Reading section 43

GAUTAMÍ.--The ring must have slipped off when thou wast in the act of offering homage to the holy water of Śachí's sacred pool, near Śakrávatára.

KING [_smiling_].--People may well talk of the readiness of woman's invention! Here is an instance of it.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--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.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--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.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--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 Köil, 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.

ŚAKOONTALÁ [_angrily_].--Dishonorable 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.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--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, intrusted my honor to a man whose mouth distils honey, while his heart is full of poison. [_Covers her face with her mantle, and bursts into tears_.

ŚÁRNGARAVA.--Thus is it 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?

ŚÁRNGARAVA [_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?

ŚÁRNGARAVA.--Ruin.

KING.--No one will believe that a Prince of Puru's race would seek to ruin others or himself.

ŚÁRADWATA.--This altercation is idle, Śárngarava. We have executed the commission of our preceptor; come, let us return. [_To the King_. Śakoontalá 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_.

ŚAKOONTALÁ.--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 Śárngarava, see, Śakoontalá 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?

ŚÁRNGARAVA [_turning angrily towards her_].--Wilful woman, dost thou seek to be independent of thy lord? [_Śakoontalá trembles with fear_.

ŚÁRNGARAVA.--Śakoontalá! 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 passions, And from another's wife averts his gaze.

ŚÁRNGARAVA.--Since thy union with another woman has rendered thee oblivious of thy marriage with Śakoontalá, 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.

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

[_Exit Śakoontalá 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, Śakoontalá, 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.--Vetravatí, 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 assertion, 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 Bráhman, and made you a present of it?

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

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.