Chapter 9Scene 3

A room in Vasavadutta’s apartments. Vasavadutta, Munjoolica, Umba. VASAVADUTTA But hast thou seen him? MUNJOOLICA Yes! VASAVADUTTA Speak, perverse silence. Thou canst chatter when thou wilt. MUNJOOLICA What shall I say Except that thou art always fortunate. Since first thy soft feet moved upon our earth, O living Luxmie, beauty, wealth and joy Run overpacked into thy days, and grandeurs Unmeasured. Now the greatest king on earth Becomes thy servant. VASAVADUTTA That’s the greatest king’s Proud fortune and not mine; for nothing now Can raise me higher than I am whose father Is sovereign over greatest kings. Nothing are these And what I long to know thou dost not tell. What is he like?

Vasavadutta MUNJOOLICA I have seen the lord of love Wearing a golden human body. VASAVADUTTA (with a pleased smile) So fair! MUNJOOLICA As thou art; yes, and more. VASAVADUTTA More! MUNJOOLICA Cry not out. His eyes are proud and smiling like the god’s; His voice is like the sudden call of Spring. VASAVADUTTA O dear to me even as myself, wear this! She puts her own chain round her neck. MUNJOOLICA That is my happiness; keep thy gifts. VASAVADUTTA Think them My love around thy neck. Thou hast spoken truly, Not woven fictions to beguile my heart? Then tell me more, tell tell, thou dearest one. Not that I care for these things, but would know. MUNJOOLICA Let thy eyes care not then, but gaze. Gopalaca comes, bringing in Vuthsa.

Act III, Scene 3 VASAVADUTTA My brother! Long thou wast far from me. GOPALACA For thy sake far. Much have I flung, my sister, at thy feet Nor thought my gifts were worthy of thy smile, Not even Sourashtra’s captive daughter here, The living flower and jewel of her race. But now I give indeed. This is that famous boy, Vuthsa Udaian, great Cowsamby’s king, Brought by my hands to serve thee in our house. Look on him; tell me if I have deserved. VASAVADUTTA (looking covertly at Vuthsa) Much love, dear brother; not that any prize I value as of worth for such as we, But thy love gives it price. GOPALACA My love for both. My gift is precious to me, for my heart Possessed him long before my hands have seized. Then love him well, for so thou lov’st me twice. VASAVADUTTA Dear then and prized although a slave. GOPALACA Are we not all Thy servants? The wide costly world is less, My sister, than thy noble charm and grace And beauty and the sweetness of thy soul Deserve, O Vasavadutta.

Vasavadutta VASAVADUTTA (smiling, pleased) Is it so? GOPALACA My sister, thou wast born from Luxmie’s heart, And we, thy brothers, feel in thee, not us, Our father’s fate inherited; our warrings Seek for thy girdle all the conquered earth. VASAVADUTTA I know it, brother. GOPALACA From thy childhood, yes, Thou seem’dst to know, ruling with queenly eyes. But since thou knowest, queen, assume thy fiefs Cowsamby and Ayodhya for our house! VASAVADUTTA (glancing at Vuthsa, then avoiding his eyes) Since he’s my slave, they are already mine. GOPALACA No; understand me, sister; make them thine. Thou, Vuthsa, serve thy mistress and obey. He goes out. VASAVADUTTA He is a boy, a marvellous golden boy. I am surely older! I can play with him. There is no fear, no difficulty at all. (to Vuthsa) What is thy name? I’ll hear it from thy lips. VUTHSA Vuthsa.

Act III, Scene 3 VASAVADUTTA Thou tremblest, Vuthsa; dost thou fear? VUTHSA Perhaps. There is a fear in too much joy. VASAVADUTTA (smiling) I did not hear. My brother loves thee well. Take comfort. If thou serve me faithfully, Thou hast no cause for any grief at all. Thou art Cowsamby’s king — VUTHSA Men call me so. VASAVADUTTA And now my servant. VUTHSA That my heart repeats. VASAVADUTTA (smiling) I did not hear. Cowsamby’s king, my slave, What canst thou do to please me? VUTHSA Dost thou choose To know the songs that shake the tranquil gods Or hear on earth the harps of heaven? dost thou Desire such lines and hues of living truth As make earth’s shadows pale? or wilt thou have The infinite abysmal silences Made vocal, clothed with form? These things at birth The Kinnarie, Vidyadhur and Gundhurva Around me crowding on Himaloy dumb Gave to the silent god that lived in me Before my outer mind held thought. All these

Vasavadutta I can make thine. VASAVADUTTA Vuthsa, I take all these, All thy life’s ornaments that thou wearst, for mine And am not satisfied. VUTHSA Dost thou desire The earth made thine by my victorious bow? Send me then forth to battle; earth is thine. VASAVADUTTA I take the earth and am not satisfied. VUTHSA Say then what thing shall please thee in thy slave, What thou desir’st from Vuthsa. VASAVADUTTA Do I know? Not less than all thou canst and all thou hast, — (hesitating a little) And all thou art. VUTHSA All’s thine. VASAVADUTTA I speak and hear And know not what I say, nor what thou meanst. VUTHSA The deepest things are those thought seizes not; Our spirits live their hidden meaning out.

Act III, Scene 3 VASAVADUTTA (after a troubled silence in which she tries to recover herself) I know not how we passed into this strain. Such words are troubling to the mind and heart; Leave them. VUTHSA They have been spoken. VASAVADUTTA Let them rest. Vuthsa, my slave who promisest me much, Great things thou offerest, small things I’ll demand From thee, yet hard. Since he’s my prisoner, Munjoolica and Umba, guard this boy; You are his jailors. When I need him near me Bring him to me. Go, Vuthsa, to thy room. Vuthsa falls at her feet which he touches. What dost thou? It is not permitted thee. VUTHSA Not this? That’s hard. VASAVADUTTA (troubled and feigning anger) Thou art too bold a slave. VUTHSA Let me be earth beneath thy tread at least. VASAVADUTTA O, take him from me; I have enough of him. Thou, Umba, see he bribes thee not or worse. UMBA I will be bribed to make thee smart for that. Where shall we put him? In the turret rooms Beside the terrace where thou walkst when moonlight

Vasavadutta Sleeps on the sward? VASAVADUTTA There; it is nearest. UMBA (taking Vuthsa’s hand) Come. They go out, leaving Vasavadutta alone. VASAVADUTTA Will he charm me from my purpose with a smile? How beautiful he is, how beautiful! There is a fear, there is a happy fear. But he is mine, his eyes confessed my yoke. Surely I shall do all my will with him. I sent him from me, his words troubled me And yet delighted. They have a witchery, — No, not his words, but voice. ’Tis not his voice, Nor yet his face, his smile, his flower-soft eyes, And yet it is all these and something more. (shaking her head) I fear it will be difficult after all.