-29_Vasavadutta-Act Three-Scene-4.htm

The tower-room beside the terrace.
Vuthsa on a couch.

VUTHSA

All that I dreamed or heard of her, her charm
Exceeds. She’s mine! she has shuddered at my touch;

Thrice her eyes faltered as they gazed in mine.

He lies back with closed eyes;

Munjoolica enters and contemplates him.

MUNJOOLICA

O golden Love! thou art not of this earth.
He too is Vasavadutta’s! All is hers,
As I am now and one day all the earth.
Vuthsa, thou sleep’st not, then.

VUTHSA

Sleep jealous waits
Finding another image in my eyes.

MUNJOOLICA

Thou art disobedient. Wast thou not commanded
To sleep at once?

VUTHSA

Sleep disobeys, not I.
But thou too wakest, yet no thoughts should have
To keep thy lids apart.

MUNJOOLICA

How knowst thou that?
I am thy jailor and I walk my rounds.

VUTHSA

Bright jailor, thou art jealous without cause.

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Who would escape from heaven’s golden bars ?
Thy name is Munjoolica? so is thy form
A bower of the graceful things of earth.

MUNJOOLICA

I had another name but it has ceased, .
Forgotten.

VUTHSA

Thou wast then Sourashtra’s child ?

MUNJOOLICA

I am still that royalty clouded, even as thou art
Captive Cowsambie. Me Gopalaca
In battle seized, brought a disdainful gift
To Vasavadutta.

VUTHSA

Since our fates are one,
Should we not be allies?

MUNJOOLICA

For what bold purpose ?

VUTHSA

How knowest thou I have one?

MUNJOOLICA

Were I a man!

VUTHSA

Wouldst thou have freedom? wilt thou give me help?

MUNJOOLICA

In nothing against her I love and serve.

VUTHSA

No, but conspire to serve and love her best

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And make her queen of all the Aryan earth.

MUNJOOLICA

My payment ?

VUTHSA

Name it thyself, when all is ours.

MUNJOOLICA

Content; it will be large.

VUTHSA

However large.
MUNJOOLICA

Now shall I be avenged upon my fate.

I know what thy heart asks; too openly

Thou earnest the yearning in thy eyes.

Vuthsa, she loves thee as the half-closed bud

Thrills to the advent of a wonderful dawn

And like a dreamer half-awake perceives

The faint beginnings of a sunlit world.

Doubt not success more than that dawn must break;

For she is thine.

VUTHSA

Take my heart’s gratitude
For the sweet assurance.

MUNJOOLICA

I am greedy. Only

Thy gratitude ?

VUTHSA

What wouldst thou have ?

MUNJOOLICA

The ring

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Upon thy finger, Vuthsa, for my own.

VUTHSA (putting it on her finger)

It shall live happier on a fairer hand.

MUNJOOLICA

Since thou hast paid me instantly and well,
I will be zealous, Vuthsa, in thy cause.
But my great bribe is in the future still.

VUTHSA

Claim it in our Cowsambie.

MUNJOOLICA

There indeed.

Sleep now.

VUTHSA

By thy good help I now shall sleep.

Munjoolica goes out.
Music is sweet; to rule the heart’s rich chords
Of human lyres much sweeter. Art’s sublime
But to combine great ends more sovereign still,
Accepting danger and difficulty to break
Through proud and violent opposites to our will.
Song is divine, but more divine is love.

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