thy resolve; be firm and true—
True to thyself and me; the path of life
Will lead o'er hill and plain, o'er rough and smooth,
And all must feel the steepness of the way;
Though rugged be thy course, press boldly on.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
Venerable Sire! the sacred precept is:—'Accompany thy friend as far as the margin of the first stream.' Here, then, we are arrived at the border of a lake. It is time for you to give us your final instructions and return.
KANWA.
Be it so; let us tarry for a moment under the shade of this fig-tree[69].
[They do so.
KANWA [Aside.
I must think of some appropriate message to send to his Majesty
King Dushyanta.
[Reflects. .
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Aside to ANASÚYÁ.
See, see, dear Anasúyá, the poor female Chakraváka-bird[70], whom cruel fate dooms to nightly separation from her mate, calls to him in mournful notes from the other side of the stream, though he is only hidden from her view by the spreading leaves of the water-lily. Her cry is so piteous that I could almost fancy she was lamenting her hard lot in intelligible words.
ANASÚYÁ
Say not so, dearest:
Fond bird! though sorrow lengthen out her night
Of widowhood, yet with a cry of joy
She hails the morning light that brings her mate
Back to her side. The agony of parting
Would wound us like a sword, but that its edge
Is blunted by the hope of future meeting.
KANWA.
[S']árngarava! when you have introduced [S']akoontalá into the presence of the King, you must give him this message from me:—
[S']ÁRNGARAVA
Let me hear it, venerable father.
KANWA.
This is it:—
Most puissant prince! we here present before thee
One thou art bound to cherish and receive
As thine own wife; yea, even to enthrone
As thine own queen—worthy of equal love
With thine imperial consorts. So much, Sire,
We claim of thee as justice due to us,
In virtue of our holy character,
In virtue of thine honourable rank,
In virtue of the pure spontaneous love
That secretly grew up 'twixt thee and her,
Without consent or privity of us.
We ask no more—the rest we freely leave
To thy just feeling and to destiny.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
A most suitable message! I will take care to deliver it correctly.
KANWA.
And, now, my child, a few words of advice for thee. We hermits, though we live secluded from the world are not ignorant of worldly matters.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
No, indeed. Wise men are conversant with all subjects.
KANWA.
Listen, then, my daughter. When thou reachest thy husband's palace, and art admitted into his family,
Honour thy betters; ever be respectful
To those above thee; and, should others share
Thy husband's love, ne'er yield thyself a prey
to jealousy; but ever be a friend,
A loving friend, to those who rival thee
In his affections. Should thy wedded lord
Treat thee with harshness, thou most never be
Harsh in return, but patient and submissive;
Be to thy menials courteous, and to all
Placed under thee, considerate and kind;
Be never self-indulgent, but avoid
Excess in pleasure; and, when fortune smiles,
Be not puffed up. Thus to thy husband's house
Wilt thou a blessing prove, and not a curse.
What thinks Gautamí of this advice?
GAUTAMÍ.
An excellent compendium, truly, of every wife's duties! Lay it well to heart, my daughter.
KANWA.
Come, my beloved child, one parting embrace for me and for thy companions, and then we leave thee.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
My father, must Priyamvadá and Anasúyá really return with you?
They are very dear to me.
KANWA.
Yes, my child; they, too, in good time, will be given in marriage to suitable husbands. It would not be proper for them to accompany thee to such a public place. But Gautamí shall be thy companion.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Embracing him.
Removed from thy bosom, my beloved father, like a young tendril of the sandal-tree torn from its home in the western mountains[71], how shall I be able to support life in a foreign soil?
KANWA.
Daughter, thy fears are groundless.
Soon shall thy lord prefer thee to the rank
Of his own consort; and unnumbered cares
Befitting his imperial dignity
Shall constantly engross thee. Then the bliss
Of bearing him a son—a noble boy,
Bright as the day-star, shall transport thy soul
With new delights, and little shalt thou reck
Of the light sorrow that afflicts thee now
At parting from thy father and thy friends.
[[S']AKOONTALÁ throws herself at her foster-father's feet.
KANWA.
Blessings on thee, my child! May all my hopes of thee be realized!
[S']AKOONTALÁ [Approaching her friends.
Come, my two loved companions, embrace me both of you together.
PRIYAMVADÁ AND ANASÚYÁ. [Embracing her.
Dear [S']akoontalá, remember, if the King should by any chance be slow in recognizing you, you have only to show him this ring, on which his own name is engraved.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
The bare thought of it puts me in a tremor.
PRIYAMVADÁ AND ANASÚYÁ.
There is no real cause for fear, dearest. Excessive affection is too apt to suspect evil where none exists.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
Come, lady, we must hasten on. The sun is rising in the heavens.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Looking towards the hermitage.
Dear father, when shall I ever see this hallowed grove again?
KANWA.
I will tell thee; listen:—
When thou hast passed a long and blissful life
As King Dushyanta's queen, and jointly shared
With all the earth his ever-watchful care;
And hast beheld thine own heroic son,
Matchless in arms, united to a bride
In happy wedlock; when his aged sire,
Thy faithful husband, hath to him resigned
The helm of state; then, weary of the world,
Together with Dushyanta thou shalt seek
The calm seclusion of thy former home[72];
There amid holy scenes to be at peace,
Till thy pure spirit gain its last release.
GAUTAMÍ.
Come, my child, the favourable time for our journey is fast passing. Let thy father return. Venerable Sire, be thou the first to move homewards, or these last words will never end.
KANWA.
Daughter, detain me no longer. My religious duties must not be interrupted.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Again embracing her foster-father.
Beloved father, thy frame is much enfeebled by penitential exercises. Do not, oh! do not, allow thyself to sorrow too much on my account.
KANWA. [Sighing.
How, O my child, shall my bereaved heart
Forget its bitterness, when, day by day,
Full in my sight shall grow the tender plants
Reared by thy care, or sprang from hallowed grain
Which thy loved hands have strewn around the door—
A frequent offering to our household gods[73]?
Go, my daughter, and may thy journey be prosperous.
[Exit [S']AKOONTALÁ with her escort.
PRIYAMVADÁ AND ANASÚYÁ. [Gazing after [S']AKOONTALÁ.
Alas! alas! she is gone, and now the trees hide our darling from our view.
KANWA. [Sighing.
Well, Anasúyá, your sister has departed. Moderate your grief, both of you, and follow me, I go back to the hermitage.
PRIYAMVADÁ AND ANASÚYÁ.
Holy father, the sacred grove will be a desert without
[S']akoontalá. How can we ever return to it?
KANWA.
It is natural enough that your affection should make you view it in this light.
[Walking pensively on.]
As for me, I am quite surprised at myself. Now that I have fairly dismissed her to her husband's house, my mind is easy; for, indeed,
A daughter is a loan—a precious jewel
Lent to a parent till her husband claim her.
And now that to her rightful lord and master
I have delivered her, my burdened soul
Is lightened, and I seem to breathe more freely.
[Exeunt.
* * * * *
ACT V.
SCENE.—A Room in the Palace.
The King DUSHYANTA and the Jester MÁ[T.]HAVYA are discovered seated.
MÁ[T.]HAVYA. [Listening.
Hark! my dear friend, listen a minute, and you will hear sweet sounds proceeding from the music-room. Some one is singing a charming air. Who can it be? Oh! I know. The queen Hansapadiká is practising her notes, that she may greet you with a new song.
KING.
Hush! Let me listen.
A VOICE SINGS BEHIND THE SCENES.
How often hither didst thou rove,
Sweet bee, to kiss the mango's cheek;
Oh! leave not, then, thy early love,
The lily's honeyed lip to seek.
KING.
A most impassioned strain, truly!
MÁ[T.]HAVYA.
Do you understand the meaning of the words?
KING. [Smiling.
She means to reprove me, because I once paid her great attention, and have lately deserted her for the queen Vasumatí. Go, my dear fellow, and tell Hansapadiká from me that I take her delicate reproof as it is intended.
MÁ[T.]HAVYA.
Very well.
[Rising from his seat.]
But stay—I don't much relish being sent to bear the brunt of her jealousy. The chances are that she will have me seized by the hair of the head and beaten to a jelly. I would as soon expose myself, after a vow of celibacy, to the seductions of a lovely nymph, as encounter the fury of a jealous woman.
KING.
Go, go; you can disarm her wrath by a civil speech; but give her my message.
MÁ[T.]HAVYA.
What must be must be, I suppose.
[Exit.
KING. [Aside.
Strange! that song has filled me with a most peculiar sensation. A melancholy feeling has come over me, and I seem to yearn after some long-forgotten object of affection. Singular, indeed! but
Not seldom In our happy hours of ease,
When thought is still, the sight of some fair form,
Or mournful fall of music breathing low,
Will stir strange fancies, thrilling all the soul
With a mysterious sadness, and a sense
Of vague yet earnest longing. Can it be
That the dim memory of events long past,
Or friendships formed in other states of being[74],
Flits like a passing shadow o'er the spirit?
[Remains pensive and sad.
Enter the CHAMBERLAIN[75], named VÁTÁYANA.
CHAMBERLAIN.
Alas! to what an advanced period of life have I attained!
Even this wand betrays the lapse of years;
In youthful days 'twas but a useless badge
And symbol of my office; now it serves
As a support to prop my tottering steps.
Ah me! I feel very unwilling to announce to the King that a deputation of young hermits from the sage Kanwa has arrived, and craves an immediate audience. Certainly, his Majesty ought not to neglect a matter of sacred duty, yet I hardly like to trouble him when he has just risen from the judgment-seat. Well, well; a monarch's business is to sustain the world, and he must not expect much repose; because—
Onward, for ever onward, in his car
The unwearied Sun pursues his daily course,
Nor tarries to unyoke his glittering steeds.
And, ever moving, speeds the rushing Wind
Through boundless space, filling the universe
With his life-giving breezes. Day and night,
The King of Serpents on his thousand heads[76]
Upholds the incumbent earth; and even so,
Unceasing toil is aye the lot of kings,
Who, in return, draw nurture from their subjects.
I will therefore deliver my message.
[Walking on and looking about.]
Ah! here comes the King.
His subjects are his children; through the day,
Like a fond father, to supply their wants,
Incessantly he labours; wearied now,
The monarch seeks seclusion and repose;
E'en as the prince of elephants defies
The sun's fierce heat, and leads the fainting herd
To verdant pastures, ere his wayworn limbs
He yields to rest beneath the cooling shade.
[Approaching.]
Victory to the King! So please your Majesty, some hermits who live in a forest near the Snowy Mountains have arrived here, bringing certain women with them. They have a message to deliver from the sage Kanwa and desire an audience. I await your Majesty's commands.
KING. [Respectfully.
A message from the sage Kanwa, did you say?
CHAMBERLAIN.
Even so, my liege.
KING.
Tell my domestic priest Somaráta to receive the hermits with due honour, according to the prescribed form. He may then himself introduce them into my presence. I will await them in a place suitable for the reception of such holy guests.
CHAMBERLAIN.
Your Majesty's commands shall be obeyed.
[Exit.
KING. [Rising and addressing his WARDER.
Vetravatí, lead the way to the chamber of the consecrated fire[77].
WARDER.
This way, Sire.
KING.
[Walking on, with the air of one oppressed by the cares of Government.
People are generally contented and happy when they have gained their desires; but kings have no sooner attained the object of their aspirations than all their troubles begin.
'Tis a fond thought that to attain the end
And object of ambition is to rest;
Success doth only mitigate the fever
Of anxious expectation; soon the fear
Of losing what we have, the constant care
Of guarding it, doth weary. Ceaseless toil
Must be the lot of him who with his hands
Supports the canopy that shields his subjects.
TWO HERALDS[78]. [Behind the scenes.
May the King be victorious!
FIRST HERALD.
Honour to him who labours day by day
For the world's weal, forgetful of his own;
Like some tall tree that with its stately head
Endures the solar beam, while underneath
It yields refreshing shelter to the weary.
SECOND HERALD.
Let but the monarch wield his threatening rod
And e'en the guilty tremble; at his voice
The rebel spirit cowers; his grateful subjects
Acknowledge him their guardian; rich and poor
Hail him a faithful friend—a loving kinsman.
KING.
Weary as I was before, this complimentary address has refreshed me.
[Walks on.
WARDER.
Here is the terrace of the hallowed fire-chamber, and yonder stands the cow that yields the milk for the oblations. The sacred enclosure has been recently purified, and looks clean and beautiful. Ascend, Sire.
KING. [Leans on the shoulders of his attendants and ascends_.
Vetravatí, what can possibly be the message that the venerable
Kanwa has sent me by these hermits?
Perchance their sacred rites have been disturbed
By demons, or some evil has befallen
The innocent herds, their favourites, that graze
Within the precincts of the hermitage,
Or haply, through my sins, some withering blight
Has nipped the creeping plants that spread their arms
Around the hallowed grove. Such troubled thoughts
Crowd through my mind, and fill me with misgiving.
WARDER.
If you ask my opinion, Sire, I think the hermits merely wish to take an opportunity of testifying their loyalty, and are therefore come to offer homage to your majesty.
Enter the HERMITS leading [S']AKOONTALÁ, attended by GAUTAMÍ; and in advance of them, the CHAMBERLAIN and the DOMESTIC PRIEST.
CHAMBERLAIN.
This way, reverend Sirs, this way.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA
O [S']áradwata,
'Tis true the monarch lacks no royal grace,
Nor ever swerves from justice; true, his people,
Yea such as in life's humblest walks are found,
Refrain from evil courses; still to me,
A lonely hermit reared in solitude,
This throng appears bewildering, and I seem
To look upon a burning house, whose inmates
Are running to and fro in wild dismay.
[S']ÁRADWATA.
It is natural that the first sight of the King's capital should affect you in this manner; my own sensations are very similar.
As one just bathed beholds the man polluted;
As one late purified, the yet impure;
As one awake looks on the yet unawakened;
Or as the freeman gazes on the thrall,
So I regard this crowd of pleasure-seekers.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
[Feeling a quivering sensation in her right eyelid [79], and suspecting a bad omen.
Alas! what means this throbbing of my right eyelid?
GAUTAMÍ.
Heaven avert the evil omen, my child! May the guardian deities of thy husband's family convert it into a sign of good fortune!
[Walks on.
PRIEST.
[Pointing to the King.
Most reverend Sirs, there stands the protector of the four classes of the people; the guardian of the four conditions of the priesthood[80]. He has just left the judgment-seat, and is waiting for you. Behold him!
[S']ÁRNGARAVA
Great Bráhman, we are happy in thinking that the King's power is exerted for the protection of all classes of his subjects. We have not come as petitioners—we have the fullest confidence in the generosity of his nature.
The loftiest trees bend humbly to the ground
Beneath the teeming burden of their fruit;
High in the vernal sky the pregnant clouds
Suspend their stately course, and, hanging low,
Scatter their sparkling treasures o'er the earth;
And such is true benevolence; the good
Are never rendered arrogant by riches.
WARDER.
So please your Majesty, I judge from the placid countenance of the hermits that they have no alarming message to deliver.
KING. [Looking at [S']AKOONTALÁ.
But the lady there—
Who can she be, whose form of matchless grace
Is half concealed beneath her flowing veil?
Among the sombre hermits she appears
Like a fresh bud 'mid sear and yellow leaves.
WARDER.
So please your Majesty, my curiosity is also roused, but no conjecture occurs to my mind. This at least is certain, that she deserves to be looked at more closely.
KING.
True; but it is not right to gaze at another man's wife[120].
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Placing her hand on her bosom. Aside.
O my heart, why this throbbing? Remember thy lord's affection, and take courage.
PRIEST. [Advancing.
These holy men have been received with all due honour. One of them has now a message to deliver from his spiritual superior. Will your Majesty deign to hear it?
KING.
I am all attention.
HERMITS. [Extending their hands.
Victory to the King!
KING.
Accept my respectful greeting.
HERMITS.
May the desires of your soul be accomplished!
KING.
I trust no one is molesting you in the prosecution of your religious rites.
HERMITS.
Who dares disturb our penitential rites
When thou art our protector? Can the night
Prevail to cast her shadows o'er the earth
While the sun's beams irradiate the sky?
KING.
Such, indeed, is the very meaning of my title—'Defender of the Just.' I trust the venerable Kanwa is in good health. The world is interested in his well-being.
HERMITS.
Holy men have health and prosperity in their own power. He bade us greet your Majesty, and, after kind inquiries, deliver this message.
KING.
Let me hear his commands.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
He bade us say that he feels happy in giving his sanction to the marriage which your Majesty contracted with this lady, his daughter, privately and by mutual agreement. Because,
By us thou art esteemed the most illustrious
Of noble husbands; and [S']akoontalá,
Virtue herself in human form revealed.
Great Brahmá hath in equal yoke united
A bride unto a husband worthy of her;
Henceforth let none make blasphemous complaint
That he is pleased with ill-assorted unions[81].
Since, therefore, she expects soon to be the mother of thy child, receive her into thy palace, that she may perform, in conjunction with thee, the ceremonies prescribed by religion on such an occasion.
GAUTAMÍ.
So please your Majesty, I would add a few words; but why should I intrude my sentiments when an opportunity of speaking my mind has never been allowed me?
She took no counsel with her kindred; thou
Didst not confer with thine, but all alone
Didst solemnize thy nuptials with thy wife.
Together, then, hold converse; let us leave you.
[S']AKOONTALÁ [Aside.
Ah! how I tremble for my lord's reply.
KING.
What strange proposal is this?
[S']AKOONTALÁ [Aside.
His words are like fire to me.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA
What do I hear? Dost thou, then, hesitate? Monarch, thou art well acquainted with the ways of the world, and knowest that
A wife, however virtuous and discreet,
If she live separate from her wedded lord,
Though under shelter of her parent's roof,
Is marked for vile suspicion. Let her dwell
Beside her husband, though he hold her not
In his affection. So her kinsmen will it.
KING.
Do you really mean to assert that I ever married this lady?
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Despondingly. Aside.
O my heart, thy worst misgivings are confirmed.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
Is it becoming in a monarch to depart from the rules of justice, because he repents of his engagements?
KING.
I cannot answer a question which is based on a mere fabrication.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
Such inconstancy is fortunately not common, except in men intoxicated by power.
KING.
Is that remark aimed at me?
GAUTAMÍ.
Be not ashamed, my daughter. Let me remove thy veil for a little space. Thy husband will then recognize thee.
[Removes her veil.
KING.
[Gazing at [S']AKOONTALÁ. Aside.
What charms are here revealed before mine eyes!
Truly no blemish mars the symmetry
Of that fair form; yet can I ne'er believe
She is my wedded wife; and like a bee
That circles round the flower whose nectared cup
Teems with the dew of morning, I must pause
Ere eagerly I taste the proffered sweetness.
[Remains wrapped in thought.
WARDER.
How admirably does our royal master's behaviour prove his regard for justice! Who else would hesitate for a moment when good fortune offered for his acceptance a form of such rare beauty?
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
Great King, why art thou silent?
KING.
Holy men, I have revolved the matter in my mind; but the more I think of it, the less able am I to recollect that I ever contracted an alliance with this lady. What answer, then, can I possibly give you when I do not believe myself to be her husband, and I plainly see that she is soon to become a mother?
[S']AKOONTALÁ
[Aside.
Woe! woe! Is our very marriage to be called in question by my own husband? Ah me! is this to be the end of all my bright visions of wedded happiness?
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
Beware!
Beware how thou insult the holy Sage!
Remember how he generously allowed
Thy secret union with his foster-child;
And how, when thou didst rob him of his treasure,
He sought to furnish thee excuse, when rather
He should have cursed thee for a ravisher.
[S']ÁRADWATA.
[S']árngarava, speak to him no more. [S']akoontalá, our part is performed; we have said all we have to say, and the King has replied in the manner thou hast heard. It is now thy turn to give him convincing evidence of thy marriage.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Aside.
Since his feeling towards me has undergone a complete revolution, what will it avail to revive old recollections? One thing is clear—I shall soon have to mourn my own widowhood.
[Aloud.]
My revered husband—
[Stops short.]
But no—I dare not address thee by this title, since thou hast refused to acknowledge our union. Noble descendant of Puru! It is not worthy of thee to betray an innocent-minded girl, and disown her in such terms, after having so lately and so solemnly plighted thy vows to her in the hermitage.
KING.
[Stopping his ears.
I will hear no more. Be such a crime far from my thoughts!
What evil spirit can possess thee, lady,
That thou dost seek to sully my good name
By base aspersions, like a swollen torrent,
That, leaping from its narrow bed, o'erthrows
The tree upon its bank, and strives to blend
Its turbid waters with the crystal stream?
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
If, then, thou really believest me to be the wife of another, and thy present conduct proceeds from some cloud that obscures thy recollection, I will easily convince thee by this token.
KING.
An excellent idea!
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
[Feeling for the ring.
Alas! alas! woe is me! There is no ring on my finger!
[Looks with anguish at GAUTAMÍ.
GAUTAMÍ.
The ring must have slipped off when thou wast in the act of offering homage to the holy water of [S']achí's sacred pool, near Sakrávatára[82].
KING. [Smiling.
People may well talk of the readiness of woman's invention! Here is an instance of it.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
Say, rather, of the omnipotence of fate. I will mention another circumstance, which may yet convince thee.
KING.
By all means let me hear it at once.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
One day, while we were seated in a jasmine-bower, thou didst pour into the hollow of thine hand some water, sprinkled by a recent shower in the cup of a lotus-blossom—
KING.
I am listening; proceed.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
At that instant, my adopted child, the little fawn, with soft, long eyes, came running towards us. Upon which, before tasting the water thyself, thou didst kindly offer some to the little creature, saying fondly:—'Drink first, gentle fawn.' But she could not be induced to drink from the hand of a stranger; though immediately afterwards, when I took the water in my own hand, she drank with perfect confidence. Then, with a smile, thou didst say;—'Every creature confides naturally in its own kind. You are both inhabitants of the same forest, and have learnt to trust each other.'
KING.
Voluptuaries may allow themselves to be seduced from the path of duty by falsehoods such as these, expressed in honeyed words.
GAUTAMÍ.
Speak not thus, illustrious Prince. This lady was brought up in a hermitage, and has never learnt deceit.
KING.
Holy matron,
E'en in untutored brutes, the female sex
Is marked by inborn subtlety—much more
In beings gifted with intelligence.
The wily Koïl[83], ere towards the sky
She wings her sportive flight, commits her eggs
To other nests, and artfully consigns
The rearing of her little ones to strangers.
[S']AKOONTALÁ. [Angrily.
Dishonourable man, thou judgest of others by thine own evil heart. Thou, at least, art unrivalled in perfidy, and standest alone—a base deceiver in the garb of virtue and religion—like a deep pit whose yawning mouth is concealed by smiling flowers.
KING. [Aside.
Her anger, at any rate, appears genuine, and makes me almost doubt whether I am in the right. For indeed,
When I had vainly searched my memory,
And so with stern severity denied
The fabled story of our secret loves,
Her brows, that met before in graceful curves,
Like the arched weapon of the god of love,
Seemed by her frown dissevered; while the fire
Of sudden anger kindled in her eyes.
[Aloud.]
My good lady, Dushyanta's character is well known to all. I comprehend not your meaning.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
Well do I deserve to be thought a harlot for having in the innocence of my heart, and out of the confidence I reposed in a Prince of Puru's race, entrusted my honour to a man whose mouth distils honey, while his heart is full of poison.
[Covers her face with her mantle, and bursts into tears.
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
Thus it is that burning remorse must ever follow rash actions which might have been avoided, and for which one has only one's self to blame.
Not hastily should marriage be contracted,
And specially in secret. Many a time,
In hearts that know not each the other's fancies,
Fond love is changed into most bitter hate.
KING.
How now! Do you give credence to this woman rather than to me, that you heap such accusations on me?
[S']ÁRNGARAVA. [Sarcastically.
That would be too absurd, certainly. You have heard the proverb:—
Hold in contempt the innocent words of those
Who from their infancy have known no guile;
But trust the treacherous counsels of the man
Who makes a very science of deceit.
KING.
Most veracious Bráhman, grant that you are in the right, what end would be gained by betraying this lady?
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
Ruin.
KING.
No one will believe that a Prince of Puru's race would seek to ruin others or himself.
[S']ÁRADWATA.
This altercation is idle, [S']árngarava. We have executed the commission of our preceptor; come, let us return.
[To the KING.
[S']akoontalá is certainly thy bride;
Receive her or reject her, she is thine.
Do with her, King, according to thy pleasure—
The husband o'er the wife is absolute.
Go on before us, Gautamí.
[They move away.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
What! is it not enough to have been betrayed by this perfidious man? Must you also forsake me, regardless of my tears and lamentations?
[Attempts to follow them.
GAUTAMÍ. [Stopping.
My son [S']árngarava, see! [S']akoontalá is following us, and with tears implores us not to leave her. Alas! poor child, what will she do here with a cruel husband who casts her from him?
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
[Turning angrily towards her.
Wilful woman, dost thou seek to be independent of thy lord?
[[S']AKOONTALÁ trembles with fear.
[S']akoontalá!
If thou art really what the King proclaims thee,
How can thy father e'er receive thee back
Into his house and home? but if thy conscience
Be witness to thy purity of soul,
E'en should thy husband to a handmaid's lot
Condemn thee, thou may'st cheerfully endure it.
When ranked among the number of his household.
Thy duty therefore is to stay. As for us, we must return immediately.
KING.
Deceive not this lady, my good hermit, by any such expectations.
The moon expands the lotus of the night,
The rising sun awakes the lily; each
Is with his own contented. Even so
The virtuous man is master of his passions,
And from another's wife averts his gaze[120].
[S']ÁRNGARAVA.
Since thy union with another woman has rendered thee oblivious of thy marriage with [S']akoontalá, whence this fear of losing thy character for constancy and virtue?
KING. [To his domestic PRIEST.
You must counsel me, revered Sir, as to my course of action.
Which of the two evils involves the greater or less sin?
Whether by some dark veil my mind be clouded.
Or this designing woman speak untruly,
I know not. Tell me, must I rather be
The base disowner of my wedded wife,
Or the defiling and defiled adulterer?
PRIEST. [After deliberation.
You must take an intermediate course.
KING.
What course, revered Sir? Tell me at once.
PRIEST.
I will provide an asylum for the lady in my own house until the birth of her child; and my reason, if you ask me, is this: Soothsayers have predicted that your first-born will have universal dominion. Now, if the hermit's daughter bring forth a son with the discus or mark of empire in the lines of his hand[84], you must admit her immediately into your royal apartments with great rejoicings; if not, then determine to send her back as soon as possible to her father.
KING. I bow to the decision of my spiritual advisor.
PRIEST.
Daughter, follow me.
[S']AKOONTALÁ.
O divine earth, open and receive me into thy bosom!
[Exit [S']AKOONTALÁ weeping, with the PRIEST and the HERMITS. The KING remains absorbed in thinking of her, though the curse still clouds his recollection.
A VOICE BEHIND THE SCENES.
A miracle! a miracle!
KING.
[Listening.
What has happened now?
PRIEST. [Entering with an air of astonishment.
Great Prince, a stupendous prodigy has just occurred.
KING.
What is it?
PRIEST.
May it please your Majesty, so soon as Kanwa's pupils had departed, [S']akoontalá, her eyes all bathed in tears, with outstretched arms, bewailed her cruel fate—
KING.
Well, well, what happened then?
PRIEST.
When suddenly a shining apparition,
In female shape, descended from the skies,
Near the nymph's pool, and bore her up to heaven.
[All remain motionless with astonishment.
KING.
My good priest, from the very first I declined having anything to do with this matter. It is now all over, and we can never, by our conjectures, unravel the mystery; let it rest; go, seek repose.
PRIEST.
[Looking at the KING.
Be it so. Victory to the King!
[Exit.
KING.
Vetravatí, I am tired out; lead the way to the bedchamber.
WARDER.
This way, Sire.
[They move away.
KING.
Do what I will, I cannot call to mind
That I did e'er espouse the sage's daughter;
Therefore I have disowned her; yet 'tis strange
How painfully my agitated heart
Bears witness to the truth of her assertion,
And makes me credit her against my judgment.
[Exeunt.
* * * * *
PRELUDE TO ACT VI.
SCENE.—A Street.
Enter the King's brother-in-law as SUPERINTENDENT of the city police; and with him TWO CONSTABLES, dragging a poor FISHERMAN, who has his hands tied behind his back.
BOTH THE CONSTABLES. [Striking the prisoner.
Take that for a rascally thief that you are; and now tell us, sirrah, where you found this ring—aye, the King's own signet-ring. See, here is the royal name engraved on the setting of the jewel.
FISHERMAN. [With a gesture of alarm.
Mercy! kind sirs, mercy! I did not steal it; indeed I did not.
FIRST CONSTABLE.
Oh! then I suppose the King took you for some fine Bráhman, and made you a present of it?
FISHERMAN.
Only hear me. I am but a poor fisherman, living at Sakrávatára—
SECOND CONSTABLE.
Scoundrel, who ever asked you, pray, for a history of your birth and parentage?
SUPERINTENDENT. [To one of the CONSTABLES.
Súchaka, let the fellow tell his own story from the beginning.
Don't interrupt him.
BOTH CONSTABLES.
As you please, master. Go on, then, sirrah, and say what you've got to say.
FISHERMAN.
You see in me a poor man, who supports his family by catching fish with nets, hooks, and the like.
SUPERINTENDENT. [Laughing.
A most refined occupation, certainly[85]!
FISHERMAN.
Blame me not for it, master,
The father's occupation, though despised
By others, casts no shame upon the son,
And he should not forsake it[86]. Is the priest
Who kills the animal for sacrifice
Therefore deemed cruel? Sure a low-born man
May, though a fisherman, be tender-hearted.
SUPERINTENDENT.
Well, well; go on with your story.
FISHERMAN.
One day I was cutting open a large carp[87] I had just hooked, when the sparkle of a jewel caught my eye, and what should I find in the fish's maw but that ring! Soon afterwards, when I was offering it for sale, I was seized by your honours. Now you know everything. Whether you kill me, or whether you let me go, this is the true account of how the ring came into my possession.
SUPERINTENDENT. [To one of the CONSTABLES.
Well, Jánuka, the rascal emits such a fishy odour that I have no doubt of his being a fisherman; but we must inquire a little more closely into this queer story about the finding of the ring. Come, we'll take him before the King's household.
BOTH CONSTABLES.
Very good, master. Get on with you, you cutpurse.
[All move on.
SUPERINTENDENT.
Now attend, Súchaka; keep your guard here at the gate; and hark ye, sirrahs, take good care your prisoner does not escape, while I go in and lay the whole story of the discovery of this ring before the King in person. I will soon return and let you know his commands.
BOTH CONSTABLES.
Go in, master, by all means; and may you find favour in the
King's sight.
[Exit SUPERINTENDENT. FIRST CONSTABLE.
[After an interval.
I say, Jánuka, the Superintendent is a long time away.
SECOND CONSTABLE.
Aye, aye; kings are not to be got at so easily. Folks must bide the proper opportunity.
FIRST CONSTABLE.
Jánuka, my fingers itch to strike the first blow at this royal victim here. We must kill him with all the honours, you know. I long to begin binding the flowers round his head[88].
[Pretends to strike a blow at the FISHERMAN.
FISHERMAN.
Your Honour surely will not put an innocent man to a cruel death.
SECOND CONSTABLE.
There's our Superintendent at last, I declare. See! he is coming towards us with a paper in his hand. We shall soon know the King's command; so prepare, my fine fellow, either to become food for the vultures, or to make acquaintance with some hungry cur.
SUPERINTENDENT.
[Entering.
Ho, there, Súchaka! set the fisherman at liberty, I tell you. His story about the ring is all correct. SÚCHAKA.
Oh! very good, Sir; as you please.
SECOND CONSTABLE.
The fellow had one foot in hell, and now here he is in the land of the living.
[Releases him.
FISHERMAN.
[Bowing to the SUPERINTENDENT.
Now, master, what think you of my way of getting a livelihood?
SUPERINTENDENT.
Here, my good man, the King desired me to present you with this purse. It contains a sum of money equal to the full value of the ring.
[Gives him the money.
FISHERMAN.
[Taking it and bowing.
His Majesty does me too great honour.
SÚCHAKA.
You may well say so. He might as well have taken you from the gallows to seat you on his state elephant.
JÁNUKA.
Master, the King must value the ring very highly, or he would never have sent such a sum of money to this ragamuffin.
SUPERINTENDENT.
I don't think he prizes it as a costly jewel so much as a memorial of some person he tenderly loves. The moment it was shown to him he became much agitated, though in general he conceals his feelings. SÚCHAKA.
Then you must have done a great service—
JÁNUKA.
Yes, to this husband of a fish-wife.
[Looks enviously at the FISHERMAN.
FISHERMAN.
Here's half the money for you, my masters. It will serve to purchase the flowers you spoke of, if not to buy me your good-will.
JÁNUKA.
Well, now, that's just as it should be.
SUPERINTENDENT.
My good fisherman, you are an excellent fellow, and I begin to feel quite a regard for you. Let us seal our first friendship over a glass of good liquor. Come along to the next wine-shop, and we'll drink your health.
ALL.
By all means.
[Exeunt.
* * * * *