Class J \l^^—^ BookA^-KJT CaSEffilGHT DEPOSm THE KING OF THE DARK CHAMBER THE MACMILLAN COMPANY HEW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO • DALLAS ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., Limited LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. TORONTO THE KING OP THE DAKK CHAMBER BY ^V^ RABINDRANATH TAGORE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY THE AUTHOR N^m fork THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1914 All rights reserved •A .1 ^. COPTEIQHT, 1914 Bt drama league of AMERICA Copyright, 1914 Bt the MACMILLAN COMPANY Set up and electrotyped. Published September, 1914. SEP 17 1914 ©GID 38142 o K> f HE KING OF THE DARK CHAMBER THE KING OF THE DARK CHAMBER A street. A few wayfarers, and a City Guard First Man Ho, Sir! City Guard What do you want? Second Man Which way should we go? We are strangers here. Please tell us which street we should take. City Guard Where do you want to go? 7 8 THE KING OF Third Man To where those big festivities are going to be held, you know. Which way do we go? City Guard One street is quite as good as another here. Any street will lead you there. Go straight ahead, and you cannot miss the place. [Exit, First Man Just hear what the fool says: "Any street will lead you there!" Where, then, would be the sense of having so many streets.^ Second Man You needn't be so awfully put out at that, my man. A country is free to arrange its affairs in its own way. THE DARK CHAMBER 9 As for roads in our country — well, they are as good as non-existent; nar- row and crooked lanes, a labyrinth of ruts and tracks. Our King does not believe in open thoroughfares; he thinks that streets are just so many openings for his subjects to fly away from his kingdom. It is quite the contrary here; nobody stands in your way, ^ nobody objects to your going else- where if you like to; and yet the people are far from deserting this kingdom. With such streets our coun- try would certainly have been de- populated in no time. First Man My dear Janardan, I have always noticed that this is a great fault in your character. ^^ Janardan What is.? 10 THE KING OF First Man That you are always having a fling at your country. How can you think that open highways may be good for a country? Look here, Kaundilya; here is a man who actually believes that open highways are the salvation of a country. Kaundilya There is no need, Bhavadatta, of my pointing out afresh that Janardan is blessed with an intelligence which is remarkably crooked, which is sure to land him in danger some day. If the King comes to hear of our worthy friend, he will make it a pretty hard job for him to find any one to do him his funeral rites when he is dead. Bhavadatta One can't help feeling that life be- comes a burden in this country; one THE DARK CHAMBER 11 misses the joys of privacy in these streets — this jostling and brushing shoulders with strange people day and night makes one long for a bath. And nobody can tell exactly what kind of people you are meeting with in these public roads — ugh! Kaundilya And it is Janardan who persuaded us to come to this precious country! We never had any second person like him in our family. You knew my father, of course; he was a great man, a pious man if ever there was one. He spent his whole life within a circle of a radius of 49 cubits drawn with a rigid adherence to the injunctions of the scriptures, and never for a single day did he cross this circle. After his death a serious difficulty arose — how cremate him within the limits of the 49 cubits and yet outside 12 THE KING OF the house? At length the priests decided that though we could not go beyond the scriptural number, the only way out of the difficulty was to reverse the figure and make it 94 cubits; only thus could we cremate him outside the house without violat- ing the sacred books. My word, that was strict observance! Ours is indeed no common country. Bhavadatta And yet, though Janardan comes from the very same soil, he thinks it wise to declare that open highways are best for a country. Enter Grandfather with a band of boys Grandfather Boys, we will have to vie with the wild breeze of the south to-day — and THE DARK CHAMBER 13 we are not going to be beaten. We will sing till we have flooded all streets with our mirth and song. Song The southern gate is unbarred. Come, my spring, come! Thou wilt swing at the swing of my heart, come, my spring, come! Come in the lisping leaves, in the youth- ful surrender of flowers; Come in the flute songs and the wistful sighs of the woodlands! Let your unfastened robe wildly flap in the drunken wind! Come, my spring, come! [Exeunt. Enter a band of Citizens First Citizen After all, one cannot help wishing that the King had allowed himself to 14 THE KING OF be seen at least this one day. What a great pity, to live in his kingdom and yet not to have seen him for a single day! Second Citizen If you only knew the real meaning of all this mystery! I could tell you if you would keep a secret. First Citizen My dear fellow, we both live in the same quarter of the town, but have you ever known me letting out any man's secret? Of course, that matter of your brother's finding a hidden fortune while digging for a well — well, you know well enough why I had to give it out. You know all the facts. Second Citizen Of course I know. And it is because I know that I ask, could you keep a THE DARK CHAMBER 15 secret if I tell you? It may mean ruination to us all, you know, if you once let it out. Third Citizen You are a nice man, after all, Virupaksha! Why are you so anxious to bring down a disaster which as yet only may happen? Who will be responsible for keeping your secret all his life? Virupaksha It is only because the topic came up — well, then, I shall not say anything. I am not the man to say things for nothing. You had yourself brought up the question that the King never showed himself; and I only remarked that it was not for nothing that the King shut himself up from the public gaze. 16 THE KING OF First Citizen Pray do tell us why, Virupaksha. Virupalcsha Of course I don't mind telling you — for we are all good friends, aren't we? There can be no harm. {With a low voice.) The King — is — hideous to look at, so he has made up his mind never to show himself to his subjects. First Citizen Ha! that's it! It must be so. We have always wondered . . . why, the mere sight of a King in all countries makes one's soul quake like an aspen leaf with fear; but why should our King never have been seen by any mortal soul? Even if he at least came out and consigned us all to the gibbet, we might be sure that our King was no hoax. After all, there is much in THE DARK CHAMBER 17 Virupaksha's explanation that sounds plausible enough. Third Citizen Not a bit — I don't believe in a syllable of it. ^ Virupalcsha What, Vishu, do you mean to say that I am a liar? Vishu I don't exactly mean that — but I cannot accept your theory. Excuse me, I cannot help if I seem a bit rude or churlish. Virupalcsha Small wonder that you can't believe my words — you who think yourself sage enough to reject the opinions of your parents and isuperiors. How long do you think you could have 18 THE KING OF stayed in this country if the King did not remain in hiding? You are no better than a flagrant heretic. Vishu My dear pillar of orthodoxy! Do you think any other King would have hesitated to cut off your tongue and make it food for dogs? And you have the face to say that our King is horrid to look at! Virupalcsha Look here, Vishu, will you curb your tongue? Vishu It would be superfluous to point out whose tongue needs the curbing. First Citizen Hush, my dear friends — this looks rather bad. ... It seems as if they THE DARK CHAMBER 19 are resolved to put me in danger as well. I am not going to be a party to all this. [Exit, Enter a number of men, dragging in Grandfather, in boisterous ex- uberance Second Citizen Grandpa, something strikes me to- day . . . Grandfather What is it.^ Second Citizen This year every country has sent its people to our festival, but every one asks, ''Everything is nice and beautiful — but where is your King.^" and we do not know what to answer. That is the one big gap which cannot but make itself felt to every one in our country. 20 THE KING OF Grandfather "Gap," do you say! Why, the whole country is all filled and crammed and packed with the King: and you call him a ''gap"! Why, he has made every one of us a crowned King! Sings We are all Kings in the kingdom of our King. Were it not so, how could we hope in our heart to meet him! We do what we like, yet we do what he likes; We are not bound with the chain of fear at the feet of a slave-owning King. Were it not so, how could we hope in our heart to meet him! Our King honours each one of us, thus honours his own very self. No littleness can keep us shut up in its walls of untruth for aye. THE DARK CHAMBER 21 Were it not so, how could we have hope in our heart to meet him! We struggle and dig our own path, thus reach his path at the end. We can never get lost in the abyss of dark night. Were it not so, Jtow could we hope in our heart to meet him! Third Citizen But, really, I cannot stand the absurd things people say about our King simply because he is not seen in public. First Citizen Just fancy! Any one libelling me can be punished, while nobody can stop the mouth of any rascal who chooses to slander the King. Grandfather The slander cannot touch the King. 22 THE KING OF With a mere breath you can blow out the flame which a lamp inherits from the sun, but if all the world blow upon the sun itself its effulgence remains undimmed and unimpaired as be- fore. Enter Vishvavasu and Virupaksha Vishu Here's Grandfather! Look here, this man is going about telling every- body that our King does not come out because he is ugly. Grandfather But why does that make you angry, Vishu .^^ His King must be ugly, be- cause how else could Virupaksha pos- sess such features in his kingdom.^ He fashions his King after the image of himself he sees in the mirror. THE DARK CHAMBER 23 Virupaksha Grandfather, I shall mention no names, but nobody would think of disbelieving the person who gave me the news. Grandfather Who could be a higher authority than yourself! Virupaksha But I could give you proofs . . . First Citizen The impudence of this fellow knows no bounds! Not content with spread- ing a ghastly rumour with an un- abashed face, he offers to measure his lies with insolence! Second Citizen Why not make him measure his length on the ground? 24 THE KING OF Grandfather Why so much heat, my friends? The poor fellow is going to have his own festive day by singing the ugliness of his King. Go along, Virupaksha, you will find plenty of people ready to believe you: may you be happy in their company. [Exeunt. Re-enter the party of Foreigners Bhavadatta It strikes me, Kaundilya, that these people haven't got a King at all. They have somehow managed to keep the rumour afloat. Kaundilya You are right, I think. We all know that the supreme thing that strikes one's eye in any country is the King, who of course loses no oppor- tunity of exhibiting himself. THE DARK CHAMBER 25 Janardan But look at the nice order and regularity prevailing all over the place — how do you explain it without a King? Bhavadatta So this is the wisdom you have arrived at by living so long under a ruler! Where would be the necessity of having a King if order and harmony existed already? Janardan All these people have assembled to rejoice at this festival. Do you think they could come together like this in a country of anarchy? Bhavadatta My dear Janardan, you are evading the real issue, as usual. There can 26 THE KING OF be no question about the order and regularity, and the festive rejoicing too is plain enough: there is no diffi- culty so far. But where is the King? Have you seen him? Just tell us that. Janardan What I want to say is this: you know from your experience that there can be chaos and anarchy even if a King be present: but what do we see here? Kaundilya You are always coming back to your quibbling. Why can you not give a straight answer to Bhavadatta's question — Have you, or have you not, seen the King? Yes or no? [Exeunt. THE DARK CHAMBER 27 Enter a band of Men, singing Song My beloved is ever in my heart That is why I s^e him everywhere. He is in the pupils of my eyes That is why I see him everywhere. I went far away to hear his own words. But, ah, it was vain! When I came back I heard them In my own songs. Who are you who seek him like a beggar from door to door! Come to my heart and see his face in the tears of my eyes! Enter Heralds and Advance Guards of the King First Herald Stand off! Get away from the street, all of you! 28 THE KING OF First Citizen Eh, man, who do you think you are? You weren't of course born with such lofty strides, my friend? — Why should we stand off, my dear sir? Why should we budge? Are we street dogs, or what? Second Herald Our King is coming this way. Second Citizen King? Which King? First Herald Our King, the King of this country. First Citizen What, is the fellow mad? Who- ever heard of our King coming out heralded by these vociferous gentry? THE DARK CHAMBER 29 Second Herald The King will no longer deny him- self to his subjects. He is coming to command the festivities himself. Second Citizen Brother, is that so? Second Herald Look, his banner is flying over there. Second Citizen Ah, yes, that is a flag indeed. Second Herald Do you see the red Kimshuk flower painted on it.^ Second Citizen Yes, yes, it is the Kimshuk indeed! — what a bright scarlet flower! First Herald Well! do you believe us now? 30 THE KING OF Second Citizen I never said I didn't. That fellow Kumbha started all this fuss. Did I say a word? First Herald Perhaps, though a pot-bellied man, he is quite empty inside; an empty vessel sounds most, you know. Second Herald Who is he? Is he any kinsman of yours? Second Citizen Not at all. He is just a cousin of our village chief's father-in-law, and he does not even live in the same part of our village with us. Second Herald Just so: he quite looks the seventh cousin of somebody's father-in-law. THE DARK CHAMBER 31 and his understanding appears also to bear the stamp of uncle-in-lawhood. Kumbha Alas, my friends, many a bitter sorrow has given my poor mind a twist before it has become like this. It is only the other day that a King came and paraded the streets, with as many titles in front of him as the drums that made the town hideous by their din. . . . What did I not do to serve and please him! I rained presents on him, I hung about him like a beggar — and in the end I found the strain on my resources too hard to bear. But what was the end of all that pomp and majesty? When people sought grants and presents from him, he could not somehow discover an auspicious day in the Calendar: though all days were red-letter days when we had to pay our taxes! 32 THE KING OF Second Herald Do you mean to insinuate that our King is a bogus King like the one you have described? First Herald Mr. Uncle-in-law, I believe the time has come for you to say good-bye to Aunty-in-law. Kumbha Please, sirs, do not take any offence. I am a poor creature — my sincerest apologies, sirs: I will do anything to be excused. I am quite willing to move away as far as you like. Second Herald All right, come here and form a line. The King will come just now — we shall go and prepare the way for him. [They go. out. THE DARK CHAMBER 33 Second Citizen My dear Kumbha, your tongue will be your death one day. V Kumbha Friend Madhav, it isn't my tongue, it is fate. When the bogus King appeared I never said a word, though that did not prevent my striking at my own feet with all the self-confidence of innocence. And now, when perhaps the real King has come, I simply must blurt out treason. It is fate, my dear friend ! Madhav My faith is, to go on obeying the King — it does not matter whether he is a real one or a pretender. What do we know of Kings that we should judge them ! It is like throwing stones in the dark — you are almost sure of hitting your mark. I go on obeying 34 THE KING OF and acknowledging — if It is a real King, well and good: if not, what harm is there? Kumbha I should not have minded if the stones were nothing better than stones. But they are often precious things: here, as elsewhere, extravagance lands us in poverty, my friend. Madhav Look! There comes the King! Ah, a King indeed! What a figure, what a face! Whoever saw such beauty — lily-white, creamy-soft! What now, Kumbha? What do you think now? Kumbha He looks all right — yes, he may be the real King for all I know. THE DARK CHAMBER 35 Madhav He looks as if he were moulded and carved for kingship, a figure too ex- quisite and deHcate for the common light of day. Enter the "King" Madhav Prosperity and victory attend thee, O King! We have been standing here to have a sight of thee since the early morning. Forget us not, your Majesty, in your favours. Kumbha The mystery deepens. I will go and call Grandfather. {Goes out. Enter another hand of Men First Man The King, the King! Come along, quick, the King is passing this way. 36 THE KING OF Second Man Do not forget me, O King! I am Vivajadatta, the grandson of Udaya- datta of Kushalivastu. I came here at the first report of thy coming — I did not stop to hear what people were saying: all the loyalty in me went out towards thee, O Monarch, and brought me here. Third Man Rubbish! I came here earlier than you — before the cockcrow. Where were you then? O King, I am Bhad- rasena, of Vikramasthali. Deign to keep thy servant in thy memory! King I am much pleased with your loyalty and devotion. Vivajadatta Your Majesty, many are the griev- ances and complaints we have to make THE DARK CHAMBER 37 to thee: to whom could we turn our prayers so long, when we could not approach thy august presence? King Your grievances will all be redressed. [Exit, First Man It won't do to lag behind, boys — the King will lose sight of us if we get mixed up with the mob. Second Man See there — look what that fool Nar- ottam is doing! He has elbowed his way through all of us and is now sedulously fanning the King with a palm leaf! Madhav Indeed ! Well, well, the sheer audac- ity of the man takes one's breath away. 38 THE KING OF Second Man We shall have to pitch the fellow out of that place — is he fit to stand beside the King? Madhav Do you imagine the King will not see through him? His loyalty is ob- viously a little too showy and profuse. First Man Nonsense! Kings can't scent hypo- crites as we do — I should not be surprised if the King be taken in by that fool's strenuous fanning. Enter Kumbha mith Grandfather Kumbha I tell you — he has just passed by this street. THE DARK CHAMBER 39 Grandfather Is that a very infallible test of Kingship? Kumbha Oh no, he did not pass unobserved: not one or two men but hundreds and thousands on both sides of the street have seen him with their own eyes. Grandfather That is exactly what makes the whole affair suspicious. When ever has our King set out to dazzle the eyes of the people by pomp and pageantry? He is not the King to make such a thundering row over his progress through the country. Kujnhha But he may just have chosen to do so on this important occasion: you cannot really tell. 40 THE KING OF Grandfather Oh yes, you can ! My King cherishes no weathercock fancy, no fantastic vein. Kumbha But, Grandfather, I wish I could only describe him! So soft, so dehcate and exquisite Hke a waxen doll! As I looked on him, I yearned to shelter him from the sun, to protect him with my whole body. Grandfather Fool, O precious ass that you are! My King a waxen doll, and you to protect him! Kumbha But seriously, Grandpa, he is a superb god, a miracle of beauty: I do not find a single other figure in this vast assembly that can stand beside his peerless loveliness. THE DARK CHAMBER 41 Grandfather If my King chose to make himself shown, your eyes would not have noticed him. He ^would not stand out like that amongst others — he is one of the people, he mingles with the common populace. Kumbha But did I not tell you I saw his banner.^ Grandfather What did you see displayed on his banner.'^ Kumbha It had a red Kimshuk flower painted on it — the bright and glittering scarlet dazzled my eyes. Grandfather My King has a thunderbolt within a lotus painted on his flag. 42 THE KING OF Kumbha But every one is saying, the King is out in this festival: every one. Grandfather Why, so he is, of course: but he has no heralds, no army, no retinue, no music bands or Hghts to accompany him. Kumbha So none could recognise him in his incognito, it seems. Grandfather Perhaps there are a few that can. Kumbha And those that can recognise him — does the King grant them whatever they ask for.^ Grandfather But they never ask for anything. No beggar will ever know the King. THE DARK CHAMBER 43 The greater beggar appears like the King to the eyes of the lesser beggar. O fool, the man that has come out to-day attired in crimson and gold to beg from you — it is him whom you are trumpeting as your King! . . . Ah, there comes my mad friend! Oh come, my brothers! we cannot spend the day in idle wrangling and prating — let us now have some mad frolic, some wild enjoyment! Enter the Mad Friend, who sings Do you smile, my friends? Do you laugh, my brothers? I roam in search of the golden stag! Ah yes, the fleet-foot vision that ever eludes me! Oh, he flits and glimpses like a flash and then is gone, the untamed rover of the wilds! Approach him and he is afar in a trice, leaving a cloud of haze and dust before thy eyes! 44 KING OF DARK CHAMBER Yet I roam in search of the golden stag, though I may never catch him in these wilds! Oh, I roam and wander through woods and fields and name- less lands like a restless vagabond, never caring to turn my back. You all come and buy in the market- place arid go back to your homes laden with goods and provisions: but me the wild winds of unscalable heights have touched and kissed — Oh, I know not when or where! I have parted with my all to get what never has become mine! And yet think my moanings and my tears are for the things I thus have lost! With a laugh and a song in my heart I have left all sorrow and grief far behind me: Oh, I roam and wander through woods and fields and name- less lands — never caring to turn my vagabond'' s back! II A Dark Chamber. Queen Sudarshana. Her Maid of Honour, Surangama Sudarshana Light, light! Where is Hght? Will the lamp never be lighted in this chamber? Surangama My Queen, all your other rooms are lighted — will you never long to escape from the light into a dark room like this? Sudarshana But why should this room be kept dark? 45 46 THE KING OF Surangama Because otherwise you would know neither Hght nor darkness. Sudarshana Living in this dark room you have grown to speak darkly and strangely — I cannot understand you, Surangama. But tell me, in what part of the palace is this chamber situated? I cannot make out either the entrance or the way out of this room. Surangama This room is placed deep down, in the very heart of the earth. The King has built this room specially for your sake. Sudarshana Why, he has no dearth of rooms — why need he have made this chamber of darkness specially for me.^ THE DARK CHAMBER 47 Surangama You can meet others in the lighted rooms: but only in this dark room can you meet your lord. Sudarshana No, no — I cannot live without light — I am restless in this stifling dark. Surangama, if you can bring a light into this room, I shall give you this necklace of mine. Surangama It is not in my power, O Queen. How can I bring light to a place which he would have kept always dark! Sudarshana Strange devotion! And yet, is it not true that the King punished your father? 48 THE KING OF Surangama Yes, that is true. My father used to gamble. All the young men of the country used to gather at my father's house — and they used to drink and gamble. Sudarshana And when the King sent away your father in exile, did it not make you feel bitterly oppressed.^ Surangama Oh, it made me quite furious. I was on the road to ruin and destruc- tion: when that path was closed for me, I seemed left without any support, without any succour or shelter. I raged and raved like a wild beast in a cage — how I wanted to tear every one to pieces in my powerless anger ! THE DARK CHAMBER 49 Sudarshana But how did you get this devotion towards that same King? Surangama How can I tell? Perhaps I could rely and depend on him because he was so hard, so pitiless! Sudarshana When did this change of feeling take place? Surangama I could not tell you — I do not know that myself. A day came when all the rebel in me knew itself beaten, and then my whole nature bowed down in humble resignation on the dust of the earth. And then I saw ... I saw that he was as matchless in beauty as in terror. Oh. I was saved, I was rescued. 50 THE KING OF Sudarshana Tell me, Surangama, I implore you, won't you tell me what is the King like to look at? I have not seen him yet for a single day. He comes to me in darkness, and leaves me in this dark room again. How many people have I not asked — but they all return vague and dark answers — it seems to me that they all keep back something. Surangama To tell you the truth. Queen, I could not say well what he is like. No — he is not what men call handsome. Sudarshana You don't say so.^ Not handsome! Surangama No, my Queen, he is not handsome. To call him beautiful would be to say far too little about him. THE DARK CHAMBER 51 Sudarshana All your words are like that — dark, strange, and vague. I cannot under- stand what you mean. Surangama No, I will not call him handsome. And it is because he is not beautiful that he is so wonderful, so superb, so miraculous ! Sudarshana I do not quite understand you — though I like to hear you talk about him. But I must see him at any cost. I do not even remember the day when I was married to him. I have heard mother say that a wise man came before my marriage and said, "He who will wed your daughter is with- out a second on this earth." How often have I asked her to describe his appearance to me, but she only 52 THE KING OF answers vaguely, and says she cannot say — she saw him through a veil, faintly and obscurely. But if he is the best among men, how can I sit still without seeing him? Surangama Do you not feel a faint breeze blowing? Sudarshana A breeze? Where? Surangama Do you not smell a soft perfume? Sudarshana No, I don't. Surangama The large door has opened ... he is coming; my King is coming in. THE DARK CHAMBER 53 Sudarshana How can you perceive when he comes? Surangama I cannot say: I seem to hear his footsteps in my own heart. Being his servant of this dark chamber, I have developed a sense — I can know and feel without seeing. Sudarshana Would that I had this sense too, Surangama ! Surangama You will have it, O Queen . . . this sense will awaken in you one day. Your longing to have a sight of him makes you restless, and therefore all your mind is strained and warped in that direction. When you are past this state of feverish restlessness, every- thing will become quite easy. 54 THE KING OF Sudarshana How is it that it is easy to you, who are a servant, and so difficult to me, the Queen? Surangama It is because I am a mere servant that no difficulty baulks me. On the first day, when he left this room to my care, saying, "Surangama, you will always keep this chamber ready for me: this is all your task," then I did not say, even in thought, "Oh, give me the work of those who keep the other rooms lighted." No, but as soon as I bent all my mind to my task, a power woke and grew within me, and mas- tered every part of me unopposed. . . . Oh, there he comes! ... he is stand- ing outside, before the door. Lord! OKing! THE DARK CHAMBER 55 Song outside Open your door. I am waiting. The ferry of the light from the dawn to the dark is done for the day. The evening star is up. Have you gathered your flowers, braided your hair. And donned your white robe for the night? The cattle have come to their folds and birds to their nests. The cross paths that run to all quarters have merged into one in the dark. Open your door. I am waiting. Surangama O King, who can keep thy own doors shut against thee? They are not locked or bolted — they will swing wide open if you only touch them with thy fingers. Wilt thou not even touch them? Wilt thou not enter unless I go and open the doors? 5Q THE KING OF Song At a breath you can remove my veils, my lord! If I fall asleep on the dust and hear not your call, would you wait till I wake? Would not the thunder of your chariot wheel make the earth tremble? Would you not burst open the door and enter your own house unbidden? Then do you go, Queen, and open the door for him: he will not enter otherwise. Sudarshana I do not see anything distinctly in the dark — I do not know where the doors are. You know everything here — go and open the doors for me. SuRANGAMA opcus the door, bows to the King, and goes out. The King will remain invisible throughout this play. THE DARK CHAMBER 57 Sudarshana Why do you not allow me to see you in the light? King So you want to see me in the midst of a thousand things in broad daylight ! Why should I not be the only thing you can feel in this darkness? Sudarshana But I must see you — I am longing to have a sight of you. King You will not be able to bear the sight of me — it will only give you pain, poignant and overpowering. Sudarshana How can you say that I shall be unable to bear your sight? Oh, I can feel even in this dark how lovely and 58 THE KING OF wonderful you are: why should I be afraid of you in the Hght? But tell me, can you see me in the dark? King Yes, I can. Sudarskana What do you see? King I see that the darkness of the infinite heavens, whirled into life and being by the power of my love, has drawn the light of a myriad stars into itself, and incarnated itself in a form of flesh and blood. And in that form, what aeons of thought and striving, untold yearnings of limitless skies, the count- less gifts of unnumbered seasons ! Sudarskana Am I so wonderful, so beautiful? When I hear you speak so, my heart THE DARK CHAMBER 59 swells with gladness and pride. But how can I believe the wonderful things you tell me? I cannot find them in myself! King Your own mirror will not reflect them — it lessens you, limits you, makes you look small and insignificant. But could you see yourself mirrored in my own mind, how grand would you appear! In my own heart you are no longer the daily individual which you think you are — you are verily my second self. Sudarshana" Oh, do show me for an instant how to see with your eyes! Is there noth- ing at all like darkness to you.^ I am afraid when I think of this. This darkness which is to me real and strong as death — is this simply nothing 60 THE KING OF to you? Then how can there be any union at all between us, in a place like this? No, no — it is impossible: there is a barrier betwixt us two: not here, no, not in this place. I want to find you and see you where I see trees and animals, birds and stones and the earth King Very well, you can try to find me- but none will point me out to you. You will have to recognise me, if you can, yourself. And even if anybody professes to show me to you, how can you be sure he is speaking the truth? Sudarshana I shall know you; I shall recognise you. I shall find you out among a million men. I cannot be mis- taken. THE DARK CHAMBER 61 King Very well, then, to-night, during the festival of the full moon of the spring, you will try to find me out from the high turret of my palace — search for me with your own eyes amongst the crowd of people. Sudarshana Wilt thou be there among them? King I shall show myself again and again, from every side of the crowd. Suran- gama! Enter Surangama Surangama What is thy pleasure, lord? King To-night is the full moon festival of the spring. 62 THE KING OF Surangama What have I to do to-night? King To-day is a festive day, not a day of work. The pleasure gardens are in their full bloom — ^you will join in my festivities there. Surangama I shall do as thou desirest, lord. King The Queen wants to see me to-night with her own eyes. Surangama Where will the Queen see you.^ King Where the music will play at its sweetest, where the air will be heavy THE DARK CHAMBER 63 with the dust of flowers — there in the pleasure grove of silver light and mellow gloom. Surangama What can be seen in the hide-and- seek of darkness and light? There the wind is wild and restless, every- thing is dance and swift movement — will it not puzzle the eyes? King The Queen is curious to search me out. Surangama Curiosity will have to come back baffled and in tears ! Song Ah, they would fly away, the restless vagrant eyes, the wild birds of the forest! 64 KING OF DARK CHAMBER But the time of their surrender will come, their flights hither and thither will be ended when The music of enchantment will pursue them and pierce their hearts, Alas, the wild birds would fly to the wilderness! Ill Before the Pleasure Gardens. Enter Avanti, KosHALA, Kanchi, and other Kings Avanti Will the King of this place not receive us? Kanchi What manner of governing a country IS this? The King is having a festival in a forest, where even the meanest and commonest people can have easy access ! Koshala We ought to have had a separate place set apart and ready for our reception. 65 66 THE KING OF Kanchi If he has not prepared such a place yet, we shall compel him to have one erected for us. Koshala All this makes one naturally suspect if these people have really got any King at all — it looks as if an un- founded rumour has led us astray. Avanti It may be so with regard to the King, but the Queen Sudarshana of this place isn't at all an unfounded rumour. Koshala It is only for her sake that I have cared to come at all. I don't mind omitting to see one who never makes himself visible, but it would be a stupid mistake if we were to go away THE DARK CHAMBER 67 without a sight of one who is eminently worth a visit. Kanchi Let us make some definite plan, then. Avanti A plan is an excellent thing, so long as you are not yourself entangled in it. Kanchi Hang it, who are these vermin swarming this way.^ Here! who are you? Enter Grandfather and the hoys Grandfather We are the Jolly Band of Have- Nothings. Avanti The introduction was superfluous. But you will take yourselves away a little further and leave us in peace. 68 THE KING OF Grandfather We never suffer from a want of space: we can afford to give you as wide a berth as you like. What Httle suffices for us is never the bone of contention between any rival claim- ants. Is not that so, my little friends? [They sing. Song We have nothing, indeed we have nothing at all! We sing merrily fol de rol de roll Some build high walls of their houses On the bog of the sands of gold. We stand before them and sing Fol de rol de rol. Pickpockets hover about us And honour us with covetous glances. We shake our empty pockets and sing Fol de rol de rol. THE DARK CHAMBER 69 When death, the old hag, steals to our doors We snap our fingers at her face, And we sing in a chorus with gay flourishes Fol de rol de rol. Kanchi Look over there, Koshala, who are those coming this way? A panto- mime? Somebody is out masquer- ading as a King. Koshala The King of this place may tolerate all this tomfoolery, but we won't. Avanti He is perhaps some rural chief. Enter Guards on foot Kanchi What country does your King come from? 70 THE KING OF First Soldier He is the King of this country. He is going to command the festivities. [They go out. Koshala What! The King of this country come out for the festivities ! Avanti Indeed! We shall then have to return with a sight of him only — leaving the delectable Queen unseen. Kanchi Do you really think that fellow spoke the truth .^^ Anybody can pass himself off as the King of this kingless country. Can you not see that the man looks like a dressed-up King — much too over-dressed.^ THE DARK CHAMBER 71 Avanti But he looks handsome — his appear- ance is not without a certain pleasing attractiveness. Kanchi He may be pleasing to your eye, but if you look at him closely enough there can be no mistaking him. You will see how I expose him before you all. Enter the trumped-up "King." ''King'' Welcome, princes, to our kingdom! I trust your reception has been prop- erly looked after by my officials? Kings {with feigned courtesy) Oh yes — nothing was lacking in the reception. 72 THE KING OF Kanchi If there was any shortcoming at all, it has been made up by the honour of our sight of your Majesty. ''King'' We do not show ourselves to the general public, but your great devotion and loyalty to us has made it a pleasure for us not to deny ourselves to you. Kanchi It is truly hard for us, your Majesty, to bear the weight of your gracious favours. "King'' We are afraid we shall not be able to stop here long. Kanchi I have thought so, already: you do not quite look up to it. THE DARK CHAMBER 73 "King'' In the meantime if you have any favours to ask of us Kanchi We have : but we would like to speak a little more in private. "King'' (to his attendants) Retire a little from our presence. (They retire.) Now you can express your desires without any reserve. Kanchi There will be no reserve on our part — our only fear is that you might think restraint necessary for yourself. "King" Oh no, you need have no scruples on that score. Kanchi Come, then, do us honage by placing your head on the ground before us. 74 THE KING OF ''King'' It seems my servants have dis- tributed the Varuni spirits too Kber- ally in the reception camps. Kanchi False pretender, it is you who are suffering from an overdose of arrogant spirits. Your head will soon kiss the dust. "King'' Princes, these heavy jokes are not worthy of a king. Kanchi Those who will jest properly with you are near at hand. General ! "King" No more, I entreat you. I can see plainly I owe homage to you all. The head is bowing down of itself — there THE DARK CHAMBER 75 IS no need for the application of any sharp methods to lay it low. So here I do my obeisance to you all. If you kindly allow me to escape I shall not inflict my presence long on you. Kanchi Why should you escape? We will make you king of this place — let us carry our joke to its legitimate finish. Have you got any following? ''King'' I have. Every one who sees me in the streets flocks after me. When I had a meagre retinue at first every one regarded me with suspicion, but now with the increasing crowd their doubts are waning and dissolving. The crowd is being hypnotised by its own magni- tude. I have not got to do anything now. 76 THE KING OF Kanchi That's excellent! From this mo- ment we all promise to help and stand by you. But you will have to do us one service in return. ''King'' Your commands and the crown you are putting on my head will be equally binding and sacred to me. Kanchi At present we want nothing more than a sight of the Queen Sudarshana. You will have to see to this. "King'' I shall spare no pains for that. Kanchi We cannot put much faith on your pains — ^you will be solely directed by THE DARK CHAMBER 77 our instructions. But now you can go and join the festivities in the royal arbour with all possible splendour and magnificence. [They go out. Enter Grandfather and a band of "people First Citizen Grandfather, I cannot help saying — yes, and repeating it five hundred times — that our King is a perfect fraud. Grandfather Why only five hundred times? There is no need to practise such heroic self-control — you can say it five thousand times if that adds to your pleasure. Second Citizen But you cannot keep up a dead lie forever. 78 THE KING OF Grandfather It has made me alive, my friend. Third Citizen We shall proclaim to the whole world that our King is a lie, the merest and emptiest shadow ! First Citizen We shall all shout from our house- tops that we have no King — let him do whatever he likes if he exists. Grandfather He will do nothing at all. Second Citizen My son died untimely at twenty-five of raging fever in seven days. Could such a calamity befall me under the rule of a virtuous King? THE DARK CHAMBER 79 Grandfather But you still have got two sons left: while I have lost all my five children one after another. Third Citizen What do you say now? Grandfather What then? Shall I lose my King too because I have lost my children? Don't take me for such a big fool as that. First Citizen It is a fine thing to argue whether there is a King or not when one is simply starving for want of food! Will the King save us? Grandfather Brother, you are right. But why not find the King who owns all the 80 THE KING OF food? You certainly will not find by your wailings at home. Second Citizen Look at the justice of our King! That Bhadrasen — you know what a touching sight he is when he is speak- ing of his King — the sentimental idiot! He is reduced to such a state of penury that even the bats that infest his house find it a too uncomfortable place. Grandfather Why, look at me! I am toiling and slaving night and day for my King, but I have not yet received so much as a brass farthing for my pains. Third Citizen Now, what do you think of that.^^ THE DARK CHAMBER 81 Grandfather What should I think? Does any one reward his friends ? Go, my friends, and say if you like that our King exists nowhere. That is also a part of our ceremony in celebrating this festival. IV Turret of the Royal Palace. Sudarshana and her friend Rohini Sudarshana You may make mistakes, Rohini, but I cannot be mistaken: am I not the Queen? That, of course, must be my King. Rohini He who has conferred such high honour upon you cannot be long in showing himself to you. Sudarshana His very form makes me restless like a caged bird. Did you try well to ascertain who he is.^ 82 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 83 Rohini Yes, I did. Every one I asked said that he was the King. Sudarshana What country is he the King of? Rohini Our country. King of this land. Sudarshana Are you sure that you are speaking of him who has a sunshade made of flowers held over his head? Rohini The same: he whose flag has the Kimshuk flower painted on it. Sudarshana I recognised him at once, of course, but it is you who had your doubts. 84 THE KING OF Rohini We are apt to make mistakes, my Queen, and we are afraid to offend you in case we are wrong. Sudarshana Would that Surangama were here! There would remain no room for doubt then. Rohini Do you think her cleverer than any of us? Sudarshana Oh no, but she would recognise him instantly. Rohini I cannot believe that she would. She merely pretends to know him. There is none to test her knowledge if she professes to know the King. If we were as shameless as she is, it would THE DARK CHAMBER 85 not have been difficult for us to boast about our acquaintance with the King. Sudarshana But no, she never boasts. Rohini It is pure affectation, the whole of it: which often goes a longer way than open boasting. She is up to all manner of tricks: that is why we could never like her. Sudarshana But whatever you may say, I should have liked to ask her if she were here. Rohini Very well, Queen. I shall bring her here. She must be lucky if she is indispensable for the Queen to know the King. 86 THE KING OF Sudarshana Oh no — it isn't for that — but I would like to hear it said by every one. Rohini Is not every one saying it? Why, just listen, the acclamations of the people mount up even to this height! Sudarshana Then do one thing: put these flowers on a lotus leaf, and take them to him. Rohini And what am I to say if he asks who sends them? Sudarshana You will not have to say anything — he will know. He thought that I would not be able to recognise him: I cannot let him off without showing that I have found him out. [Rohini goes out with the flowers. THE DARK CHAMBER 87 Sudarshana My heart is all a-quiver and restless to-night: I have never felt like this before. The white, silver light of the full moon is flooding the heavens and brimming over on every side like the bubbling foam of wine. ... It seizes on me like a yearning, like a mantling intoxication. Here, who is here? Enter a Servant Servant What is your pleasure, your Maj- esty.^ Sudarshana Do you see those festive boys sing- ing and moving through the alleys and avenues of the mango trees .^ Call them hither, bring them to me: I want to hear them sing. [Servant goes out and enters with the boys. 88 THE KING OF Come, living emblems of youthful spring, begin your festive song! All my mind and body is song and music to-night — but the ineffable melody es- capes my tongue: do you then sing for my sake ! Song My sorrow is sweet to me in this spring night. My pain smites at the chords of my love and softly sings. Visions take birth from my yearning eyes and flit in the moonlit sky. The smells from the depths of the wood- lands have lost their way in my dreams. Words come in whispers to my ears, I know not from where. And bells in my anklets tremble and jingle in time with my heart thrills. Sudarshana Enough, enough — I cannot bear it THE DARK CHAMBER 89 any more! Your song has filled my eyes with tears. ... A fancy comes to me — that desire can never attain its object — it need never attain it. What sweet hermit of the woods has taught you this song? Oh that my eyes could see him whose song my ears have heard! Oh, how I wish — I wish I could wander rapt and lovely in the thick woodland arbours of the heart! Dear boys of the hermitage! how shall I reward you? This necklace is but made of jewels, hard stones — its hardness will give you pain — I have got nothing like the garlands of flowers you have on. [The boys bow and go out Enter Rohini Sudarshana I have not done well — I have not done well, Rohini. I feel ashamed to 90 THE KING OF ask you what happened. I have just reahsed that no hand can really give the greatest of gifts. Still, let me hear all. Rohini When I gave the King those flowers, he did not appear to understand any- thing. Sudarshana You don't say so? He did not understand ! Rohini No; he sat there like a doll, without uttering a single word. I think he did not want to show that he under- stood nothing, so he just held his tongue. Sudarshana Fie on me! My shamelessness has been justly punished. Why did you not bring back my flowers.^ THE DARK CHAMBER 91 Rohini How could I? The King of Kanclii, a very clever man, who was sitting by him, took in everything at a glance, and he just smiled a bit and said, *' Emperor, the Queen Sudarshana sends your Majesty her greetings with these blossoms — the blossoms that be- long to the God of Love, the friend of Spring." The King seemed to awake with a start, and said, "This is the crown of all my regal glory to-night." I was coming back, all out of counte- nance, when the King of Kanchi took off this necklace of jewels from the King's person, and said to me, "Friend, the King's garland gives itself up to you, in return for the happy fortune you have brought." Sudarshana What, Kanchi had to make the King understand all this! Woe is 92 THE KING OF me, to-night's festival has opened wide for me the doors of ignominy and shame! What else could I expect? Leave me alone, Rohini; I want soli- tude for a time. (Rohini goes out,) A great blow has shattered my pride to atoms to-day, and yet ... I can- not efface from my mind that beautiful, fascinating figure! No pride is left me — I am beaten, vanquished, utterly helpless. ... I cannot even turn away from him. Oh, how the wish comes back to me again and again — to ask that garland of Rohini! But what would she think ! Rohini ! Enter Rohini Rohini What is your wish.^ Sudarshana What reward do you deserve for your services to-day .^^ THE DARK CHAMBER 93 Rohini Nothing from you — but I had my reward from the King as it should be. Sudarshana That is no free gift, but an extor- tion, of reward. I do not Hke to see you put on what was given in so in- different a manner. Take it off — I give you my bracelets if you leave it here. Take these bracelets, and go now. (Rohini goes out.) Another de- feat! I should have thrown this neck- lace away, — but I could not! It is pricking me as if it were a garland of thorns — but I cannot throw it away. This is what the god of the festival has brought me to-night — this necklace of ignominy and shame ! Grandfather near the door of the Pleasure House. A Company of Men Grandfather Have you had enough of it, friends? First Man Oh, more than that. Grandpa. Just see, they have made me red all over. None has escaped.^ Grandfather No? Did they throw the red dust on the Kings too? ^During the spring festival in India people throw red powder on each other. In this play this red powder has been taken to be the symbol of the passion of love. 94 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 95 Second Man But who could approach them? They were all secure inside the en- closures. Grandfather So they have escaped you! Could you not throw the least bit of colour on them? You should have forced your way there. Third Man My dear old man, they have a different sort of red specially to them- selves. Their eyes are red: the turbans of their guards and retinue are red too. And the latter flourished their swords about so much that a little more nearness on our part would have meant a lavish display of the fundamental red colour. Grandfather Well done, friends — always keep 96 THE KING OF them at a distance. They are the exiles of the Earth — and we have got to keep them so. Third Man I am going home, Grandpa; it is past midnight. [Goes out. Enter a Band of Singers, singing. All blacks and whites have lost their distinction And have become red — red as the tinge of your feet. Red is my bodice and red are my dreams. My heart sways and trembles like a red lotus. Grandfather Excellent, my friends, splendid! So you had a really enjoyable time! THE DARK CHAMBER 97 Singers Oh, grand! Everything was red, red! Only the moon in the sky gave us the slip — it remained white. Grandfather He only looks so innocent from the outside. If you had only taken off his white disguise, you would have seen his trickery. I have been watch- ing what red colours he is throwing on the Earth to-night. And yet, fancy his remaining white and colourless all the while! Song With you is my game, love, my love! My heart is mad, it will never own defeat. Do you think you will escape stainless yourself reddening me with red powder? 98 THE KING OF Could I not colour your robe with the red pollens of the blossom of my heart? [They go out. Enter the "King" and Kanchi. Kanchi You must do exactly as I have told you. Let there be no mistake of any kind. ''King'' There shall be no mistake. Kanchi The Queen Sudarshana's mansions are in the . . . ''King'' Yes, sire, I have seen the place well. Kanchi What you have got to do is to THE DARK CHAMBER 99 set fire to the garden, and then you will take advantage of the bustle and confusion to accomplish your object straightway. "King'' I shall remember. Kanchi Look here, Sir Pretender, I cannot help thinking that a needless fear is troubling us — there is really no King in this country. "King'' My sole aim is to rid this country of this anarchy. Your common man cannot live without a King, whether a real one or a fraud! Anarchy is always a source of danger. Kanchi Pious benefactor of the people, your 100 KING OF DARK CHAMBER wonderful self-sacrifice should really be an example to all of us. I am thinking of doing this extraordinary service to the people myself. [They go out. VI Rohmi What IS the matter? I cannot make out what is all this! (To the gardeners,) Where are you all going away in such a hurry? First Gardener We are going out of the garden. Rohini Where? Second Gardener We do not know where — the King has called us. 101 102 THE KING OF Rohini Why, the King is in the garden. Which King has called you? First Gardener We cannot say. Second Gardener The King we have been serving all our life, of course. Rohini Will you all go.^^ First Gardener Yes, all — we have to go instantly. Otherwise we might get into trouble. [They go out. Rohini I cannot understand their words. ... I am afraid. They are scamper- ing off like wild animals that fly just THE DARK CHAMBER 103 before the bank of a river breaks down into the water. Enter King of Koshala Koshala Rohini, do you know where your King and Kanchi have gone? Rohini They are somewhere in the garden, but I could not tell you where. Koshala I cannot really understand their intentions. I have not done well to put my trust in Kanchi. [Exit Rohini What is this dark affair going on amongst these kings .^ Something dreadful is going to happen soon. Shall I too be drawn into this affair .^^ 104 THE KING OF Enter Avanti Avanti Rohini, do you know where the other princes are? Rohini It is difficult to say which of them IS where. The King of Koshala just passed by in this direction. Avanti I am not thinking of Koshala. Where are your King and Kanchi.^ Rohini I have not seen them for a long time. Avanti Kanchi is always avoiding us. He is certainly planning to deceive us all. I have not done well to put my hand in this imbroglio. Friend, could you THE DARK CHAMBER 105 kindly tell me any way out of this garden? Rohini I have none. Avanti Is there no man here who will show me the way out? Rohini The servants have all left the garden. Avanti Why did they do so? Rohini I could not exactly understand what they meant. They said the King had commanded them to leave the garden at once. Avanti King? Which King? 106 THE KING OF Rohini They could not say exactly. Avanti This does not sound well. I shall have to find a way out at any cost. I cannot stay here a single moment more. [Goes out hurriedly. Rohini Where shall I find the King? When I gave him the flowers the Queen had sent, he did not seem much interested in me at the time; but ever since that hour he has been showering gifts and presents on me. This causeless generosity makes me more afraid. . . . W^here are the birds flying at such an hour of the night .^ What has frightened them all on a sudden? This is not the usual time of their flight, certainly. . . . Why is the THE DARK CHAMBER 107 Queen's pet deer running that way? Chapata! Chapata! She does not even hear my call. I have never seen a night like this! The horizon on every side suddenly becomes red, like a madman's eye! The sun seems to be setting at this untimely hour on all sides at the same time. What mad- ness of the Almighty is this ! . . . Oh, I am frightened! . . . Where shall I find the King? VII At the Door of the Queen's Palace cc King'' What is this you have done, Kanchi? Kanchi I wanted to fire only this part of the garden near the palace. I had no idea that it would spread so quickly on all sides. Tell me, quick, the way out of this garden. .55 ''King I can tell you nothing about it. Those who brought us here have all fled away. 108 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 109 Kanchi You are a native of this country — you must know the way. ''King'' I have never entered these inner royal gardens before. Kanchi I won't hear of it — you must show me the way, or I shall split you into halves. ''King'' You may take my life by that means, but it would be a very precarious method of finding the way out of this, garden. Kanchi Why were you, then, going about saying that you were the King of this country? no THE KING OF "King'' I am not the King — I am not the King. {Throwing himself on the ground with folded hands.) Where art thou, my King? Save me, oh, save me! I am a rebel — punish me, but do not kill me! Kanchi What Is the use of shouting and cringing to the empty air? It is a much better way of spending the time to search for the way. cc rr • 5> King I shall lie down here — I shall not move an inch. Come what will, I shall not complain. Kanchi I will not allow all this nonsense. If I am to be burnt to death, you will be my companion to the very end. THE DARK CHAMBER 111 From the Outside Oh, save us, save us, our King! The fire is on all sides of us! Kanchi Fool, get up, lose no more time. Sudarshana (entering) King, O my King! save me, save me from death! I am surrounded by fire. ''King'' Who is the King? I am no King. i Sudarshana You are not the King? ''King'' No, I am a hypocrite, I am a scoundrel. {Flinging his crown on the ground.) Let my deception and • hypocrisy be shattered into dust! [Goes out with Kanchi. 112 KING OF DARK CHAMBER Sudarshana No King! He is not the King? Then, O thou God of fire, burn me, reduce me to ashes! I shall throw myself into thy hands, O thou great purifier; burn to ashes my shame, my longing, my desire. Rohini (entering) Queen, where are you going? All your inner chambers are shrouded in raging fire — do you not enter there. Sudarshana Yes! I will enter those burning chambers! It is the fire of my death! [Enters the Palace. VIII The Dark Room. The King and Sudarshana King Do not be afraid — you have no cause for fear. The fire will not reach this room. Sudarshana I have no fear — but oh, shame has accompanied me like a raging fire. My face, my eyes, my heart, every part of my body is being scorched and burnt by its flames. King It will be some time before you get over this burning. 113 114 THE KING OF Sudarshana This fire will never cease — will never cease ! King Do not be despondent, Queen ! Sudarshana O King, I shall not hide anything from you. ... I have another's gar- land round my neck. King That garland, too, is mine — how else could he get it? He stole it from my room. Sudarshana But it is his gift to me: yet I could not fling this garland away! When the fire came roaring on all sides of me, I thought of throwing this garland into the fire. But no, I could not. THE DARK CHAMBER 115 My mind whispered, ''Let that garland be on 3^ou in your death." . . . What fire is this, O King, into which I, who had come out to see you, leaped like a moth that cannot resist the flame? What a pain is this, oh, what agony! 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.^ 116 THE KING OF 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 shoreless 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 THE DARK CHAMBER 117 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 un- thinkable to me. King It will be possible in time, my Queen. The utter and bleak black- ness 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 — 118 THE KING OF 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 oflF. 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 hand- some? Thou art black, black as night THE DARK CHAMBER 119 — 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 butterfly. 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 rebel- no THE KING OF lious 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 .f^ How do you know that I am not trying to keep you back? THE DARK CHAMBER 121 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 122 THE KING OF 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! Per- haps 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 THE DARK CHAMBER 123 away — to draw me back to thy arms again! O my King, what is this game that thou art playing through- out 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. Suran- gama, did he ask you to keep me back? Surangama No, he said nothing. 124 THE KING OF Sudarshana Why should he say anything? Why should he care for me? ... I am then free, perfectly free. But, Sur- angama, 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 ! THE DARK CHAMBER 125 Surangama My Queen, I have one prayer to make to you. Sudarshana You will not have to utter your prayer in words, Surangama. What- ever 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, 126 THE KING OF 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; THE DARK CHAMBER 127 your presence will constantly remind me of my shame; I shall not be able to endure that. Surangama O my Queen, I have made all your good and all your evil my own as well; will you treat me as a stranger still? I must go with you. IX The King of Kanya Kubja, father of Sudar- SHANA, and his Minister King of Kanya Kubja I heard everything before her ar- rival. Minister The princess is waiting alone outside the city gates on the bank of the river. Shall I send people to welcome her home? King of Kanya Kubja What! She who has faithlessly left her husband — do you propose trumpeting her infamy and shame to 128 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 129 every one by getting up a show for her? Minister Shall I then make arrangements for her residence at the palace? King of Kanya Kubja You will do nothing of the sort. She has left her place as the Empress of her own accord — here she will have to work as a maid-servant if she wants to stay in my house. Minister It will be hard and bitter to her, Your Highness. King of Kanya Kubja If I seek to save her from her sufferings, then I am not worthy to be her father. 130 KING OF DARK CHAMBER Minister I shall arrange everything as you wish, Your Highness. King of Kanya Kubja Let it be kept a secret that she is my daughter; otherwise we shall all be in an awful trouble. Minister Why do you fear such disaster. Your Highness? King of Kanya Kubja When woman swerves from the right path, then she appears fraught with the direst calamity. You do not know with what deadly fear this daughter of mine has inspired me — she is coming to my home laden with peril and danger. X Inner Apartments of the Palace. Sudarshana and SURANGAMA Sudarshana Go away from me, Surangama! A deadly anger rages within me — I can- not bear anybody — it makes me wild to see you so patient and submissive. Surangama Whom are you angry with? Sudarshana I do not know; but I wish to see everything destroyed and convulsed in ruin and disaster! I left my place on the throne as the Empress in a 131 132 THE KING OF moment's time. Did I lose my all to sweep the dust, to sweat and slave in this dismal hole? Why do the torches of mourning not flare up for me all over the world? Why does not the earth quake and tremble? Is my fall but the unobserved dropping of the puny bean -flower? Is it not more like the fall of a glowing star, whose fiery blazon bursts the heavens asunder? Surangama A mighty forest inly smokes and smoulders before it bursts into a con- flagration: the time has not come yet. Sudarshana I have thrown my queen's honour and glory to the dust and winds — but is there no human being who will come out to meet my desolate soul here? Alone — oh, I am fearfully, ter- ribly alone! THE DARK CHAMBER 133 Surangama You are not alone. Sudarshana Surangama, I shall not keep any- thing from you. When he set the palace on fire, I could not be angry with him. A great inward joy set my heart a-flutter all the while. What a stupendous crime! What glorious prowess! It was this courage that made me strong and fired my own spirits. It was this terrible joy that enabled me to leave everything behind me in a moment's time. But is it all my imagination only? Why is there no sign of his coming anywhere .^^ Surangama He of whom you are thinking did not set fire to the palace — it is the King of Kanchi who did it. 134 THE KING OF Sudarshana Coward! But is it possible? So handsome, so bewitching, and yet no manhood in him! Have I deceived myself for the sake of such a worthless creature? O shame! Fie on me! . . . But, Surangama, don't you think that your King should yet have come to take me back? (Surangama remains silent,) You think I am anxious to go back? Never! Even if the King really came I should not have re- turned. Not even once did he forbid me to come away, and I found all the doors wide open to let me out! And the stony and dusty road over which I walked — it was nothing to it that a queen was treading on it. It is hard and has no feelings, like your King; the meanest beggar is the same to it as the highest Empress. You are silent! Well, I tell you, your King's behaviour is — mean, brutal, shameful! THE DARK CHAMBER 135 Surangama Every one knows that my King is hard and pitiless — no one has ever been able to move him. Sudarshana Why do you, then, call him day and night? Surangama May he ever remain hard and re- lentless like rock — may my tears and prayers never move him! Let my sorrows be ever mine only — and may his glory and victory be for ever! Sudarshana Surangama, look! A cloud of dust seems to rise over the eastern horizon across the fields. Surangama Yes, I see it. 136 THE KING OF Sudarshana Is that not like the banner of a chariot? Surangama Indeed, a banner it is. Sudarshana Then he is coming. He has come at last! Surangama Who is coming.'^ Sudarshana Our King — who else? How could he live without me? It is a wonder how he could hold out even for these days. Surangama No, no, this cannot be the King. Sudarshana ''No," indeed! As if you know everything! Your King is hard, stony. THE DARK CHAMBER 137 pitiless, isn't he? Let us see how hard he can be. I knew from the beginning that he would come — that he would have to rush after me. But remember, Surangama, I never for a single moment asked him to come. You will see how I make your King confess his defeat to me! Just go out, Surangama, and let me know everything. (Surangama goes out) But shall I go if he comes and asks me to return with him.^ Certainly not! I will not go! Never! Enter Surangama Surangama It is not the King, my Queen. Sudarshana Not the King? Are you quite sure? What! he has not come yet? / 138 THE KING OF Surangama No, my King never raises so much dust when he comes. Nobody can know when he comes at all. Sudarshana Then this is Surangama The same: he is coming with the King of Kanchi. Sudarshana Do you know his name.^ Surangama His name is Suvarna. Sudarshana It is he, then. I thought, "I am lying here like waste refuse and offal, which no one cares even to touch." But my hero is coming now to release me. Did you know Suvarna? THE DARK CHAMBER 139 Surangama When I was at my father's home, in the gambHng den Sudarshana No, no, I won't hear anything of him from you. He is my own hero, my only salvation. I shall know him without your telling stories about him. But just see, a nice man your King is! He did not care to come to rescue me from even this degradation. You can- not blame me after this. I could not have waited for him all my life here, toiling ignominiously like a bondslave. I shall never have your meekness and submissiveness. XI Encampment Kanchi {To Kanya Kubja's Messenger.) Tell your King that he need not receive us exactly as his guests. We are on our way back to our kingdoms, but we are waiting to rescue Queen Sudarshana from the servitude and degradation to which she is condemned here. Messenger Your Highness, you will remember that the princess is in her father's house. 140 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 141 Kanchi A daughter may stay in her father's home only so long as she remains un- married. Messenger But her connections with her fa- ther's family remain intact still. Kanchi She has abjured all such relations now. Messenger Such relationship can never be ab- jured, Your Highness, on this side of death: it may remain in abeyance at times, but can never be wholly broken up. Kanchi If the King chooses not to give up his daughter to me on peaceful terms, our Kshatriya code of righteous- 142 THE KING OF ness will oblige me to employ force. You may take this as my last word. Messenger Your Highness, do not forget that our King too is bound by the same code. It is idle to expect that he will deliver up his daughter by merely hearing your threats. Kanchi Tell your King that I have come prepared for such an answer. [Messenger goes out. Suvarna King of Kanchi, it seems to me that we are daring too much. Kanchi What pleasure would there be in this adventure if it were otherwise.^ THE DARK CHAMBER 143 Suvarna It does not cost much courage to challenge Kanya Kubja — but . . . Kanchi If you once begin to be afraid of "but," you will hardly find a place in this world safe enough for you. Enter a Soldier Soldier Your Highness! I have just re- ceived the news that the Kings of Koshala, Avanti, and Kalinga are coming this way with their armies. [Exit. Kanchi Just what I was afraid of! The report of Sudarshana's flight has spread abroad — now we are going to be in for a general scramble which is sure to end in smoke. 144 THE KING OF Suvarna It IS useless now. Your Highness. These are not good tidings. I am perfectly certain that it is our Emperor himself who has secretly spread the report everywhere. Kanchi Why, what good will it bring him.^ Suvarna The greedy ones will tear one an- other to pieces in the general rivalry and scramble — and he will take advan- tage of the situation to go back with the booty. Kanchi Now it becomes clear why your King never shows himself. His trick is to multiply himself on every side — fear makes him visible everywhere. But I will still maintain that your King THE DARK CHAMBER 145 is but an empty fraud from top to bottom. Suvarna But, please Your Highness, will you have the kindness to let me off? KancM I cannot let you go — I have some use for you in this affair. Enter a Soldier Soldier Your Highness, Virat, Panchal, and Vidarbha too have come. They have encamped on the other side of the river. [Exit. Kanchi In the beginning we must all fight together. Let the battle with Kanya Kubja first be over, then we shall find some way out of the difficulty. 146 KING OF DARK CHAMBER Suvarna Please do not drag me into your plans — I shall be happy if you leave me alone — I am a poor, mean creature — nothing can Kanchi Look here, king of hypocrites, ways and means are never of a very ex- alted order — roads and stairs and so forth are always to be trodden under our feet. The advantage of utilising men like you in our plans is that we have to make use of no mask or illusion. But if I were to consult my prime minister, it would be absurd for me to call theft by any name less dignified than public benefit. I will go now, and move the princes about like pawns on the chessboard; the game cannot evidently go on if all the chessmen propose moving like kings ! XII Interior of the Palace Sudarshana Is the fight still going on? Surangama As fiercely as ever. Sudarshana Before going out to the battle my father came to me and said, '*You have come away from one King, but you have drawn seven Kings after you : I have a mind to cut you up into seven pieces and distribute them among the princes." It would have been well if he did so. Surangama! 147 148 THE KING OF Surangama Yes? Sudarshana If your King had the power to save me, could my present state have left him unmoved? Surangama My Queen, why do you ask me? Have I the power to answer for my King? I know my understanding is dark; that is why I never dare to judge him. Sudarshana Who have joined in this fight? Surangama All the seven princes. Sudarshana No one else? THE DARK CHAMBER 149 Surangama Suvarna attempted to escape — in secret before the fight began — but Kanchi has kept him a prisoner in his camps. Sudarshana Oh, I should have been dead long ago! But, O King, my King, if you had come and helped my father, your fame would have been none the less! It would have become brighter and higher. Are you quite sure, Suran- gama, that he has not come? Surangama I know nothing for certain. Sudarshana But since I came here I have felt suddenly many a time as if somebody were playing on a vina below my window. 150 THE KING OF Surangama There is nothing impossible in the idea that somebody indulges his taste for music there. Sudarshana There is a deep thicket below my window — I try to find out who it is every time I hear the music, but I can see nothing distinctly. Surangama Perhaps some wayfarer rests in the shade and plays on the instrument. Sudarshana It may be so, but my old window in the palace comes back to my mem- ory. I used to come after dressing in the evening and stand at my window, and out of the blank darkness of our lampless meeting-place used to stream THE DARK CHAMBER 151 forth strains and songs and melodies, dancing and vibrating in endless suc- cession and overflowing profusion, like the passionate exuberance of a cease- less fountain! Surangama deep and sweet darkness! the profound and mystic darkness whose servant I was! Sudarshana Why did you come away with me from that room? Surangama Because I knew he would follow us and take us back. Sudarshana But no, he will not come — he has left us for good. Why should he not.^ 15^ THE KING OF Surangama If he can leave us like that, then we have no need of him. Then he does not exist for us: then that dark cham- ber is totally empty and void — no Vina ever breathed its music there — none called you or me in that chamber; then everything has been a delusion and an idle dream. Enter the Doorkeeper Sudarshana Who are you? DoorJceeper I am the porter of this palace. Sudarshana Tell me quickly what you have got to say. THE DARK CHAMBER 153 Doorkeeper Our King has been taken prisoner. Sudarshana Prisoner? O Mother Earth ! [Faints, XIII King of Kanchi and Suvarna Suvarna You say, then, that there will be no more necessity of any fight amongst yourselves? Kanchi No, you need not be afraid. I have made all the princes agree that he whom the Queen accepts as her hus- band will have her, and the others will have to abandon all further strug- gle. Suvarna But you must have done with me now. Your Highness — so I beg to be 154 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 155 let off now. Unfit as I am for any- thing, the fear of impending danger has unnerved me and stunned my intellect. You will therefore find it diflScuIt to put me to any use. Kanchi You will have 'to sit there as my umbrella-holder. Suvarna Your servant is ready for anything; but of what profit will that be to you.^^ Kanchi My man, I see that your weak intellect cannot go with a high ambi- tion in you. You have no notion yet with what favour the Queen looked upon you. After all, she cannot pos- sibly throw the bridal garland on an umbrella-bearer's neck in a com- pany of princes, and yet, I know, she 156 KING OF DARK CHAMBER will not be able to turn her mind away from you. So on all accounts this garland will fall under the shade of my regal umbrella. Suvarna Your Highness, you are entertain- ing dangerous imaginings about me. I pray you, please do not implicate me in the toils of such groundless notions. I beg Your Highness most humbly, pray set me at liberty. Kanchi As soon as my object is attained, I shall not keep you one moment from your liberty. Once the end is attained, it is futile to burden oneself with the means. XIV SuDARSHANA and SuRANGAMA at the Window Sudarshana Must I go to the assembly of the princes, then? Is there no other means of saving father's Ufe? Surangama The King of Kanchi has said so. Sudarshana Are these the words worthy of a King? Did he say so with his own Hps? 157 158 THE KING OF Surangama No, his messenger, Suvarna, brought this news. Sudarshana Woe, woe is me! Surangama And he produced a few withered flowers and said, '*Tell your Queen that the drier and more withered these souvenirs of the Spring Festival be- come, the fresher and more blooming do they grow within in my heart." Sudarshana Stop! Tell me no more. Do not torment me any more. Surangama Look! There sit all the princes in the great assembly. He who has no ornament on his person, except a THE DARK CHAMBER 159 single garland of flowers round his crown — he is the King of Kanehi. And he who holds the umbrella over his head, standing behind him — that is Suvarna. Sudarshana Is that Suvarna? Are you quite certain? Surangama Yes, I know him well. Sudarshana Can it be that it is this man that I saw the other day? No, no, — I saw something mingled and transfused and blended with light and darkness, with wind and perfume, — no, no, it cannot be he; that is not he. Surangama But every one admits that he is exceedingly beautiful to look at. 160 THE KING OF Sudarshana How could that beauty fascinate me? Oh, what shall I do to purge my eyes of their pollution? Surangama You will have to wash them in that bottomless darkness. Sudarshana But tell me, Surangama, why does one make such mistakes? Surangama Mistakes are but the preludes to their own destruction. Messenger (entering) Princess, the Kings are waiting for you in the hall. [Exit. Sudarshana Surangama, bring me the veil. THE DARK CHAMBER 161 (SuRANGAMA goes out.) O King, my only King! You have left me alone, and you have been but just in do- ing so. But will you not know the inmost truth within my soul? {Tak- ing 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, 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. 162 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 163 Virat The King of Kanchi wants to de- monstrate the futihty and inferiority of outer beauty and grandeur. Vanity of his prowess has made him discard all outer embellishments from his limbs. Koshala 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.f^ 164 THE KING OF 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 passed that stage. Koshala Kanchi, did you feel as if something shook your seat just now.^ Is it an earthquake.^ THE DARK CHAMBER 165 Kanchi Earthquake? I do not know. Vidarhha 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 166 THE KING OF which courage or heroism is as futile as it is absurd. Panchala Vidarbha, do not darken to-day's happy proceedings with your unwel- come 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 THE DARK CHAMBER 167 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 out- side? 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! 168 THE KING OF 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. THE DARK CHAMBER 169 Vidarbha (starting) King? Panchala Which King? Kalinga Where does he come from? Grandfather My King! Virai Your King? Kalinga Who is he? Koshala What do you mean? Grandfather You all know whom I mean. He has come. 170 THE KING OF Vidarbha He has come? Koshala With what intention? Grandfather He has summoned you all to come to him. Kanchi Summoned us, indeed? In what terms has he been pleased to summon us? Grandfather You can take his call in any way you like — there is none to prevent you — he is prepared to make all kinds of wel- come to suit your various tastes. Virat But who are you? THE DARK CHAMBER 171 Grandfather I am one of his generals. Kanchi Generals? It is a He! Do you think of frightening us? Do you imagine that I cannot see through your dis- guise? We all know you well — and you pose as a "general" before us! Grandfather You have recognised me to perfec- tion. Who is so unworthy as I to bear my King's commands? And yet it is he who has invested me with these robes of a general and sent me here: he has chosen me before greater gen- erals and mightier warriors. Kanchi All right, we shall go to observe the proprieties and amenities on a fitting 172 THE KING OF occasion — but at present we are in the midst of a pressing engagement. He will have to wait till this little function is over. Grandfather When he sends out his call he does not wait. Koshala I shall obey his call; I am going at once. Vidarbha Kanchi, I cannot agree with you in your proposal to wait till this function is over. I am going. Kalinga You are older than I am — I shall follow you. Panchala Look behind you, Prince of Kanchi, your regal umbrella is lying in the THE DARK CHAMBER 173 dust: you have not noticed when your umbrella-holder has stolen away. KancM All right, general. I too am going — but not to do him homage. I go to fight him on the battle-ground. Grandfather You will meet my King in the field of battle: that is no mean place for your reception. Virat Look here, friends, perhaps we are all flying before an imagined terror — it looks as if the King of Kanchi will have the best of it. Panchala Possibly, when the fruit is so near the hand, it is cowardly and foolish to go away without plucking it. 174 KING OF DARK CHAMBER Kalinga It is better to join the King of Kanehi. He cannot be without a definite plan and purpose when he is doing and daring so much. XVI SUDARSHANA and SURANGAMA Sudarshana The fight is over now. When will the King come? Surangama I do not know myself: I am also looking forward to his coming. Sudarshana I feel such a throb of joy, Suran- gama, that my breast is positively aching. But I am dying with shame too; how shall I show my face to him.^ 175 176 THE KING OF Surangama Go to him in utmost humility and resignation, and all shame will vanish in a moment. Sudarshana I cannot help confessing that I have met with my uttermost defeat for all the rest of my life. But pride made me claim the largest share in his love so long. Every one used to say I had such wonderful beauty, such graces and virtues; every one used to say that the King showed unlimited kind- ness towards me — this is what makes it difficult for me to bend my heart in humility before him. Surangama This difficulty, my Queen, will pass off. THE DARK CHAMBER 177 Sudarshana Oh, yes, it will pass — the day has arrived for me to humble myself before the whole world. But why does not the King come to take me back? What more is he waiting for yet? Surangama Have I not told you my King is cruel and hard — very hard indeed? Sudarshana Go out, Surangama, and bring me news of him. Surangama I do not know where I should go to get any news of him. I have asked Grandfather to come; perhaps when he comes we shall hear something from him. 178 THE KING OF Sudarshana Alack, my evil fate! I have been reduced to asking others to hear about my own King ! Enter Grandfather Sudarshana I have heard that you are my King's friend, so accept my obeisance and give me your blessings. Grandfather What are you doing. Queen? I never accept anybody's obeisance. My rela- tion with every one is only that of com- radeship. Sudarshana Smile on me, then — give me good news. Tell me when the King is coming to take me back. THE DARK CHAMBER 179 Grandfather You ask me a hard question, indeed! I hardly understand yet the ways of my friend. The battle is over, but no one can tell where he is gone. Sudarshana Is he gone away, then? Grandfather I cannot find any trace of him here. Sudarshana Has he gone? And do you call such a person your friend? Grandfather That is why he gets people's abuse as well as suspicion. But my King simply does not mind it in the least. Sudarshana Has he gone away? Oh, oh, how hard, how cruel, how cruel! He is 180 THE KING OF made of stone, he is hard as adamant! I tried to move him with my own bosom — my breast is torn and bleeding — but him I could not move an inch! Grandfather, tell me, how can you manage with such a friend? Grandfather I have known him now — I have known him through my griefs and joys — he can make me weep no more now. Sudarshana Will he not let me know him also? Grandfather Why, he will, of course. Nothing else will satisfy him. Sudarshana Very well, I shall see how hard he can be! I shall stay here near the window without saying a word; I THE DARK CHAMBER 181 shall not move an inch; let me see if he will not come ! Grandfather You are young still — you can afford to wait for him; but to me, an old man, a moment's loss is a week. I must set out to seek him whether I succeed or not. {Exit, Sudarshana I do not want him — I will not seek him! Surangama, I have no need of your King! Why did he fight with the princes? Was it for me at all? Did he want to show off his prowess and strength? Go away from here — I cannot bear your sight. He has humbled me to the dust, and is not satisfied still! XVII A Band of Citizens First Citizen When so many Kings met together, we thought we were going to have some big fun; but somehow every- thing took such a turn that nobody knows what happened at all! Second Citizen Did you not see, they could not come to an agreement among them- selves? — every one distrusted every one else. Third Citizen None kept to their original plans ; one wanted to advance, another thought 182 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 183 it better policy to recede; some went to the right, others made a rush to the left: how can you call that a fight? First Citizen They had no eye to real fighting — each had his eye on the others. Second Citizen Each was thinking, ''Why should I die to enable others to reap the harvest?" Third Citizen But you must all admit that Kanchi fought like a real hero. First Citizen He for a long time after his defeat seemed loth to acknowledge himself beaten. 184 THE KING OF Second Citizen He was at last fixed in the chest by a deadly missile. Third Citizen But before that he did not seem to realise that he had been losing ground at every step. First Citizen As for the other Kings — well, nobody knows where they fled, leaving poor Kanchi alone in the field. Second Citizen But I have heard that he is not dead yet. Third Citizen No, the physicians have saved him — but he will carry the mark of his defeat on his breast till his dying day. THE DARK CHAMBER 185 First Citizen None of the other Kings who fled has escaped; they have all been taken prisoners. But what sort of justice is this that was meted out to them? Second Citizen I heard that every one was punished except Kanchi, whom the judge placed on his right on the throne of justice, putting a crown on his head. Third Citizen This beats all mystery hollow. Second Citizen This sort of justice, to speak frankly, strikes us as fantastic and capricious. First Citizen Just so. The greatest offender is certainly the King of Kanchi; as for 186 THE KING OF the others, greed of gain now pressed them to advance, now they drew back in fear. Third Citizen What kind of justice is this, I ask? It is as if the tiger got scot-free, while his tail got cut off. Second Citizen If I were the judge, do you think Kanchi would be whole and sound at this hour.f^ There would be nothing left of him altogether. Third Citizen They are great, high justices, my friends; their brains are of a different stamp from ours. First Citizen Have they got any brains at all, I wonder.^ They simply indulge their THE DARK CHAMBER 187 sweet whims as there are none to say anything to them from above. Second Citizen Whatever you may say, if we had the governing power in our hands we should certainly have carried on the government much better than this. Third Citizen Can there be any real doubts about that? That of course goes without saying. xvm The Street. Grandfather and Kanchi Grandfather What, Prince of Kanchi, you here! Kanchi Your King has sent me on the road. Grandfather That is a settled habit with him. Kanchi And now, no one can get a glimpse of him. Grandfather That too is one of his amusements. 188 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 189 Kanchi But how long more will he elude me like this? When nothing could make me acknowledge him as my King, he came all of a sudden like a terrific tempest — God knows from where — and scattered my men and horses and banners in one wild tumult: but now, when I am seeking the ends of the earth to pay him my humble homage, he is nowhere to be seen. Grandfather But however big an Emperor he may be, he has to submit to him that yields. But why have you come out at night. Prince? Kanchi I still cannot get rid of the feeling of a secret dread of being laughed at by people when they see me meekly 190 THE KING OF doing my homage to your King, ac- knowledging my defeat. Grandfather Such indeed is the people. What would move others to tears only serves to move their empty laughter. Kanchi But you too are on the road. Grand- father. Grandfather This is my jolly pilgrimage to the land of losing everything. Sings I am waiting with my all in the hope of losing everything. I am watching at the roadside for him who turns one out into the open road. THE DARK CHAMBER 191 Who hides himself and sees, who loves you unknown to you, I have given my heart in secret love to him, I am waiting with my all in the hope of losing everything. XIX A Road. SuDARSHANA and Surangama Sudarshana What a relief, Surangama, what freedom! It is my defeat that has brought me freedom. Oh, what an iron pride was mine! Nothing could move it or soften it. My darkened mind could not in any way be brought to see the plain truth that it was not the King who was to come, it was I who ought to have gone to him. All through yesternight I lay alone on the dusty floor before that window — lay there through the desolate hours and wept! All night the southern winds blew and shrieked and moaned like 192 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 193 the pain that was biting at my heart; and all through it I heard the plaintive "Speak, wife!" of the nigh third echo- ing in the tumult outside! ... It was the helpless wail of the dark night, Surangama! Surangama Last night's heavy and melancholy air seemed to hang on for an eternity — oh, what a dismal and gloomy night ! Sudarshana But would you believe it — I seemed to hear the soft strains of the vina floating through all that wild din and tumult! Could he play such sweet and tender tunes, he who is so cruel and terrible? The world knows only my indignity and ignominy — but none but my own heart could hear those 194 THE KING OF strains that called me through the lone and wailing night. Did you too, Surangama, hear the vina? Or was that but a dream of mine? Surangama But it is just to hear that same vina^s music that I am always by your side. It is for this call of music, which I knew would one day come to dissolve all the barriers of love, that I have all along been listening with an eager ear. Sudarshana He did at last send me on the open road — I could not withstand his will. When I shall find him, the first words that I shall tell him will be, "I have come of my own will — I have not awaited your coming." I shall say, *'For your sake have I trodden the hard and weary roads^ and bitter and THE DARK CHAMBER 195 ceaseless has been my weeping all the way." I shall at least have this pride in me when I meet him. Surangama But even that pride will not last. He came before you did — who else could have sent you on the road? Sudarshana Perhaps he dids As long as a sense of offended pride remained with me, I could not help thinking that he had left me for good; but when I flung my dignity and pride to the winds and came out on the common streets, then it seemed to me that he too had come out: I have been finding him since the moment I was on the road. I have no misgivings now. All this suffering that I have gone through for his sake, the very bitternesss of all this is giving me his company. Ah! 196 THE KING OF yes, he has come — he has held me by the hand, just as he used to do in that chamber of darkness, when, at his touch, all my body would start with a sudden thrill: it is the same, the same touch again! Who says that he is not here? — Surangama, can you not see that he has come, in silence and secret? . . . Who is that there? Look, Surangama, there is a third traveller of this dark road at this hour of the night. Surangama I see, it is the King of Kanchi, my Queen. Sudarshana King of Kanchi! Surangama Don't be afraid, my Queen! THE DARK CHAMBER 197 Sudarshana Afraid! Why should I be afraid? The days of fear are gone for ever for me. Kanchi (entering) Queen-mother, I see you two on this road! I am a traveller of the same path as yourself. Have no fear of me, O Queen! Sudarshana It is well. King of Kanehi, that we should be going together, side by side — this is but right. I came on your way when I first left my home, and now I meet you again on my way back. Who could have dreamed that this meeting of ours would augur so well.^^ Kanchi But, Queen-mother, it is not meet that you should walk over this road 198 THE KING OF on foot. Will you permit me to get a chariot for you? Sudarshana Oh, do not say so: I shall never be happy if I could not on my way back home tread on the dust of the road that led me away from my King. I would be deceiving myself if I were now to go in a chariot. Surangama King, you too are walking in the dust to-day: this road has never known anybody driving his horse or chariot over it. Sudarshana When I was the Queen, I stepped over silver and gold — I shall have now to atone for the evil fortune of my birth by walking over dust and THE DARK CHAMBER 199 bare earth. I could not have dreamed that thus I would meet my King of common earth and dust at every step of mine to-day. Surangama Look, my Queen, there on the east- ern horizon comes the dawn. We have not long to walk: I see the spires of the golden turrets of the King's palace. Enter Grandfather Grandfather My child, it is dawn — at last! Sudarshana Your benedictions have given me Godspeed, and here I am, at last. Grandjaiher But do you see how ill-mannered our King is? He has sent no chariot, 200 THE KING OF no music band, nothing splendid or grand. Sudarshana Nothing grand, did you say? Look, the sky is rosy and crimson from end to end, the air is full of the welcome of the scent of flowers. Grandfather Yes, but however cruel our King may be, we cannot seek to emulate him: I cannot help feeling pain at seeing you in this state, my child. How can we bear to see you going to the King's palace attired in this poor and wretched attire? Wait a little — I am running to fetch you your Queen's garments. Sudarshana Oh no, no, no! He has taken away those regal robes from me for ever — he has attired me in a servant's dress THE DARK CHAMBER 201 before the eyes of the whole world: what a rehef this has been to me! I am his servant now, no longer his Queen. To-day I stand at the feet of all those who can claim any relation- ship with him. Grandfather But your enemies will laugh at you now: how can you bear their derision .^^ Sudarshana Let their laughter and derision be immortal — let them throw dust at me in the streets: this dust will to-day be the powder with which I shall deck myself before meeting my lord. Grandfather After this, we shall say nothing. Now let us play the last game of our Spring Festival — instead of the pollen of flowers let the south breeze blow 202 THE KING OF and scatter dust of lowliness in every direction! We shall go to the lord clad in the common grey of the dust. And we shall find him too covered with dust all over. For do you think the people spare him? Even he can- not escape from their soiled and dusty hands, and he does not even care to brush the dirt off his garments. Kanchi Grandfather, do not forget me in this game of yours! I also will have to get this royal garment of mine soiled till it is beyond all recognition. Grandfather That will not take long, my brother. Now that you have come down so far — you will change your colour in no time. Just look at our Queen — she got into a temper with herself and thought that she could spoil her match- THE DARK CHAMBER 203 less beauty by flinging away all her ornaments: but this insult to her beauty has made it shine forth in tenfold radiance, and now it is in its unadorned perfection. We hear that our King is all innocent of beauty — that is why he loves all his manifold beauty of form which shines as the very ornament of his breast. And that beauty has to-day taken off its veil and cloak of pride and vanity! What could I not give to be allowed to hear the wonderful music and song that has filled my King's palace to-day! Surangama Lo, there rises the sun! XX The Dark Chamber Sudarsha?ia Lord, do not give me back the honour which vou once did turn awav from me I I am the servant of vour feet — I only seek the priWlege of ser\incr vou. King \\'ill you be able to bear me now? Sudarshana Oh ves, ves, I shall. Your sicrh repelled me because I had sought to find you in the pleasure garden, in my Queen's chambers: there even your 201 KING OF DARK CHAMBER 205 meanest servant looks handsomer than you. That fever of longing has left my eyes for ever. You are not beauti- ful, my lord — you stand beyond all comparisons ! King That which can be comparable with me lies within yourself. Sudarshana If this be so, then that too is be- yond comparison. Your love lives in me — you are mirrored in that love, and vou see vour face reflected in me: nothing of this mine, it is all yours, Olord! King I open the doors of this dark room to-day — the game is finished here! Come, come with me now, come out- side — into the light! 206 KING OF DARK CHAMBER Sudarshana Before I go, let me bow at the feet of my lord of darkness, my cruel, my terrible, my peerless one ! THE END 'T^HE following pages contain advertisements of books by the same author or on kindred subjects. RABINDRANATH TAGORE'S The Post Office Cloth, i2mo. $i.oo net. "... filled with tender pathos and spiritual beauty. There are two acts, and the story is that of a frail little Indian lad condemned to seclusion and inaction by ill health. He makes a new world for himself, however, by his imagination and insatiable curiosity, and the passersby bring the world of action to him. The play has been presented in England by the Irish Players, and fully adapts itself to the charming simplicity and charm which are their principal characteristics." Phila. Public Ledger. "A beautiful and appealing piece of dramatic work," Boston Transcript. "Once more Tagore demonstrates the universality of his genius; once more he shows how art and true feeling know no racial and no religious lines." Kentucky Post. "One reads in 'The Post Office' his own will of symbolism. SimpHcity and a pervading, appeaHng pathos are the qualities transmitted to its lines by the poet." N. Y. World. "He writes from his soul; there is neither bombast nor didacticism. His poems bring one to the quiet places where the soul speaks to the soul surely but serenely." N. Y. A merican. PUBLISHED BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue New York BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE Nohel Prizeman in Literature, 191 3. Author of ^'Gitanjali," " The Gardener" "The Crescent Moon,'* "Sadhana." Chitra A Play in One Act Cloth, i2mo. $1.00 net. This is a little lyrical drama based upon an incident in the Mahabharata. In the course of his wanderings in fulfillment of a vow of penance Arjuna comes to Manipur. There he sees Chitrangada, the daughter of Chitravahana, the king of the country. Smitten with her charms, he asks the king for the hand of his daughter. Out of the king's reply and the conditions which he imposes upon Arjuna the story develops. It is a rare bit of idealistic writing, as beautiful in its thought as it is in expression. *' We did not look for an Oriental even though a seer, to write a book (especially twenty-five years ago when this was written) that might serve as example to the most advanced among modern Occidental women — yet this is just what Tagore has done. Extended comment upon Mr. Tagore's play is unnecessary. It is at once as clear and as profound as a mountain pool." N, Y. Times. PUBLISHED BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue New York OTHER WORKS BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE Nohel Prizeman in Literature, IQ13 GITANJALI (Song Oflferings). A Collection of Prose Translations made by the author from the original Bengali $1.50 net THE GARDENER. Poems of Youth $1.25 ,iet THE CRESCENT MOON. Child Poems. (Colored '11.) $1.25 net ' SADHANA: THE REALIZATION OF LIFE. A volume of essays $1.25 net All four by Rabindranath Tagore, translated by the author from the original Bengali. Rabindranath Tagore is the Hindu poet and preacher to whom the Nobel Prize was recently awarded. . . . I would commend these volumes, and especially the one entitled "Sad- hana," the collection of essays, to all intelligent readers. I know of nothing, except it be Maeterlinck, in the whole modern range of the literature of the inner life that can compare with them. There are no preachers nor writers upon spiritual topics, whether in Europe or America, that have the depth of insight, the quickness of religious apper- ception, combined with the intellectual honesty and scientific clearness of Tagore. . . . Here is a book from a master, free as the air, with a mind universal as the sunshine. He writes, of course, from the standpoint of the Hindu. But, strange to say, his spirit and teaching come nearer to Jesus, as we find Him in the Gospels, than any modern Christian writer I know. He does for the average reader what Bergson and Eucken are doing for scholars; he rescues the soul and its faculties from their enslavement to logic-chopping. He shows us the way back to Nature and her spiritual voices. He rebukes our materialistic, wealth-mad, Western life with the dignity and authority of one of the old Hebrew prophets. . . . He opens up the meaning of life. He makes us feel the redeeming fact that life is tremendous, a worth-while adventure. "Everything has sprung from immortal life and is vibrating with life. LIFE IS IMMENSE." . . . Tagore is a great human being. His heart is warm with love. His thoughts are pure and high as the galaxy. (Copyright, 1913, by Frank Crane.) Reprinted by permission from the New York Globe, Dec. 18, 1913. PUBLISHED BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue New York NEW POEMS AND PLAYS Plaster Saints By Israel Zangwill. Cloth, i2mo. $1.25 net. A new play of deep social significance. The Melting Pot By Israel Zangwill. Revised edition. Cloth, i2mo. This is a revised edition of what is perhaps Mr. Zangwill's most popular play. Numerous changes have been made in the text, which has been considerably lengthened thereby. The appeal of the drama to the readers of this country is particularly strong, in that it deals with that great social process by which all nationalities are blended together for the making of the real American. Sword Blades and Poppy Seed By Amy Lowell, Author of "A Dome of Many-Coloured Glass." Boards, i2mo. $1.25 net. Of the poets who to-day are doing the interesting and original work, there is no more striking and unique figure than Amy Lowell. The foremost American member of the "Imagists" — a group of poets that includes WiUiam Butler Yeats, Ezra Pound, Ford Madox Hueffer — she has won wide recognition for her writing in new and free forms of poetical expression. Miss Lowell's present volume of poems, "Sword Blades and Poppy Seed," is an unusual book. It contains much perhaps that will arouse criticism, but it is a new note in American poetry. Miss Lowell has broken away from academic traditions and written, out of her own time, real singing poetry, free, full of new effects and sub- tleties. PUBLISHED BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue New York NEW POEMS AND PLAYS R omance By Edward Sheldon, Author of ''The Nigger," etc. Decorated cloth, i2mo. Mr. Sheldon can be relied upon to provide drama that is not only good from a technical standpoint, but unusual in subject-matter. The Nigger, which proved to be one of the sensations of the New Theatre's short career, is now followed by Romance, a play more admirable, perhaps, in its construction, and of universal appeal. As a book the story seems to have lost none of its brilliance; in fact the sharpness of its character delineation, the intensity and reality of its plot and the lyrical beauty of some of its passages are, if possible more apparent on the printed page than in the theatre. There is little doubt but that the tremendous success which the drama made when footlighted is to be duplicated upon its appearance in this form. Jroems By Harriet Monroe. Cloth, i2mo. $1.25 net. In this book is brought together some of Miss Monroe's best work. As the editor of Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, wherein occasionally compositions of her own have appeared, and as a contributor to the better magazines, Miss Monroe has endeared herself to a large audience of discriminating people. A distinguishing feature of the collection is that it is notably representative of current ideas and sentiments, and pleasingly varied in theme. The author's subjects are chosen from the Panama Canal, the Titanic disaster, the turbine, the telephone, State Street, Chicago, and other modern phases or factors of Hfe. There is also a group of love poems. PUBLISHED BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Publishers 64-^6 Fifth Avenue New York NEW POEMS AND PLAYS The Congo and Other Poems By Vachel Lindsay. Cloth, i2mo. In the readings which he has given throughout the country Mr. Lindsay has won the approbation of the critics and of his audiences in general for the new verse form which he is employing. The wonderful effects of sound produced by his lines, their relation to the idea which the author seeks to convey and their marvelous lyrical quality are some- thing, it is maintained, quite out of the ordinary and suggest new possibihties and new meanings in poetry. In this book are presented a number of Mr. Lindsay's most daring experiments, that is to say they were experiments when they were first tried; they have been more than justified by their reception. It is believed that the volume will be one of the most discussed of all the year's output. Earth Triumphant and Other Tales in Verse By Conrad Aiken. Cloth, i2mo. $1.25 net. Conrad Aiken is one of the first American writers to choose to tell his stories in verse. Helston, Masefield and other Europeans have been doing it with marked success, but hitherto this country has had no notable representative in this Hne of endeavor. Though Mr. Aiken has been writing for a number of years, Eartk Triumphant and Other Tales in Verse is his first published book. In it are contained, in addition to the several narratives of modern life, a number of shorter lyrics. It is a volume distinguished by originality and power. 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