MESSENGER. [entering] Princess, the Kings are waiting for you in the hall. [Exit.]

SUDARSHANA. Surangama, bring me the veil. [SURANGAMA goes out.]

O King, my only King! You have left me alone, and you have been but just in doing so. But will you not know the inmost truth within my soul? [Taking out a dagger from within her bosom.]

This body of mine has received a stain--I shall make a sacrifice of it to-day in the dust of the hall, before all these princes!

But shall I never be able to tell you that I know of no stain of faithlessness within the hidden chambers of my heart? That dark chamber where you would come to meet me lies cold and empty within my bosom to-day--but, O my Lord! none has opened its doors, none has entered it but you, O King! Will you never come again to open those doors? Then, let death come, for it is dark like yourself, and its features are beautiful as yours . It is you--it is yourself, O King!

XV

[The Gathering of the PRINCES]

VIDARBHA. King of Kanchi, how is it that you have not got a single piece of ornament on your person?

KANCHI. Because I entertain no hopes at all, my friend.

Ornaments would but double the shame of my defeat.

KALINGA. But your umbrella-bearer seems to have made up for that,--he is loaded with gold and jewellery all over.

VIRAT. The King of Kanchi wants to demonstrate the futility and inferiority of outer beauty and grandeur. Vanity of his prowess has made him discard all outer embellishments from his limbs.

KOSLIALA. I am quite up to his trickery; he is seeking to prove his own dignity, maintaining a severe plainness among the bejewelled princes.

PANCHALA. I cannot commend his wisdom in this matter. Every one knows that a woman's eyes are like a moth in that they fling themselves headlong on the glare and glitter of jewel and gold.

KALINGA. But how long shall we have to wait more?

KANCHI. Do not grow impatient, King of Kalinga--sweet are the fruits of delay.

KALINGA. If I were sure of the fruit I could have endured it.

It is because my hopes of tasting the fruit are extremely precarious that my eagerness to have a sight of her breaks through all bounds.

KANCHI. But you are young still--abandoned hope comes back to you again and again like a shameless woman at your age: we, however, have long pa.s.sed that stage.

KOSHALA. Kanchi, did you feel as if something shook your seat just now? Is it an earthquake?

KANCHI. Earthquake? I do not know.

VIDARBHA. Or perhaps some other prince is coming with his army.

KALINGA. There is nothing against your theory except that we should have first heard the news from some herald or messenger in that case.

VIDARBHA. I cannot regard this as a very auspicious omen.

KANCHI. Everything looks inauspicious to the eye of fear.

VIDARBHA. I fear none except Fate, before which courage or heroism is as futile as it is absurd.

PANCHALA. Vidarbha, do not darken to-day's happy proceedings with your unwelcome prognostications.

KANCHI. I never take the unseen into account till it has become "seen."

VIDARBHA. But then it might be too late to do anything.

PANCHALA. Did we not all of us start at a specially auspicious moment?

VIDARBHA. Do you think you insure against every possible risk by starting at auspicious moments? It looks as if--

KANCHI. You had better let the "as if" alone: though our own creation, it often proves our ruin and destruction.

KALINGA. Isn't that music somewhere outside?

PANCHALA. Yes, it sounds like music, sure enough.

KANCHI. Then at last it must be the Queen Sudarshana who is approaching near. [Aside to SUVARNA.] Suvarna, you must not hide and cower behind me like that. Mind, the umbrella in your hand is shaking!

[Enter GRANDFATHER, dressed as a warrior]

KALINGA. Who is that?--Who are you?

PANCHALA. Who is this that dares to enter this hall without being invited?

VIRAT. Amazing impudence! Kalinga, just prevent the fellow from advancing further.

KALINGA. You are all my superiors in age--you are fitter to do that than myself.

VIDARBHA. Let us hear what he has to say.

GRANDFATHER. The KING has come.

VIDARBHA. [starting] King?

PANCHALA. Which King?

KALINGA. Where does he come from?

GRANDFATHER. My King!

VIRAT. Your King?

KALINGA. Who is he?

KOSHALA. What do you mean?

GRANDFATHER. You all know whom I mean. He has come.

VIDARBHA. He has come?