The King of the Dark Chamber/Act 11
XI
Encampment
Kanchi
(To Kanya Kubja's Messenger.) Tell your King that he need not receive us exactly as his guests. We are on our way back to our kingdoms, but we are waiting to rescue Queen Sudarshana from the servitude and degradation to which she is condemned here.
Messenger
Your Highness, you will remember that the princess is in her father's house.
Kanchi
A daughter may stay in her father's home only so long as she remains unmarried.
Messenger
But her connections with her father's family remain intact still.
Kanchi
She has abjured all such relations now.
Messenger
Such relationship can never be abjured, Your Highness, on this side of death: it may remain in abeyance at times, but can never be wholly broken up.
Kanchi
If the King chooses not to give up his daughter to me on peaceful terms, our Kshatriya code of righteousness will oblige me to employ force. You may take this as my last word.
Messenger
Your Highness, do not forget that our King too is bound by the same code. It is idle to expect that he will deliver up his daughter by merely hearing your threats.
Kanchi
Tell your King that I have come prepared for such an answer.
[Messenger goes out.
Suvarna
King of Kanchi, it seems to me that we are daring too much.
Kanchi
What pleasure would there be in this adventure if it were otherwise?
Suvarna
It does not cost much courage to challenge Kanya Kubja—but . . .
Kanchi
If you once begin to be afraid of "but," you will hardly find a place in this world safe enough for you.
Enter a Soldier
Soldier
Kanchi
Just what I was afraid of! The report of Sudarshana's flight has spread abroad—now we are going to be in for a general scramble which is sure to end in smoke.
Suvarna
It is useless now, Your Highness. These are not good tidings. I am perfectly certain that it is our Emperor himself who has secretly spread the report everywhere.
Kanchi
Why, what good will it bring him?
Suvarna
The greedy ones will tear one another to pieces in the general rivalry and scramble—and he will take advantage of the situation to go back with the booty.
Kanchi
Now it becomes clear why your King never shows himself. His trick is to multiply himself on every side—fear makes him visible everywhere. But I will still maintain that your King is but an empty fraud from top to bottom.
Suvarna
But, please Your Highness, will you have the kindness to let me off?
Kanchi
I cannot let you go—I have some use for you in this affair.
Enter a Soldier
Soldier
Kanchi
In the beginning We must all fight together. Let the battle With Kanya Kubja first be over, then we shall find some way out of the difficulty.
Suvarna
Please do not drag me into your plans—I shall be happy if you leave me alone—I am a poor, mean creature—nothing can
Kanchi
Look here, king of hypocrites, ways and means are never of a very exalted order—roads and stairs and so forth are always to be trodden under our feet. The advantage of utilising men like you in our plans is that we have to make use of no mask or illusion. But if I were to consult my prime minister, it would be absurd for me to call theft by any name less dignified than public benefit. It will go now, and move the princes about like pawns on the chessboard; the game cannot evidently go on if all the chessmen propose moving like kings!