Chapter 5Scene 4

The forest near Dongurh. By the waterfall. Enter Captain and soldiers escorting Comol Cumary, Coomood, Nirmol and Ishany in palanquins. ISHANY (from her palanquin) Set down the palanquins. Captain, make void This region; here the princess would repose Beside the murmuring waterfall awhile And breathe into her heart the winds of Dongurh. Exit Captain with soldiers and palanquin- bearers. The girls leave their palanquins. COMOL Coomood, this is the waterfall we loved To lean by, singing to the lyre the deeds Our fathers wrought or listening silently Its soft continuous roar. Beyond that bend We shall see Dongurh, — Dongurh, our delight Where we were children, Coomood. COOMOOD Comol, our tree’s All scarlet, as if splashed with crimson fire, Just as of old. COMOL O it is Spring, and this Is Dongurh. ISHANY Girls, we must not linger long.

Act I, Scene 4 Our Scythian, missing us, may take the hills. NIRMOL Purse-cheeks? Oh, he has lifted Mera the servant-girl to his saddle-bow by now and is garlanding her Queen of Cashmere. I wish I were there to be bridesmaid. COMOL That was a sweet touch of thine, Nirmol. But the child deserves her promotion; she has served me willingly. A Scythian throne is no great wages for service to a Rajpoot princess. COOMOOD How the hill gives you back your laughter, repeating Its sweetness with delight, as if it had a soul To love you. COMOL We have shaken them off prettily by turning away through the hills. Alas! my royal father will not greet his little empress this journey, nor my lady mother scent her blossom on a Rajpoot crest. They must even put up with their poor simple Comol Cumary just as she was, — (aside) and as she will be until her heart finds its mate. NIRMOL It is a sin, I tell you, Comol; I am mad when I think of it. Why, I came out to be abducted; I did not come for a quiet stroll through the woodlands. But I have still hopes of our Bheel cateran, our tangle-locked Krishna of the hill-sides; surely he will not be so ungallant as to let such sweet booty pass through his kingdom ungathered. COMOL I would gladly see this same stripling and talk to him face to face who sets his Bheel arrows against our Rajpoot swords. He should be a man at least, no Scythian Toraman.

The Prince of Edur ISHANY The presumptuous savage! it will earn him a stake yet for his last session. Were I a man, I would burn these wasps from their nest and catch and crush them in my mailed gauntlet as they buzzed out into the open. SHOUTS OUTSIDE Bappa! Bappa! Ho Sheva Ekling! CAPTAIN (shouting within) Lances, lances, Rajpoots! Bearers, to the palanquins! COMOL Bappa! NIRMOL (laughing) You’ll have that talk with Bappa yet, Comol. COOMOOD Oh, let us flee! They swarm towards us. ISHANY Stand firm! Our gallant lances soon will prick These bold hill-foxes to their lairs. Stand firm! We should but fly into the mouth of danger. COMOL (climbing on to a rock) You Gods! our Rajpoots all are overwhelmed Before they used their weapons. What next, Ishany? Shall we sit still to be made prisoners? ISHANY Get swiftly to your palanquin. The bearers Run hither. Flee towards the valley road! It may be that the swords of Ichalgurh Range there already.

Act I, Scene 4 COMOL Shall I escape alone? ISHANY Ah, save the glory of Edur from disgrace Of savage handling! Enter the palanquin-bearers fleeing. Halt! Take your princess, men, And flee with her into the valley road. FIRST BEARER The funeral fire in the mouth of your princess! Every man save himself. Exit with most of the bearers. SECOND BEARER Halt, halt! We have eaten and shall we not pay for the salt? Yes, even with our blood. We four will take her, if we are not cut into pieces first. Into the palanquin, lady. NIRMOL Quick, Comol! or are you longing for your palaver with Tangle- locks? Comol enters the palanquin. COOMOOD What will become of us? NIRMOL We shall become Bheel housewives. After all, a Scythian throne Was better. ISHANY We have our weapons to befriend us yet. Coomood, look not so pale.

The Prince of Edur NIRMOL See, see, Ishany! The Bheels are leaping down upon our rear. ISHANY Quick, bearers, bearers. NIRMOL It is too late. She’s taken. Enter Kodal and Bheels. KODAL Whoever wants an arrow through his skull, let him move his shanks. Women, you are my brother Bappa’s prisoners; we have need of some Rajpoot slavegirls for his kitchen. Take them, my children, and tie them. ISHANY Stab any who comes; let not these lumps of dirt Insult your Rajpoot bodies with their fingers. KODAL Shut your mouth, Rajpootny, or I will skewer your tongue to your palate with an arrow. Knock their daggers out of their hands. He lays his hand on Nirmol’s wrist. Enter Sungram. NIRMOL Off, savage! I will have no tongue-skewerer for my husband. SUNGRAM Release her, Kodal. Lay not thy Bheel hand Upon a Rajpoot virgin. Maiden of Edur, Expect no outrage. We are men who keep Some tincture of manners yet, though savage hills Harbour us and our looks and deeds are rugged

Act I, Scene 4 As the wild land we dwell in. NIRMOL I grant you that. If you are the master-jockey, the winners of this handicap are no such rank outsiders after all. KODAL Because thou art a Rajpoot, must thou command me? To me, Bheels! Tie up these Rajpootnies hand and leg like so many chickens. Heed not Sungram. SUNGRAM Mutineer! (draws his sword) ISHANY (rapidly approaching the bearers) Slip off unnoticed while they brawl; run, run! O save the princess! SECOND BEARER We will do our man’s best. Silently, men, and swiftly. KODAL I boggle not for your sword, Rajpoot. Taste my arrows. Exeunt bearers with Comol in the palanquin. Bappa and Prithuraj enter from the other side. BAPPA Now, what’s the matter, Kodal? KODAL Why, Bappa, these new servant-girls of yours will not come to heel; they talk proudly. Yet Sungram will not let me teach them manners, because, I think, they are his aunt’s cousins. BAPPA They shall be obedient, Kodal. Leave them to me. Remember Sungram’s your commander, brother.

The Prince of Edur What, you, a soldier, and break discipline! KODAL I am your soldier, Bappa. Sungram, you shall have your Raj- pootny. I am a soldier, Rajpoot, and know my duty. COOMOOD Is this the Bheel? the rough and uncouth outlaw? He has a princely bearing. This is surely A Rajpoot and of a high-seated blood. BAPPA Which of you’s Edur’s princess? Let her stand Before me. ISHANY Who art thou that speakst so proudly As if a Rajpoot princess were thy slave, Outlaw? BAPPA Whoe’er I am, you are in my hands, My spoil and captives. Speak, which is the princess? COOMOOD Out of thy grip and now almost in safety, Chieftain, upon the valley road. ISHANY Coomood, Thou hast betrayed thy sister by thy folly And into vilest shame. COOMOOD At least I’ll share it. Exit.

Act I, Scene 4 BAPPA Ay, so? these maidens are but three. Kodal, Four palanquins were on the road, thou toldst me. KODAL Sungram, give thy sword a twist in my guts. While I wrangled with thee, the best shikar of all has skedaddled. BAPPA Nay, mend it, — intercept the fugitive. Exit Kodal with Bheels. The other too has fled? but she’s on foot. Sungram and Prithuraj, lead these fair captives Into their prison. I will go and seize The runaways. ISHANY They are not for thee yet, Hill-cateran, while I stand between. PRITHURAJ Oh, here’s A Rajpoot spirit. BAPPA Foolish girl, canst thou Oppose the stormblast with a dove’s white wings? As he goes out, she strikes at him with a dagger; he seizes her wrist and puts her by. Exit Bappa. PRITHURAJ Thou hast a brave but headstrong spirit, maiden. It is no savages to whom your Fates Are kind, but men of Rajpoot blood and nurture. Have I your leave? He lays his hand on her wrist.

The Prince of Edur ISHANY (sullenly) You take it in these hills Before the asking, as it seems. (throwing away her dagger) Away, Thou useless helper. PRITHURAJ Very useless, maiden. When help is needed, ask it of my sword. ISHANY You play the courteous brigand. I shall need No help to cast myself out of the reach Of villains’ courtesies. PRITHURAJ (lifting her in his arms) ’Tis not so easy. Must I then teach you you’re a prisoner? Come, be more patient. You shall yet be glad Of the sweet violence today we do you. He carries her out. SUNGRAM Must we follow in the same order? NIRMOL By your leave, no. I turn eleven stone or thereabouts. SUNGRAM I will not easily believe it. Will you suffer me to test the measure? NIRMOL I fear you would prove an unjust balance; so I will even walk, if you will help me over the rough places. It seems you were not Krishna after all?

Act I, Scene 4 SUNGRAM Why, take me for brother Balaram then. Is not your name Revaty? NIRMOL It is too early in the day for a proposal; positively, I will not say either yes or no till the evening. On, Balaram! I follow. Exeunt.