Chapter 15Act V, Scene 1

Act V Scene 1 A room in Vasavadutta’s apartments. Vasavadutta, Munjoolica.

So thou hast dared to come.

MUNJOOLICA

I have. Thou, dare To look me in the eyes. Thou canst not. Then?

Hast thou no fear of punishment at all?

MUNJOOLICA For shutting thee in with heaven? none, none at all.

How didst thou dare?

MUNJOOLICA

How didst thou dare, proud girl, To make of kings and princesses thy slaves? How dare to drag Sourashtra’s daughter here, To keep her as thy servant and to load With gifts, caresses, chidings and commands, The puppet of thy sweet imperious will? Thinkst thou my heart within me was not hot? But now I am avenged on thee and all.

Vindictive traitress, I will beat thee.

MUNJOOLICA

Do And I will laugh and ask thee of the night.

Then take thy chastisement.

She seizes and beats her with the

tassels of her girdle.

MUNJOOLICA

Stop! I’ll bear no more. Art not ashamed to spend thy heart in play Knowing what thou hast done and what may come? Think rather of what thou wilt do against Thy dangerous morrow.

See what thou hast done! How shall I look my father in the eyes? What speak? what do? my Vuthsa how protect?

MUNJOOLICA Thy father must not know of this.

Thou thinkst My joy can be shut in from every eye? Besides thee I have other serving-girls.

MUNJOOLICA None who’ld betray thee. This thing known, his wrath Would strike thy husband.

Me rather. I will throw My heart and body, twice his shield, between.

MUNJOOLICA You will be torn apart and Vuthsa penned In some deep pit or fiercer vengeance taken To soothe the stern man’s outraged heart.

Alas! Thou hast a brain; give me thy counsel. The ill Thyself hast done, must thou not remedy?

MUNJOOLICA If thou entreat me much, I will and can.

I shall entreat thee!

MUNJOOLICA

Help thyself, proud child.

O, if I have thee at advantage ever! Stay! I beseech thee, my Munjoolica, —

MUNJOOLICA More humbly!

Oh!

She kneels.

I clasp thy feet. O friend, In painful earnest I beseech thee now To think, plan, spend for my sake all thy thought. Remember how I soothed thy fallen life Which might have been so hard. O thou my playmate, Joy, servant, sister who hast always been, Help me, save him, deceive my father’s wrath, Then ask from me what huge reward thou wilt.

MUNJOOLICA Nothing at all. Vengeance is sweet enough Upon thy father and Gopalaca. I’m satisfied now. First give me a promise; Obey me absolutely in all things Till Vuthsa’s free.

I promise. Thou art my guide And I will walk religiously thy path.

MUNJOOLICA Then think it done.

Vuthsa, I asked not for thee.

VUTHSA Thou didst. I heard thy heart demand me.

MUNJOOLICA

Hark! What is this noise and laughter in the court? See, see, the hunchbacked laughable old man! What antics!

VUTHSA

Surely I know well those eyes. Munjoolica, this is a friend. He must Be brought here to me.

MUNJOOLICA

Princess, let us call him. It is an admirable buffoon.

Fie on thee! Is this an hour for jests and antics?

MUNJOOLICA (looking significantly at her)

Yes.

Call him.

MUNJOOLICA

And thou go in.

How, in!

MUNJOOLICA

This girl! Hast thou not promised to obey me?

Yes.

She goes in. Munjoolica descends.

VUTHSA Yougundharayan sends him. O, he strikes The hour as if a god had planned all out. This world’s the puppet of a silent Will Which moves unguessed behind our acts and thoughts; Events bewildered follow its dim guidance And flock where they are needed. Is’t not thus, O Thou, our divine Master, that Thou rulest, Nor car’st at all because Thy joy and power Are seated in Thyself beyond the ages?

Munjoolica returns bringing in

Vasuntha disguised. Who is this ancient shape thou bringest?

MUNJOOLICA

I’ld know If he has a tongue as famous as his hump And as preposterous; that to learn I bring him.

VASUNTHA Where is the only lady of the age? Princes or else domestics, —

MUNJOOLICA

Something, sir, of both.

VASUNTHA O masters then of princes, think not that I scorn Your prouder royalty; but now if any Will introduce my hungry old hunchback To Avunthy’s far-famed paragon of girls, He shall have tithe of all my golden gains.

MUNJOOLICA Why not to Avunthy’s governor and a prison, Yougundharayan’s spy?

VASUNTHA (looking at Vuthsa)

What’s this? what’s this?

MUNJOOLICA Strong tonic for a young old man.

VUTHSA

Speak freely Thy message; there are only friends who hear.

VASUNTHA (to Vuthsa, with a humorous glance at

Munjoolica) Thy hours were not ill-spent. But thou hast nearly Frighted these poor young hairs to real grey, My sportive lady. Hear now why I crouch Beneath the hoary burden of this beard And the insignia of a royal hump, — And an end to jesting. Vuthsa, in thy city The people clamour; they besiege thy ministers Railing at treason and demanding thee; Nor can their rage be stilled. Do swiftly then Whatever thou must do yet, swiftly break forth Or war will seek thee clamouring round these doors. To bear thy message back to him I come, Upon Avunthy’s mountain verge who lurks, Or else to aid thee if our help thou needest.

VUTHSA Let him restrain my army forest-screened Where the thick woodlands weave a border large To the ochre garment round Avunthy’s loins Nearest Ujjayiny. Under the cavern-hill Of Lokanatha let him lie, but never Transgress that margin till my chariot comes.

VASUNTHA ’Tis all?

VUTHSA

In my own strength all else I’ll do.

VASUNTHA Good; then I go?

VUTHSA

Yes, but with gold, thy fee, To colour thy going. Bring him gold, dear friend, Or take from Vasavadutta gem or trinket That shall bear out his mask to jealous eyes.

Munjoolica goes into the inner chamber.

VASUNTHA Leave that to me.

VUTHSA

Thou hast adventured much For my sake.

VASUNTHA

Poor Alurca cried to come, But this thing asked for brains and he had only Blunt courage and a harp. The danger’s nothing, But oh, this hump! I shall not soon walk straight, Nor rid myself of all the loyal aches I bear for thee.

VUTHSA

Pangs fiercer would have chased them, Hadst thou been caught, my friend. I shall remember.

Munjoolica returns with gold and a trinket. Take now these gauds; haste, make thy swiftest way, For I come close behind thee.

Vasuntha goes.

MUNJOOLICA

Tell me thy plan.

VUTHSA These chambers are too strongly kept.

MUNJOOLICA

But there’s The pleasure-ground.

VUTHSA

Let Vasavadutta call Her brothers on an evening to the park And wine flow fast. The nights are moonlit now. How many gates?

MUNJOOLICA

Three, but the southern portal Nearest the ramparts.

VUTHSA

There, how many guard?

MUNJOOLICA Three armed Kiratha women keep the gate.

VUTHSA I cannot hurt them. Thou must find a way.

MUNJOOLICA They shall be drowned in wine. The streets outside?

VUTHSA A chariot, — find one for me. I cannot fight With Vasavadutta on my breast.

MUNJOOLICA

I think That I shall find one.

VUTHSA

Do it. The rest is easy, To break the keepers of the city-gate In one fierce moment and be out and far. There are arms enough in the palace?

MUNJOOLICA

The armoury I use sometimes.

VUTHSA

Conceal them in the grounds. No, in the chariot let them wait for me.

MUNJOOLICA Thou wilt need both thy hands in such a fight. Vuthsa, I’ll be thy charioteer.

VUTHSA

Thou canst?

MUNJOOLICA Hope not to find a better in thy realms.

VUTHSA My battle-comrade then! Words are not needed Between us.

He goes out.

MUNJOOLICA

More than that before all’s done I will be to thee. Good fortune makes hard things Most easy; for the god comes with laden hands. If the strange word the queen half spoke to me Means anything, Vicurna’s car shall bear His sister to her joy and sovereign throne.