The Cycle of Spring Part 21

Hush. He is singing.

(_The Minstrel sings._)

_Victory to thee, victory for ever, O brave heart.

Victory to life, to joy, to love, To eternal light.

The night shall wane, the darkness shall vanish, Have faith, brave heart.

 

Wake up from sleep, from languor of despair, Receive the light of new dawn with a song._

(_A ray of light hovers before the cavern._)

Ah! There he is. Chandra! Chandra!

Hush. Don't make any noise. I cannot see him distinctly.

Ah! It cannot be any other than Chandra.

Oh, what joy!

Chandra! Come!

Chandra! How could you leave us for so long?

Have you been able to capture the Old Man?

_Chandra_

Yes, I have.

But we don't see him.

_Chandra_

He is coming.

But what did you see in the cave? Tell us.

_Chandra_

No, I cannot tell you.

Why?

_Chandra_

If my mind were a voice, then I could tell you.

But could you see him, whom you captured? Was he the Old Man of the World?

The Old Man who would like to drink up the sea of youth in his insatiable thirst.

Was it the One who is like the dark night, whose eyes are fixed on his breast, whose feet are turned the wrong way round, who walks backwards?

Was it the One who wears the garland of skulls, and lives in the burning-ground of the dead?

_Chandra_

I do not know, I cannot say. But he is coming. You shall see him.

_Minstrel_

Yes, I see him.

[_The light strengthens and gradually throughout the scene grows to a culminating brilliance at the close._]

Where?

_Minstrel_

Here.

He is coming out of the cave.--Some one is coming out of the cave.

How wonderful.

_Chandra_

Why, it is you!

Our Leader!

Our Leader!

Our Leader!

Where is the Old Man?

_Leader_

He is nowhere.

Nowhere?

_Leader_

Yes, nowhere.

Then what is he?