Hindu literature Part 62

SaRADWATA.--This altercation is idle, Sarngarava. We have executed the commission of our preceptor; come, let us return. [_To the King_.

Sakoontala 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, Gautami. [_They move away_.

SAKOONTALa.--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_.

GAUTAMi [_stopping_].--My son Sarngarava, see, Sakoontala 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?

SaRNGARAVA [_turning angrily towards her_].--Wilful woman, dost thou seek to be independent of thy lord?

[_Sakoontala trembles with fear_.

SaRNGARAVA.--Sakoontala!

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 the 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 pa.s.sions, And from another's wife averts his gaze.

SaRNGARAVA.--Since thy union with another woman has rendered thee oblivious of thy marriage with Sakoontala, whence this fear of losing thy character for constancy and virtue?

KING [_to the 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, 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 adviser.

PRIEST.--Daughter, follow me.

SAKOONTALa.--O divine earth, open and receive me into thy bosom!

[_Exit Sakoontala 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, Sakoontala, 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 nymphs' 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.--Vetravati, I am tired out; lead the way to the bed-chamber.

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 a.s.sertion, And makes me credit her against my judgment.

[_Exeunt._

PRELUDE TO ACT SIXTH

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 Brahman, and made you a present of it?

FISHERMAN.--Only hear me. I am but a poor fisherman, living at Sakravatara------

SECOND CONSTABLE.--Scoundrel, who ever asked you, pray, for a history of your birth and parentage?

SUPERINTENDENT [_to one of the Constables_].--Suchaka, 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!

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. Is the priest Who kills the animal for sacrifice Therefore deemed cruel? Sure a lowborn man May, though a fisherman, be tender-hearted.

SUPERINTENDENT.--Well, well; go on with your story.