The fire keeps burning as fiercely as ever, but I go on living within its flames!

KING. But you have seen me at last--your desire has been fulfilled.

SUDARSHANA. But did I seek to see you in the midst of this fearful doom? I know not what I saw, but my heart is still beating fast with fear.

KING. What did you see?

SUDARSHANA. Terrible,--oh, it was terrible! I am afraid even to think of it again. Black, black--oh, thou art black like the everlasting night! I only looked on thee for one dreadful instant. The blaze of the fire fell on your features--you looked like the awful night when a comet swings fearfully into our ken-- oh, then I closed my eyes--I could not look on you any more.

Black as the threatening storm-cloud, black as the sh.o.r.eless sea with the spectral red tint of twilight on its tumultuous waves!

KING. Have I not told you before that one cannot bear my sight unless one is already prepared for me? One would want to run away from me to the ends of the earth. Have I not seen this times without number? That is why I wanted to reveal myself to you slowly and gradually, not all too sudden.

SUDARSHANA. But sin came and destroyed all your hopes--the very possibility of a union with you has now become unthinkable to me.

KING. It will be possible in time, my Queen. The utter and bleak blackness that has to-day shaken you to your soul with fear will one day be your solace and salvation. What else can my love exist for?

SUDARSHANA. It cannot be, it is not possible. What will your love only do? My love has now turned away from you.

Beauty has cast its spell on me--this frenzy, this intoxication will never leave me--it has dazzled and fired my eyes, it has thrown its golden glamour over my very dreams! I have told you all now--punish me as you like.

KING. The punishment has already begun.

SUDARSHANA. But if you do not cast me off. I will leave you

KING. You have the utmost liberty to do as you like.

SUDARSHANA. I cannot bear your presence! My heart is angry at you. Why did you--but what have you done to me? ... Why are you like this? Why did they tell me you were fair and handsome?

Thou art black, black as night--I shall never, I can never, like you. I have seen what I love--it is soft as cream, delicate as the shirisha flower, beautiful as a b.u.t.terfly.

KING. It is false as a mirage, empty as a bubble.

SUDARSHANA. Let it be--but I cannot stand near you--I simply cannot! I must fly away from here. Union with you, it cannot be possible! It cannot be anything but a false union--my mind must inevitably turn away from you.

KING. Will you not even try a little?

SUDARSHANA. I have been trying since yesterday--but the more I try, the more rebellious does my heart become. If I stay with you I shall constantly be pursued and hounded by the thought that I am impure, that I am false and faithless.

KING. Well then, you can go as far from me as you like.

SUDARSHANA. I cannot fly away from you--just because you do not prevent my going. Why do you not hold me back, hold me by the hair, saying, "You shall not go"? Why do you not strike me? Oh, punish me, strike me, beat me with violent hands! But your unresisting silence makes me wild--oh, I cannot bear it!

KING. How do you think that I am really silent? How do you know that I am not trying to keep you back?

SUDARSHANA. Oh, no, no !--I cannot bear this--tell me aloud, command me with the voice of thunder, compel me with words that will drown everything else in my ears--do not let me off so easily, so mildly!

KING. I shall leave you free, but why should I let you break away from me?

SUDARSHANA. You will not let me? Well then, I must go!

KING. Go then!

SUDARSHANA. Then I am not to blame at all. You could have held me back by force, but you did not! You have not hindered me--and now I shall go away. Command your sentinels to prevent my going.

KING. No one will stand in your way. You can go as free as the broken storm-cloud driven by the tempest.

SUDARSHANA. I can resist no more--something in me is impelling me forward--I am breaking away from my anchor! Perhaps I shall sink, but I shall return no more. [She rushes out.]

[Enter SURANGAMA, who sings]

SURANGAMA. What will of thine is this that sends me afar! Again shall I come back at thy feet from all my wanderings. It is thy love that feigns this neglect--thy caressing hands are pushing me away--to draw me back to thy arms again! O my King, what is this game that thou art playing throughout thy kingdom?

SUDARSHANA. [re-entering] King, O King!

SURANGAMA. He has gone away.

SUDARSHANA. Gone away? Well then, ... then he has cast me off for good! I have come back, but he could not wait a single instant for me! Very well, then, I am now perfectly free.

Surangama, did he ask you to keep me back?

SURANGAMA. No, he said nothing.

SUDARSHANA. Why should he say anything? Why should he care for me? ... I am then free, perfectly free. But, Surangama, I wanted to ask one thing of the King, but could not utter it in his presence. Tell me if he has punished the prisoners with death.

SURANGAMA. Death? My King never punishes with death.

SUDARSHANA. What has he done to them, then?

SURANGAMA. He has set them at liberty. Kanchi has acknowledged his defeat and gone back to his kingdom.

SUDARSHANA. Ah, what a relief!

SURANGAMA. My Queen, I have one prayer to make to you.

SUDARSHANA. You will not have to utter your prayer in words, Surangama. Whatever jewellery and ornaments the King gave me, I leave to you--I am not worthy to wear them now.

SURANGAMA. No, I do not want them, my Queen. My master has never given me any ornaments to wear--my unadorned plainness is good enough for me. He has not given me anything of which I can boast before people.

SUDARSHANA. What do you want of me then?

SURANGAMA. I too shall go with you, my Queen.

SUDARSHANA. Consider what you are saying; you are wanting to leave your master. What a prayer for you to make!

SURANGAMA. I shall not go far from him--when you are going out unguarded he will be with you, close by your side.

SUDARSHANA. You are talking nonsense, my child. I wanted to take Rohini with me, but she would not come. What gives you courage enough to wish to come with me?

SURANGAMA. I have got neither courage nor strength. But I shall go--courage will come of itself, and strength too will come.

SUDARSHANA. No, I cannot take you with me; your presence will constantly remind me of my shame; I shall not be able to endure that.