The forest near Dongurh.
Bappa, Sungram, Prithuraj.

BAPPA

It is the secret friend from whom in childhood
I learned to wing my mounting thoughts aloft
High as an eagle's flight. I know the hand,
Though yet his name is hid from me.

SUNGRAM

Let's hear

The very wording.

BAPPA

"To the Sun's child, from Edur.
Comol Cumary, Edur's princess, goes
With her fair sister and a knot of lances
To Dongurh. Bappa, young lion of the hills,
Be as the lion in thy ranging; prey
Upon earth's mightiest, think her princesses
Meant only for thy spoil and serving-girls,
Her kings thy subjects and her lands thy prey.
Dare greatly and thou shalt be great; despise
Apparent death and from his lifted hand
Of menace pluck thy royal destinies
By warlike violence. Thus thy fathers did
From whose great blood thou springest, child of Kings.
Thy friend in Edur."

SUNGRAM

Writes he that ? The child of Kings!
He never spoke so plainly of your birth
Till now.

PRITHURAJ

A kindling hint to fire our blood!

Page – 756

Two princesses and only a knot of swords
For escort? The gods themselves arrange this for us.

SUNGRAM

Bappa, you are resolved to court this peril?

PRITHURAJ

Doubt you ? Think how 'twill help our treasury.
The palanquins alone must be a mint
Of money and the girls' rich ornaments
Purchase half Rajasthan.

SUNGRAM

The immediate gain's
Princely, nor the mere capture perilous.
But afterwards the armed wrath of Edur
Descends upon us in a thunder and whirlwind.
Are we yet strong enough to bear the shock ?

PRITHURAJ

Why, let it come. I shall rejoice to feel
The true and dangerous bite of war at last,
Not always play the mountain cateran's part,
To skulk among the hills and only assail
The weak and timid, or butcher distant force
With arrows. I long for open shocks of fight
And glorious odds and all the world for audience.

BAPPA

Sungram, I do not rashly take this step,

But with fixed policy. Unless we break

Edur's supreme contempt for our annoyance,

How can we bring him to the difficult hills ?

So must we take the open where our Bheels

Will scatter from the massed Rajpoot swords

Nor face their charging horsemen. But if we capture

Their princess, inconsiderate rage will hurl them

Page – 757

Into our very fastnesses to wear

Their strength out under our shafts. Then will I seize

At the right moment, they being few and weary,

Edur by force or guile and hold it fast

Though all the warlike world come up against me.

SUNGRAM

With Bheels?

BAPPA

I will invite all Rajpoot swords
That now are masterless and men exiled,
And desperate fortunes. So the iron hands
Join us and the adventurous hearts, to build
A modern seat of empire; minds like Sungram,
Wise to forecast and bold to execute,
Heroes like Prithuraj, who know not fear
Nor put a limit to their vaulting thoughts
Save death or unforgettable renown,
The Rajpoot's choice. Are we not strong enough?
We have a thousand hardy Bheels, expert
In mountain warfare, swift unerring bowmen,
We have ourselves to lead them, each worth thousands,
Sheva Ekling above us and in our hands
Our destiny and our swords.

SUNGRAM

They are enough.

Enter Kodal.

KODAL

Bappa, our scouts have come in. The prey is in the toils.

BAPPA

How many are they, Kodal?

KODAL

Merely ten lances. The servants and women they have sent

Page – 758

round by the lower road; the escort with four palanquins come up through the hills. They have run their heads into the noose. We will draw it tight, Bappa, and choke them.

BAPPA

Is their escape

Impossible ?

SUNGRAM

Bappa, a hundred Bheels surround the pass
By which alone they can return. Myself
Have posted them.

BAPPA

Beside the waterfall
Surround them, Sungram. Kodal, let there be
No random shafts to imperil by mischance
Our lovely booty.

KODAL

Trust me for that, Bappa. We'll shoot through the twenty eye-balls of them and never even touch the white. Ten lances they are and ten arrows will stretch them flat; there shall be nothing left to be done but the burning. If I cannot do this, I am no Bheel, no Kodal and no foster-brother of Bappa.

BAPPA

Economise our strength. I will not lose
A single man over this easy capture.
You're captain, Sungram.

Exeunt Sungram and Kodal.

Prithuraj, my friend,
Today begins our steep ascent to greatness.

Exeunt.

Page – 759