The Little Clay Cart Part 18

Though jealous darkness hems it round, The golden-yellow candle from its place s.h.i.+nes through the breach upon the ground, Like a streak of gold upon the touchstone's face. 17

P. 87.9]

[_He returns to his work._] The breach is finished. Good! I enter.

But no, I will not enter yet. I will shove a dummy in. [_He does so._] Ah, no one is there. Praise be to Skanda! [_He enters and looks about._] See! Two men asleep. Come, for my own protection I will open the door. But the house is old and the door squeaks. I must look for water. Now where might water be? [_He looks about, finds water, and sprinkles the door. Anxiously._] I hope it will not fall upon the floor and make a noise. Come, this is the way. [_He puts his back against the door and opens it cautiously._] Good! So much for that. Now I must discover whether these two are feigning sleep, or whether they are asleep in the fullest meaning of the term. [_He tries to terrify them, and notes the effect._] Yes, they must be asleep in the fullest meaning of the term. For see!

Their breath first calmly rises, ere it sink; Its regularity all fear defies.

Unmoving in their socket-holes, the eyes Are tightly closed, and never seem to wink.

The limbs relaxed, at ease the bodies lie, I see their feet beyond the bedstead peep, The lighted candle vexes not the eye; It would, if they were only feigning sleep. 18

[_He looks about him._] What! a drum? And here is a flute. And here, a snare-drum. And here, a lute. And reed-pipes. And yonder, ma.n.u.scripts. Is this the house of a dancing-master? But no!

When I entered, I was convinced that this was a palatial residence.

Now then, is this man poor in the fullest meaning of the term, or, from fear of the king or of thieves, does he keep his property buried? Well, my own property is buried, too. But I will scatter the seeds that betray subterranean gold. [_He does so._] The scattered seeds nowhere swell up. Ah, he is poor in the fullest meaning of the term. Good! I go.

_Maitreya._ [_Talking in his sleep._] Look, man. I see something like a hole in the wall. I see something like a thief. You had better take this golden casket.

[49.7. S

_Sharvilaka._ I wonder if the man has discovered that I have entered, and is showing off his poverty in order to make fun of me.

Shall I kill him, or is the poor devil talking in his sleep? [_He takes a look._] But see! This thing wrapped in a ragged bath-clout, now that I inspect it by the light of my candle, is in truth a jewel-casket Suppose I take it. But no! It is hardly proper to rob a man of good birth, who is as poor as I am. I go.

_Maitreya._ My friend, by the wishes of cows and Brahmans[49] I conjure you to take this golden casket.

_Sharvilaka._ One may not disregard the sacred wish of a cow and the wish of a Brahman. I will take it. But look! There burns the candle. I keep about me a moth for the express purpose of extinguis.h.i.+ng candles. I will let him enter the flame. This is his place and hour. May this moth which I here release, depart to flutter above the flame in varying circles. The breeze from the insect's wings has translated the flame into accursed darkness. Or shall I not rather curse the darkness brought by me upon my Brahmanic family? For my father was a man who knew the four Vedas, who would not accept a gift; and I, Sharvilaka, his son, and a Brahman, I am committing a crime for the sake of that courtezan girl Madanika. Now I will grant the Brahman's wish. [_He reaches out for the casket._]

_Maitreya._ How cold your fingers are, man!

_Sharvilaka._ What carelessness! My fingers are cold from touching water. Well, I will put my hand in my armpit [_He warms his left hand and takes the casket._]

_Maitreya._ Have you got it?

_Sharvilaka._ I could not refuse a Brahman's request. I have it.

P. 80.9]

_Maitreya._ Now I shall sleep as peacefully as a merchant who has sold his wares.

_Sharvilaka._ O great Brahman, sleep a hundred years! Alas that a Brahman family should thus be plunged in darkness for the sake of Madanika, a courtezan! Or better, I myself am thus plunged in darkness.

A curse on poverty, I say!

'T is stranger to the manly will; This act that shuns the light of day I curse indeed, but do it still. 19

Well then, I must go to Vasantasena's house to buy Madanika's freedom. [_He walks about and looks around him._] Ah, I think I hear footsteps. I hope they are not those of policemen. Never mind.

I will pretend to be a pillar, and wait. But after all, do policemen exist for me, for Sharvilaka? Why, I am

A cat for crawling, and a deer for flight, A hawk for rending, and a dog for sight To judge the strength of men that wake or sleep, A snake, when 't is advisable to creep, Illusion's self, to seem a saint or rogue, G.o.ddess of Speech in understanding brogue; A light in blackest night, in holes a lizard I can be, A horse on terra firma, and a s.h.i.+p upon the sea. 20

And again:

Quick as a snake, and steady as a hill; In flight the prince of birds can show no greater skill; In searching on the ground I am as keen as any hare, In strength I am a lion, and a wolf to rend and tear. 21

_Radanika._ [_Entering._] Dear me! Vardhamanaka went to sleep in the outer court, and now he is not there. Well, I will call Maitreya. [_She walks about._]

[51.1. S.

_Sharvilaka._ [_Prepares to strike down Radanika, but first takes a look._] What! a woman? Good! I go. [_Exit._

_Radanika._ [_Recoiling in terror._] Oh, oh, a thief has cut a hole in the wall of our house and is escaping, I must go and wake Maitreya.

[_She approaches Maitreya._] Oh, Maitreya, get up, get up!

A thief has cut a hole in the wall of our house and has escaped.

_Maitreya._ [_Rising._] What do you mean, wench? "A hole in the wall has cut a thief and has escaped"?

_Radanika._ Poor fool! Stop your joking. Don't you see it?

_Maitreya._ What do you mean, wench? "It looks as if a second door had been thrown open"? Get up, friend Charudatta, get up!

A thief has made a hole in the wall of our house and has escaped.

_Charudatta._ Yes, yes! A truce to your jests!

_Maitreya._ But it isn't a jest. Look!

_Charudatta._ Where?

_Maitreya._ Why, here.

_Charudatta._ [_Gazing._] What a very remarkable hole!

The bricks are drawn away below, above; The top is narrow, but the center wide; As if the great house-heart had burst with pride, Fearing lest the unworthy share its love. 22

To think that science should be expended on a task like this!

_Maitreya._ My friend, this hole must have been made by one of two men; either by a stranger, or else for practice by a student of the science of robbery. For what man here in Ujjayini does not know how much wealth there is in our house?

_Charud._

Stranger he must have been who made the breach, His customed harvest in my house to reap; He has not learned that vanished riches teach A calm, untroubled sleep.

He saw the sometime greatness of my home And forced an entrance; for his heart did leap With short-lived hope; now he must elsewhere roam, And over broken hopes must sorely weep. 23

Just think of the poor fellow telling his friends: "I entered the house of a merchant's son, and found--nothing."

P. 92.4]

_Maitreya._ Do you mean to say that you pity the rascally robber? Thinks he--"Here's a great house. Here's the place to carry off a jewel-casket or a gold-casket." [_He remembers the casket. Despondently. Aside._]

Where _is_ that golden casket? [_He remembers the events of the night.