The Little Clay Cart Part 31

_Charudatta._ [_With an embarra.s.sed smile._] But remember, Vasantasena,

Who will believe the truth?

Suspicion now is sure.

This world will show no ruth To the inglorious poor. 43

P. 152.4]

_Maitreya._ Tell me, girl, are you going to sleep here to-night?

_Maid._ [_Laughing._] But good Maitreya, you show yourself most remarkably plain-spoken now.

_Maitreya._ See, my friend, the rain enters again in great streams, as if it wanted to drive people away when they are sitting comfortably together.

_Charudatta._ You are quite right.

The falling waters pierce the cloud, As lotus-shoots the soil; And tears the face of heaven shroud, Who weeps the moon's vain toil. 44

And again:

In streams as pure as thoughts to good men given, But merciless as darts that Arjun hurls, And black as Baladeva's cloak, the heaven Seems to pour out all Indra's h.o.a.rded pearls. 45

See, my beloved, see!

The heaven is painted with the blackest dye, And fanned by cool and fragrant evening airs; Red lightning, glad in union, clasps the sky With voluntary arms, and shows on high The love that maiden heart to lover bears. 46

[_Vasantasena betrays her pa.s.sion, and throws her arms about Charudatta.

Charudatta feels her touch, and embraces her._]

_Charudatta._

More grimly yet, O thunder, boom; For by thy grace and power My love-distracted limbs now bloom Like the kadamba flower.

Her dear touch all my being thrills, And love my inmost spirit fills. 47

_Maitreya._ Confound you, storm! You are no gentleman, to frighten the lady with the lightning.

[91.20. S.

_Charudatta._

Do not rebuke the storm, my friend.

Let ceaseless rain a hundred years endure, The lightning quiver, and the thunder peal; For what I deemed impossible is sure: Her dear-loved arms about my neck I feel. 48

And oh, my friend,

He only knows what riches are, Whose love comes to him from afar, Whose arms that dearest form enfold, While yet with rain 't is wet and cold. 49

Vasantasena, my beloved,

The masonry is shaken; and so old The awning, that 't will not much longer hold.

Heavy with water is the painted wall, From which dissolving bits of mortar fall. 50

[_He looks up._] The rainbow! See, my beloved, see!

See how they yawn, the cloudy jaws of heaven, As by a tongue, by forked lightning riven; And to the sky great Indra's fiery bow In lieu of high-uplifted arms is given. 51

Come, let us seek a shelter. [_He rises and walks about._]

On palm-trees shrill, On thickets still, On boulders das.h.i.+ng, On waters splas.h.i.+ng, Like a lute that, smitten, sings, The rainy music rings. 52

[_Exeunt omnes._

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 60: In Indian love poetry, the rainy season is the time when lovers most ardently long to be united.]

[Footnote 61: In allusion to Vishnu's name, Krishna, "black."]

[Footnote 62: A gesture of respect.]

[Footnote 63: The G.o.ddess of wealth and beauty, usually represented with a lotus.]

[Footnote 64: Kama's (Cupid's) arrows are flowers.]

[Footnote 65: Throughout this scene, Vasantasena's verses are in Sanskrit. Compare note 1 on page 73.]

[Footnote 66: The cry of the heron resembles the Sanskrit word for "rain." Indian love-poetry often paints the sorrow, even unto death, of her whose beloved does not return before the rainy season.]

[Footnote 67: The elephant of Indra. Indra is the G.o.d of the thunderstorm.]

ACT THE SIXTH

THE SWAPPING OF THE BULLOCK-CARTS

[_Enter a maid._]

_Maid._

Isn't my mistress awake yet? Well, I must go in and wake her. [_She walks about. Vasantasena appears, dressed, but still asleep. The maid discovers her._] It is time to get up, mistress. The morning is here.

_Vasantasena._ [_Awakening._] What! is the night over? is it morning?

_Maid._ For us it is morning. But for my mistress it appears to be night still.

_Vasantasena._ But girl, where is your gambler?