The King of the Dark Chamber | Page 5

Rabindranath Tagore
for the common light of day.
[Enter the "KING"]
[Transcriber's note: The author indicates the trumped up King as
"KING" in this play, enclosing the word King in double quotes to help
us distinguish the imposter from the real one.]
MADHAV. Prosperity and victory attend thee, O King! We have been
standing here to have a sight of thee since the early morning. Forget us
not, your Majesty, in your favours.
KUMBHA. The mystery deepens. I will go and call Grandfather.[Goes
out.]
[Enter another band of MEN]
FIRST MAN. The King, the King! Come along, quick, the King is
passing this way.
SECOND MAN. Do not forget me, O King! I am Vivajadatta, the
grandson of Udayadatta of Kushalivastu. I came here at the first report
of thy coming--I did not stop to hear what people were saying: all the
loyalty in me went out towards thee, O Monarch, and brought me here.
THIRD MAN. Rubbish! I came here earlier than you--before the
cockcrow. Where were you then? O King, I am Bhadrasena, of
Vikramasthali. Deign to keep thy servant in thy memory!
"KING". I am much pleased with your loyalty and devotion.
VIVAJADATTA. Your Majesty, many are the grievances and
complaints we have to make to thee: to whom could we turn our
prayers so long, when we could not approach thy august presence?
"KING". Your grievances will all be redressed. [Exit.]
FIRST MAN. It won't do to lag behind, boys--the King will lose sight
of us if we get mixed up with the mob.
SECOND MAN. See there-look what that fool Narottam is doing! He
has elbowed his way through all of us and is now sedulously fanning
the King with a palm leaf!
MADHAV. Indeed! Well, well, the sheer audacity of the man takes
one's breath away.
SECOND MAN. We shall have to pitch the fellow out of that place--is
he fit to stand beside the King?
MADHAV. Do you imagine the King will not see through him? His
loyalty is obviously a little too showy and profuse.

FIRST MAN. Nonsense! Kings can't scent hypocrites as we do--I
should not be surprised if the King be taken in by that fool's strenuous
fanning.
[Enter KUMBHA with GRANDFATHER]
KUMBHA. I tell you--he has just passed by this street.
GRANDFATHER. Is that a very infallible test of Kingship?
KUMBHA. Oh no, he did not pass unobserved: not one or two men but
hundreds and thousands on both sides of the street have seen him with
their own eyes.
GRANDFATHER. That is exactly what makes the whole affair
suspicious. When ever has our King set out to dazzle the eyes of the
people by pomp and pageantry? He is not the King to make such a
thundering row over his progress through the country.
KUMBHA. But he may just have chosen to do so on this important
occasion: you cannot really tell.
GRANDFATHER. Oh yes, you can! My King cherishes no
weathercock fancy, no fantastic vein.
KUMBHA. But, Grandfather, I wish I could only describe him! So soft,
so delicate and exquisite like a waxen doll! As I looked on him, I
yearned to shelter him from the sun, to protect him with my whole
body.
GRANDFATHER. Fool, O precious ass that you are! My King
a waxen doll, and you to protect him!
KUMBHA. But seriously, Grandpa, he is a superb god, a miracle of
beauty: I do not find a single other figure in this vast assembly that can
stand beside his peerless loveliness.
GRANDFATHER. If my King chose to make himself shown, your
eyes would not have noticed him. He would not stand out like that
amongst others--he is one of the people, he mingles with the common
populace.
KUMBHA. But did I not tell you I saw his banner?
GRANDFATHER. What did you see displayed on his banner?
KUMBHA. It had a red Kimshuk flower painted on it--the
bright and glittering scarlet dazzled my eyes.
GRANDFATHER. My King has a thunderbolt within a lotus
painted on his flag.
KUMBHA. But every one is saying, the King is out in this festival:

every one.
GRANDFATHER. Why, so he is, of course: but he has no heralds, no
army, no retinue, no music bands or lights to accompany him.
KUMBHA. So none could recognise him in his incognito, it seems.
GRANDFATHER. Perhaps there are a few that can.
KUMBHA. And those that can recognise him--does the King grant
them whatever they ask for?
GRANDFATHER. But they never ask for anything. No beggar will
ever know the King. The greater beggar appears like the King to the
eyes of the lesser beggar. O fool, the man that has come out to-day
attired in crimson and gold to beg from you--it is him whom you are
trumpeting as your King! ... Ah,
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