Reading section 33

STAGE-MANAGER.--Charmingly sung! The audience are motionless as statues, their souls riveted by the enchanting strain. What subject shall we select for representation, that we may insure a continuance of their favor?

ACTRESS.--Why not the same, Sir, announced by you at first? Let the drama called "Śakoontalá, or the Lost Ring," be the subject of our dramatic performance.

STAGE-MANAGER.--Rightly reminded! For the moment I had forgotten it. Your song's transporting melody decoyed My thoughts, and rapt with ecstasy my soul; As now the bounding antelope allures The King Dushyanta on the chase intent. [_Exeunt._

ACT FIRST

Scene.--A Forest

_Enter King Dushyanta, armed with a bow and arrow, in a chariot, chasing an antelope, attended by his Charioteer_.

CHARIOTEER [_looking at the deer, and then at the King_].-- Great Prince, When on the antelope I bend my gaze, And on your Majesty, whose mighty bow Has its string firmly braced; before my eyes The god that wields the trident seems revealed, Chasing the deer that flies from him in vain.

KING.--Charioteer, this fleet antelope has drawn us far from my attendants. See! there he runs:-- Aye and anon his graceful neck he bends To cast a glance at the pursuing car; And dreading now the swift-descending shaft, Contracts into itself his slender frame: About his path, in scattered fragments strewn, The half-chewed grass falls from his panting mouth; See! in his airy bounds he seems to fly, And leaves no trace upon th'elastic turf. [_With astonishment_. How now! swift as is our pursuit, I scarce can see him.

CHARIOTEER.--Sire, the ground here is full of hollows; I have therefore drawn in the reins and checked the speed of the chariot. Hence the deer has somewhat gained upon us. Now that we are passing over level ground, we shall have no difficulty in overtaking him.

KING.--Loosen the reins, then.

CHARIOTEER.--The King is obeyed. [_Drives the chariot at full speed_.] Great Prince, see! see! Responsive to the slackened rein, the steeds Chafing with eager rivalry, career With emulative fleetness o'er the plain; Their necks outstretched, their waving plumes, that late Fluttered above their brows, are motionless; Their sprightly ears, but now erect, bent low; Themselves unsullied by the circling dust, That vainly follows on their rapid course.

KING [_joyously_].--In good sooth, the horses seem as if they would outstrip the steeds of Indra and the Sun.[33] That which but now showed to my view minute Quickly assumes dimension; that which seemed A moment since disjoined in diverse parts, Looks suddenly like one compacted whole; That which is really crooked in its shape In the far distance left, grows regular; Wondrous the chariot's speed, that in a breath, Makes the near distant and the distant near.

Now, Charioteer, see me kill the deer. [_Takes aim_.

A VOICE [_behind the scenes_].--Hold, O King! this deer belongs to our hermitage. Kill it not! kill it not!

CHARIOTEER [_listening and looking_].--Great King, some hermits have stationed themselves so as to screen the antelope at the very moment of its coming within range of your arrow.

KING [_hastily_].--Then stop the horses.

CHARIOTEER.--I obey. [_Stops the chariot_.

_Enter a Hermit, and two others with him_.

HERMIT [_raising his hand_].--This deer, O King, belongs to our hermitage. Kill it not! kill it not! Now heaven forbid this barbèd shaft descend Upon the fragile body of a fawn, Like fire upon a heap of tender flowers! Can thy steel bolts no meeter quarry find Than the warm life-blood of a harmless deer? Restore, great Prince, thy weapon to its quiver; More it becomes thy arms to shield the weak, Than to bring anguish on the innocent.

KING.--'Tis done. [_Replaces the arrow in its quiver_.

HERMIT.--Worthy is this action of a Prince, the light of Puru's race. Well does this act befit a Prince like thee, Right worthy is it of thine ancestry. Thy guerdon be a son of peerless worth, Whose wide dominion shall embrace the earth.

BOTH THE OTHER HERMITS [_raising their hands_].--May heaven indeed grant thee a son, a sovereign of the earth from sea to sea!

KING [_bowing._]--I accept with gratitude a Bráhman's benediction.

HERMIT.--We came hither, mighty Prince, to collect sacrificial wood. Here on the banks of the Máliní you may perceive the hermitage of the great sage Kanwa. If other duties require not your presence, deign to enter and accept our hospitality. When you behold our penitential rites Performed without impediment by Saints Rich only in devotion, then with pride Will you reflect, Such are the holy men Who call me Guardian; such the men for whom To wield the bow I bare my nervous arm, Scarred by the motion of the glancing string.

KING.--Is the Chief of your Society now at home?

HERMIT.--No; he has gone to Soma-tírtha to propitiate Destiny, which threatens his daughter Śakoontalá with some calamity; but he has commissioned her in his absence to entertain all guests with hospitality.

KING.--Good! I will pay her a visit. She will make me acquainted with the mighty sage's acts of penance and devotion.

HERMIT.--And we will depart on our errand. [_Exit with his companions_.

KING.--Charioteer, urge on the horses. We will at least purify our souls by a sight of this hallowed retreat.

CHARIOTEER.--Your Majesty is obeyed. [_Drives the chariot with great velocity_.

KING [_looking all about him_].--Charioteer, even without being told, I should have known that these were the precincts of a grove consecrated to penitential rites.

CHARIOTEER.--How so?

KING.--Do not you observe? Beneath the trees, whose hollow trunks afford Secure retreat to many a nestling brood Of parrots, scattered grains of rice lie strewn. Lo! here and there are seen the polished slabs That serve to bruise the fruit of Ingudí. The gentle roe-deer, taught to trust in man, Unstartled hear our voices. On the paths Appear the traces of bark-woven vests Borne dripping from the limpid fount of waters. And mark! Laved are the roots of trees by deep canals, Whose glassy waters tremble in the breeze; The sprouting verdure of the leaves is dimmed By dusky wreaths of upward curling smoke From burnt oblations; and on new-mown lawns Around our car graze leisurely the fawns.

CHARIOTEER.--I observe it all.

KING [_advancing a little further_].--The inhabitants of this sacred retreat must not be disturbed. Stay the chariot, that I may alight.

CHARIOTEER.--The reins are held in. Your Majesty may descend.

KING [_alighting_].--Charioteer, groves devoted to penance must be entered in humble attire. Take these ornaments. [_Delivers his ornaments and bow to the Charioteer_.] Charioteer, see that the horses are watered, and attend to them until I return from visiting the inhabitants of the hermitage.

CHARIOTEER.--I will. [_Exit_.

KING [_walking and looking about_].--Here is the entrance to the hermitage. I will now go in. [_Entering he feels a throbbing sensation in his arm_ Serenest peace is in this calm retreat, By passion's breath unruffled; what portends My throbbing arm? Why should it whisper here Of happy love? Yet everywhere around us Stand the closed portals of events unknown.

A VOICE [_behind the scenes_].--This way, my dear companions; this way.

KING [_listening_].--Hark! I hear voices to the right of yonder grove of trees. I will walk in that direction. [_Walking and looking about_.] Ah! here are the maidens of the hermitage coming this way to water the shrubs, carrying watering-pots proportioned to their strength. [_Gazing at them_.] How graceful they look! In palaces such charms are rarely ours; The woodland plants outshine the garden flowers. I will conceal myself in this shade and watch them. [_Stands gazing at them_.

_Enter Śakoontalá, with her two female companions, employed in the manner described_.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--This way, my dear companions; this way.

ANASÚYÁ.--Dear Śakoontalá, one would think that father Kanwa had more affection for the shrubs of the hermitage even than for you, seeing he assigns to you who are yourself as delicate as the fresh-blown jasmine, the task of filling with water the trenches which encircle their roots.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--Dear Anasúyá, although I am charged by my good father with this duty, yet I cannot regard it as a task. I really feel a sisterly love for these plants. [_Continues watering the shrubs_.

KING.--Can this be the daughter of Kanwa? The saintly man, though descended from the great Kaśyapa, must be very deficient in judgment to habituate such a maiden to the life of a recluse. The sage who would this form of artless grace Inure to penance--thoughtlessly attempts To cleave in twain the hard acacia's stem With the soft edge of a blue lotus leaf. Well! concealed behind this tree, I will watch her without raising her suspicions. [_Conceals himself_.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--Good Anasúyá, Priyamvadá has drawn this bark-dress too tightly about my chest. I pray thee, loosen it a little.

ANASÚYÁ.--I will. [_Loosens it_.

PRIYAMVADÁ [_smiling_].--Why do you lay the blame on me? Blame rather your own blooming youthfulness which imparts fulness to your bosom.

KING.--A most just observation! This youthful form, whose bosom's swelling charms By the bark's knotted tissue are concealed, Like some fair bud close folded in its sheath, Gives not to view the blooming of its beauty. But what am I saying? In real truth, this bark-dress, though ill-suited to her figure, sets it off like an ornament. The lotus with the Saivala entwined Is not a whit less brilliant: dusky spots Heighten the lustre of the cold-rayed moon: This lovely maiden in her dress of bark Seems all the lovelier. E'en the meanest garb Gives to true beauty fresh attractiveness.

ŚAKOONTALÁ [_looking before her_].--Yon Keśara-tree beckons to me with its young shoots, which, as the breeze waves them to and fro, appear like slender fingers. I will go and attend to it. [_Walks towards it_.

PRIYAMVADÁ.--Dear Śakoontalá, prithee, rest in that attitude one moment.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--Why so?

PRIYAMVADÁ.--The Keśara-tree, whilst your graceful form bends about its stem, appears as if it were wedded to some lovely twining creeper.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--Ah! saucy girl, you are most appropriately named Priyamvadá ("Speaker of flattering things").

KING.--What Priyamvadá says, though complimentary, is nevertheless true. Verily, Her ruddy lip vies with the opening bud; Her graceful arms are as the twining stalks; And her whole form is radiant with the glow Of youthful beauty, as the tree with bloom.

ANASÚYÁ.--See, dear Śakoontalá, here is the young jasmine, which you named "the Moonlight of the Grove," the self-elected wife of the mango-tree. Have you forgotten it?

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--Rather will I forget myself. [_Approaching the plant and looking at it_.] How delightful is the season when the jasmine-creeper and the mango-tree seem thus to unite in mutual embraces! The fresh blossoms of the jasmine resemble the bloom of a young bride, and the newly-formed shoots of the mango appear to make it her natural protector. [_Continues gazing at it_.

PRIYAMVADÁ [_smiling_].--Do you know, my Anasúyá, why Śakoontalá gazes so intently at the jasmine?

ANASÚYÁ.--No, indeed, I cannot imagine. I pray thee tell me.