The King of the Dark Chamber Part 7

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

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

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

SUDARSHANA. Would that Surangama were here! There would remain no 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 to know him. There is none to test her knowledge if she professes to know the King. If we were as shameless as she is, it would not have been difficult for us to boast about our acquaintance with the King.

SUDARSHANA. But no, she never boasts.

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

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

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

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

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

SUDARSHANA. Then do one thing: put these flowers on a lotus leaf, 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. He thought that I would not be able to recognise him: I cannot let him 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: I have never felt like this before. The white, silver light of the full moon is flooding the heavens and br.i.m.m.i.n.g over on every side like the bubbling foam of wine, ... It seizes on me like a yearning, 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 moving through the alleys and avenues of the mango trees? Call them hither, bring them to me: I want to hear them sing. [SERVANT goes out and enters with the boys.] Come, living emblems of youthful spring, begin your festive song! All my mind and body is song and music to-night--but the ineffable melody escapes my tongue: 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! Your song has filled my eyes with tears.... A fancy comes to me--that desire can never attain its object--it need never attain it.

What sweet hermit of the woods has taught you this song? Oh that my eyes could see him whose song my ears have heard! Oh, how I wish--I wish I could wander rapt and lovely in the thick woodland arbours of the heart! Dear boys of the hermitage! how shall I reward you? This necklace is but made of jewels, hard stones-- its hardness will give you pain--I have got nothing like the garlands 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 realised that no hand can really give the greatest of gifts. Still, let me hear all.

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

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

ROHINI. No; he sat there like a doll, without uttering a single word. I think he did not want to show that he understood nothing, so he just held his tongue.

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

ROHINI. How could I? The King of Kanchi, a very clever man, who was sitting by him, took in everything at a glance, and he just smiled a bit and said, "Emperor, the Queen Sudarshana sends your Majesty her greetings with these blossoms--the blossoms that belong to the G.o.d of Love, the friend of Spring." The King seemed to awake with a start, and said, "This is the crown of all my regal glory to-night." I was coming back, all out of countenance, when the King of Kanchi took off this necklace of jewels from the King's person, and said to me, "Friend, the King's garland gives itself up to you, in return for the happy fortune you have brought."

SUDARSHANA. What, Kanchi had to make the King understand all this! Woe is me, to-night's festival has opened wide for me the doors of ignominy and shame! What else could I expect? Leave me alone, Rohini; I want solitude for a time. [ROHINI goes out.] A great blow has shattered my pride to atoms to-day, and yet ... I cannot 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 to me again and again--to ask that garland of Rohini! But what would 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 as it 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 indifferent a manner. Take it off--I give you my bracelets if you leave it here. Take these bracelets, and go now. [ROHINI goes out.]

Another defeat! I should have thrown this necklace away,--but I could not! It is p.r.i.c.king me as if it were a garland of thorns-- but I cannot throw it away. This is what the G.o.d of the festival has brought me to-night--this necklace of ignominy and shame!

V

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

GRANDFATHER. Have you had enough of it, friends?

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

[Author's note: During the spring festival in India people throw red powder on each other. In this play this red powder has been taken to be the symbol of the pa.s.sion of love.]

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