{"id":4202,"date":"2013-07-13T01:54:08","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:54:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4202"},"modified":"2013-12-01T21:13:10","modified_gmt":"2013-12-02T05:13:10","slug":"72-towards-the-future-vol-12-on-education-volume-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/12-on-education-volume-12\/72-towards-the-future-vol-12-on-education-volume-12","title":{"rendered":"-72_Towards-the Future.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n <\/span>PART\u00a0 <\/span>THREE<\/font> <\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n


\nDRAMAS<\/font> <\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n


\n <\/font>TOWARDS\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/span>THE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>FUTURE<\/font><\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

A one-act play in prose that can be staged in any country, with
\nsmall changes in the details of the presentation which local custom may
\nrequire. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

P<\/span>ERSONS OF
\nTHE<\/span> D<\/span>RAMA<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>S<\/span>HE<\/span><\/p>\n

T<\/span>HE<\/span> P<\/span>OET<\/span><\/p>\n

T<\/span>HE<\/span> C<\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/span><\/p>\n

T<\/span>HE<\/span> P<\/span>AINTER<\/span><\/p>\n

\n            <\/span>T<\/span>HE<\/span> S<\/span>CHOOLFRIEND <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 453<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n


\nTowards
\nthe Future<\/span><\/font><\/i> <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>As the curtain rises, She and the School friend
\nare sitting side by side on the sofa. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>How nice of you to come and
\nsee me after such a long time…I thought you had forgotten me. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>CHOOLFRIEND <\/font>\u00a0 <\/font> <\/span><\/span>
\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0 <\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

Certainly not. But I had lost trace of you and did not know where
\nto find you. And now that I have found you, what a surprise! You, married…how
\nstrange! I can’t believe it. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

I too find it hard to believe. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>CHOOLFRIEND<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

I under stand…I remember how ironically you used to refer to
\nmarriage as \u201ca co-operative venture in consumption and production\u201d, and how
\ndistasteful you used to find everything that displayed human animality, the
\nbeast in man. And how you used to say, \u201cLet us not be mammals\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, I have always enjoyed
\nmaking fun of current ideas and social conventions. But in all fairness you
\nmust admit that I have never said anything against true love, the love that
\ncomes from a deep affinity and is marked by an identity of views and
\naspirations. I always dreamt of a great love that would be shared, free from
\nall animal activity, something that could physically represent the great love
\nwhich is at the origin of the worlds. This dream accounts for my marriage. But
\nthe experience has not been a very happy one. I have loved deeply, with great
\nsincerity<\/span> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013
\n455<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span>and intensity, but my love
\nhas not met with the response it hoped for.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>School friend\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

My poor friend ! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Oh, I am not telling
\nyou this to arouse your pity. I am not to be pitied. My dream is practically
\nunrealisable in the world as it is. Human nature would have to change so much
\nfor this to become possible. Besides, my husband and I are very good friends,
\nalthough that does not prevent us both from feeling very isolated. Esteem and
\nmutual concessions create a harmony that makes life more than merely bearable.
\nBut is that happiness?<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

School friend <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>. For many\u00a0 <\/span>people\u00a0
\n<\/span>that\u00a0 <\/span>might\u00a0 <\/span>be happiness. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>True, but sometimes I feel such an emptiness in
\nmy life! It may have been to fill this emptiness that I gave myself entirely
\nand in all sincerity to that marvellous cause which is so dear to me: to
\nrelieve suffering humanity, to awaken it to its capacities and its true goal
\nand ultimate transformation. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>CHOOLFRIEND<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

 I can see that something great,
\nsomething out of the ordinary rules your life. But as I do not know what it is,
\nit seems rather mysterious to me. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span> <\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Of course, I owe you an explanation. I must
\ntell you about it in detail, but that will take some time. Would you like me to
\ncome and visit you? <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 456<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>CHOOLFRIEND<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>What an excellent
\nidea! Nothing could please me more. When will you come? Would you like to come
\ntoday? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Yes, I would be very
\nglad to do so. I always find a deep joy in speaking of the marvellous teaching
\nthat guides our life and directs our wills. Just now, I have a few things to
\narrange so that when my husband returns from his walk he will find everything
\nready. And as soon as he has started his work, I can go out and I shall come
\nand see you. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>CHOOLFRIEND<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Very well, then.
\nGoodbye, I shall see you soon. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(She
\naccompanies her friend to the door behind the screen. Then She returns to the
\nwriting table to arrange some papers and books and writing materials. She
\nplaces some flowers in a vase on the table and looks around her to see that
\neverything is in order. At that moment a key is heard turning in the lock.)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

Ah, there he is. (The Poet
\nenters. She approaches him affectionately.) Did you have a pleasant walk? <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nT<\/font><\/span>HE\u00a0 <\/span>POET<\/font><\/span>(absent-mindedly<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Yes, thank you. (He puts his hat down on a chair.)<\/i> I have
\nfound an ending for my poem. It came while I was walking. A little activity in
\nthe open air really does help the inspiration. Yes, I think this will be good:
\nI end with a song of triumph, a hymn of victory in praise of the evolved man
\nwho has discovered, together with the consciousness of his origin, the
\nknowledge of all that he is capable of doing and the power to realise it. I
\ndescribe him advancing in the happy splendour of union <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 457<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span>towards the conquest of
\nearthly immortality. It will be beautiful and truly universal, don’t you think?
\nIt is high time that art should stop being a justification for ugliness and
\ndefeat…What a happy day it will be when poetry, painting and music express
\nonly beauty, victory and joy, leading the way towards the realisation of the
\nfuture, towards the advent of a world in which falsehood and suffering,
\nugliness and death will be no more…But meanwhile, how much misery still for
\nman, how much pain and anguish and bitter solitude…It is terrible! Each one
\nhas his burden to bear, come what may, whether he wants it or not.<\/span><\/p>\n

.(He stands deep in thought.)<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span> (approaching him
\naffectionately and putting her hand on his arm) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Come, set to work,
\nyou know that is the best cure for sadness. I am going to leave you to your
\ninspiration. I promised my friend that I would go and spend the afternoon with
\nher and tell her something about the marvellous teaching that guides our life.
\nWe shall probably read together some of those pages that are so full of
\nprofound truth. To meditate on these things is a great joy to both of us. That
\nwould upset the ideas of many men, wouldn’t it? They are convinced that women
\ncannot do anything except talk about clothes. On the whole, they are not
\nentirely wrong. Most women are terribly frivolous, or at least they seem to be.
\nFor very often this lightness on the surface hides a heavy heart and veils an
\nunfulfilled life. Poor creatures! I know so many of them who deserve to be
\npitied. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>You are right. Women
\nreally deserve to be pitied. Almost all of them lack the protection they need
\nand are like frail craft with no harbour to shelter them from the storm. For
\nmost of them do not receive the education that would teach them to protect
\nthemselves.  <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 458<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

That\u00a0 <\/span>is\u00a0 <\/span>true. Besides,\u00a0 <\/span>even\u00a0
\n<\/span>in\u00a0 <\/span>the\u00a0 <\/span>strongest\u00a0
\n<\/span>of women ,there is a deep need for affection and protection ,for an
\nall-powerful strength, even in the strongest of\u00a0
\n<\/span>women, there is a deep need for affection and protection, for an
\nall-powerful strength that leans over her and enfolds her in comforting
\nsweetness. This is what she seeks in love, and when she has the good fortune to
\nfind it, it gives her confidence in life and opens up for her the door to every
\nhope. Without that, life for her is like a barren desert that burns and
\nshrivels up the heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Oh, how well you say these
\nthings! You say them like one who has experienced them very deeply. I shall
\nmake a note of them for my next book, which will deal with the education of
\nwomen. Well then, I shall start my work. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>That’s right; I am going.
\nGoodbye, work well. (She takes a book and goes out.) <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (sitting down at his desk
\nand seeing everything ready for his work<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Always the same kind and
\naffectionate attentions. She never fails in her care and her sweetness. When I
\nlook at her, it is like seeing a light: her intelligence and kindness shine so
\nbrightly around her, spreading to all who are near her, whom she guides towards
\nnobler horizons. I admire her, I feel a deep respect for her…But all that is
\nnot love…Love! What a dream! Will it ever become a reality? (A melody sung by a magnificent voice is
\nheard. The poet jumps to his feet and goes to the open window.) <\/i>What a
\nwonderful voice! (He listens in silence
\nuntil the melody dies away. Sighing, he is about to return to his table when
\nthere is a knock at the door<\/i>.) Hello, who’s there? (He opens the door. The Painter enters.<\/i>) <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 459<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It’s you! Hello, old
\nfriend, what good wind brings you here? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>AINTER<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I had something to tell
\nyou. I met your wife and she told me you were in your \u201csanctum\u201d. So I am here. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You did the right
\nthing…So come into the \u201csanctum\u201d as you call it, and speak. Don’t keep me in
\nsuspense. Is it about painting?<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>AAINTER<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>No, my painting is going
\nwell. But I shall tell you about that another time. It is about music. (The Poet shows interest<\/i>.) Yesterday
\nevening,, when visiting some friends, I heard a true singer who, I am told, is
\nyour neighbour. (The Poet makes a gesture
\nof surprise and interest.)<\/i> Do you know her? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>No, but I often hear her
\nsinging from here. She has a superb voice, a voice that stirs all the fibres of
\nmy being. The very first time it struck my ears, it sounded familiar to me,
\nlike an echo from very ancient times. For nearly six months I have been hearing
\nthis voice, which forms a kind of pleasant accompaniment to my work. I have
\nvery often wished to become acquainted with the owner of such a beautiful
\nvoice.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>AINTER<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>What a wonderful
\ncoincidence! Yesterday evening I was introduced to this young lady and she
\nseems to be very charming indeed. We had a long chat together and in the course
\nof the conversation she expressed her admiration for your poetry, which she
\nseems to read with enthusiasm. She also told me that she is all alone in life,
\nthat she has to fend for herself and that <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 460<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

sometimes she finds it difficult to pull through, and so on. She
\ndreams of becoming a concert-singer. I immediately thought of you and all your
\nconnections. Everyone knows how obliging you are. So I volunteered to speak to
\nyou about her and to ask you if you could introduce her to a few well-known
\nmusicians or composers. That is why I have come. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font><\/span> <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You did just the right
\nthing. It will be a great pleasure for me to do something for her. So what did
\nthe two of you decide? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>AINTER<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It was arranged that, if
\nyou agreed, I would go and fetch her immediately \u2013 it is not very far \u2013 and
\nbring her to you so that you may get to know each other. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Perfect. Go and fetch her.
\nI shall wait for you. (The Painter goes
\nout.) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (striding restlessly back
\nand forth) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>How strange, how
\nstrange…There is no such thing as chance; everything is the effect of causes
\nthat are simply beyond our control. The power of affinity \u2013 who knows? I am
\ncurious to know whether the singer is as beautiful as her voice. Here they are.
\n(The door which was only pulled to is
\npushed open from outside<\/i>.) Oh, how pretty she is! (The Clairvoyant enters, smiling, followed by the Painter.) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>AINTER<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Mademoiselle, may I
\nintroduce my friend, the well-known poet whom you admire so much. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I am very happy to meet
\nyou, mademoiselle, and to be able<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 461<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span>to tell you how much I
\nadmire your beautiful voice, which you use with such artistry. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You are very kind,
\nmonsieur, and I thank you. You will excuse me, won’t you, for coming with so
\nlittle ceremony. But we are such near neighbours. I knew you even before I was
\nintroduced to you. I noticed that you often came to your window to listen to me
\nsinging and even, at first, I was not very pleased when you applauded me. I
\nthought you were making fun of me.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>How wrong you were! I
\nsimply wanted to express my admiration and to thank you for all the aesthetic
\npleasure you give me.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>AINTER
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Now that I have done my
\nduty, I shall leave you. I have an appointment with my art-dealer. Ah, the
\nblackguard! He wants to make me paint absurdities because, he says, it is the
\ncurrent taste. But I am resisting…<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, resist, resist
\nvaliantly. Do not encourage this degeneracy of modern taste, this lapse into
\nfalsehood which seems to have seeped into the consciousness of all our contemporaries,
\nin every field of human creativity. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>AINTER
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Very well, my friend, I go,
\nfired with a new courage, to do battle for the truth. Goodbye. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET AND<\/font><\/span> C<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Goodbye. <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 462<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> (indicating the sofa)<\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Please sit down, mademoiselle.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (sitting) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>So you are willing to
\nintroduce me to a few people and let them hear me? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Certainly. One of our
\nforemost conductors is a friend of mine and with a talent like yours all doors
\nwill easily open to you. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It will be a great help to
\nme. Thank you so much. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>No, no, do not thank me. (He sits by her side<\/i>.) If you knew all
\nthe joy you have given me…If you knew what a pleasant accompaniment the
\nharmony of your rich voice has been to my daily work. I owe you many good and
\nhappy hours; yes, it is I who should be grateful to you. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It is very kind of you to
\ntell me all this. (She looks around her,
\nthen turns to the Poet with a smile<\/i>.) It is strange how familiar everything
\nseems to me here, perhaps not so much the objects themselves as the air, the
\natmosphere which envelops them. Excuse my boldness, but I feel as if I were at
\nhome, I feel as if I had been coming here always. And I have the feeling that
\nall sorts of wonderful things are going to happen to me now.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I shall be the first person
\nto be glad of it. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> (after a short silence<\/i>)
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I must tell you a strange
\nthing. When I came to settle in <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 463<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span>this town about six months
\nago, after my mother’s death, in the hope of earning my living, I had a choice
\nof several small apartments, each one with its advantages and inconveniences.
\nThe one that I rented here in this house is no better than any other, but I was
\nimpelled to take it by a kind of intuition that I would be happy here, that
\ngood things were in store for me here…It is strange, isn’t it?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (thoughtfully<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Strange, yes, very
\nstrange… (Aside<\/i>) Is this affinity?
\nWho knows? (To the Clairvoyant<\/i>) You
\nknow, this is strange too, I have felt much calmer and more contented since I
\nhave been hearing your voice each day, and I had a very great desire to know
\nyou. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>And I knew you only as a
\nwriter whose talent I greatly admired and whom I hardly dared to hope to meet
\none day. There are such extraordinary and mysterious things in
\nlife…mysterious perhaps only because we do not know their causes, otherwise
\neverything would be very simple and natural. And look, at this moment, I too
\nfeel a sensation of calm and well-being, and it gives me great strength. If
\nonly you knew how much I need strength and encouragement…Life is hard for a
\nhelpless and unprotected orphan who is forced to earn her living all alone and
\nwho knows nobody to support her in her struggle. But now that I have met you, I
\nfeel that all my difficulties will melt away.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Rest assured that I shall
\ndo everything in my power to help you. It is a duty and a very great pleasure
\nto be of use to an artist and a woman like you. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> (taking his hand in a
\nspontaneous movement<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Thank you. I feel as if we
\nhave always been sitting like this,<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 464<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span>side by side, and that we
\nare friends, old friends…We are friends, aren’t we? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> (solemnly<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, from the depths of our
\nhearts. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I feel so much at ease
\nhere, that I am forgetting all conventions. And now to crown my impoliteness, I
\nam overcome by an imperative need to sleep. I have been sleeping so badly at
\nhome for such a long time. I feel uneasy, spied on by invisible enemies who
\nwish me harm. I am unable to achieve the calm which would give me a much-needed
\nrest. Whereas here, I have the feeling that something warm and strong enfolds
\nme like a living cloak and little by little I am being overwhelmed by
\nsleep.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (looking at her tenderly<\/i>)
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Lie down here, on these
\ncushions. Make yourself comfortable; don’t let anything bother you. And above
\nall do not think even for a moment of customs and conventions; they are fetters
\nof no real value which seem to have been forged by man for his own misery. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I am in great need of
\nsleep. I have a persistent pain in my head which makes me suffer a great deal.
\nI have worked so hard to achieve a result as quickly as possible and my brain
\nis terribly tired. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (eagerly)<\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Will you allow me?… I
\nthink I can easily give you some relief. (He
\npasses his hand several times across her forehead, then lays it on her head for
\na moment. The Clairvoyant, who is lying on the cushions, falls asleep with an
\nexpression of joy and well-being.<\/i>) <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 465<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (half asleep<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It
\nis all right now, there is no more pain…And I feel so happy. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> (arranging the cushions so
\nthat she may lie comfortably and sitting by her side, holding her hand in his;
\nto himself) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Poor child, so pretty and
\nyet so lonely. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> (speaking in her sleep)<\/i>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Oh, how beautiful! <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> (softly<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>What is beautiful? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> (still asleep<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>There, all around you, that
\nviolet light…It is like a living and luminous amethyst. It is all around me
\ntoo, it is giving me strength. It is a protection, a sure protection…Nothing
\nharmful can come near me now. (Enraptured<\/i>)
\nHow beautiful is the violet light around you! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Since you are comfortable,
\nsleep quietly now, without seeing anything. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (in a far-away voice) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I am falling asleep,
\nfalling asleep. Oh, what calm, what ease. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> (looking at her tenderly) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, sleep, child \u2013 a
\nhealing sleep. Life has been hard for you and you have great need of rest. (After a moment’s silence<\/i>) What is the
\nuse of trying to deceive myself? I have to admit it: just as her voice thrilled
\nmy whole being, so too her presence fills me with a calm and profound
\nhappiness. And now she has fallen asleep, under my protection, her first
\nconscious sleep. Her <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 466<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

very trust gives me a responsibility, a responsibility which would
\nbe very sweet to me. But my wife! I know that she is strong and brave, I know
\nthat long ago she realised that what I feel for her is nothing more than
\nfriendly affection. She herself cannot be satisfied with that; the depths of
\nher love remain untouched. Yet I have responsibilities towards her too. How can
\nI tell her that my whole being is concentrated upon another? And yet I cannot
\nconceal my feelings; falsehood is the only evil. Besides, it would be quite
\nuseless: a woman like her cannot be deceived. Oh, life is often so cruel!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (still sleeping, turning
\nround and laying her hand on his<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I am happy…happy…(She rests her head on the Poet’s lap in a
\nmovement of childlike confidence.) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Dear child! What can I do?
\n(He gazes at her, deep in his thoughts.
\nThe Clairvoyant sighs, stretches, and wakes.) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span>(looking around her with
\nsome surprise<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I have slept…How well I
\nhave slept, never in my life have I slept so well. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I am so glad. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (looking at him
\naffectionately)<\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You see, the light that
\nencircled you and covered me too was at once a nourishment and a protection; it
\nwas so beautiful, so comforting. Even now that I am awake I can feel it around
\nme. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, it is still around
\nyou. Is this the first time you have seen coloured lights like this? <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 467<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I remember having seen
\nlights or a coloured mist around certain people. But I have never seen any as
\nbeautiful as yours or any to which I have felt so close. Often, around others,
\nit is like a turbid, unwholesome fog. What is it? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It would take rather long
\nto give a clear reply. But I shall try to explain it to you as best I can in a
\nfew words. Stop me if I bore you. We are made up of different states which can
\nbe compared to earth, water, air and fire. Do you follow? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, it is most
\ninteresting. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>A less dense state
\npenetrates and flows through a denser one, as water evaporates through a porous
\nvessel, with the difference that no loss follows. In the same way, what is more
\nsubtle in us forms a kind of sheath around our bodies and we call this subtle
\nsheath the aura. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I understand, it is very
\nclear. So then it can be very useful to see auras in this way? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You are right, it is most
\nuseful. You can easily understand that the aura is the exact reflection of what
\nis within us, of our feelings and our thoughts. If the thoughts and feelings
\nare calm and harmonious, the aura too will be calm and harmonious; if the
\nfeelings are tumultuous and the thoughts disturbed, the aura will express this
\ntumult and disturbance. It will be like the mist<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 468<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

which you say you have seen around certain people. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, I understand. So these
\nauras are very revealing. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, for those who see
\nauras, deception can no longer exist. For example, however much a man of bad
\nwill may try to look like an angel of light, it will be in vain. His aura will
\nreveal that his thoughts and motives are dark. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font> <\/span>(admiringly<\/span><\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Magnificent! What effects
\nthis knowledge might have in the world! But where did you learn such beautiful
\nthings? For I do not think that many people are aware of them. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>No, especially in modern
\ntimes, in an age like ours in which success and the material satisfactions it
\nbrings are the only things that matter. And yet an ever-growing number of
\ndissatisfied people are trying to find the purpose and goal of life. On the other
\nhand, there are those who know and strive to help suffering humanity; they are
\nguardians of the supreme knowledge which has been handed down from generation
\nto generation and which serves as the basis of a method of self-development
\nwhose aim is to awaken man to the consciousness of what he truly is and what he
\ncan do.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>How beautiful this teaching
\nmust be! You will reveal it to me little by little, won’t you? For we are going
\nto see each other often, aren’t we? I wish we never had to part again….While
\nI was asleep I felt that you were everything for me and that I belong to you
\nfor ever. And I felt that from now on your protection will always enfold me.
\nAnd I who was so full of fear,<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 46<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span>who felt exposed to so many
\nenemies, I am now quiet, calm, confident, for I can tell all who want to harm
\nme: \u201cI fear you no longer, I am effectively protected, by a protection that
\nwill never fail me.\u201d I am right, am I not? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes, yes, you are right. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I am so happy to have met
\nyou at last. I have waited for you so long! And you, are you happy? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Yes…Just now, while you
\nwere asleep, I felt a calm and a quiet happiness which I had never experienced
\nbefore. (Thoughtfully)<\/i> Yes, this is
\nthe true love, which is a force; it is the union that enables new possibilities
\nto be realised…But…<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>But what? Since we are so
\nhappy together, what could prevent us\u2026? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font><\/span> (rising suddenly<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Oh, you do not know! (He stops short at the sight of She, who has
\nbeen standing behind the screen for some time already.) <\/i>Oh! (She comes forward smiling and very calm.)<\/i>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font> <\/span>(amazed)<\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I did not know that you
\nwere married! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span> (to the Clairvoyant<\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Do not be upset. (Turning to the Poet<\/i>) Nor you. Yes, I
\nheard the end of your conversation. I returned just as Mademoiselle was waking
\nup. I did not want to disturb you and was about to withdraw, but I thought it
\nwould be more useful for <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 470<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

all of us if I heard. So I stayed. For I was sure, my dear, that
\nyou would find yourself in a cruel predicament. I know your
\nstraightforwardness, your loyalty, and I knew that you would be painfully
\ndivided between two opposite paths. You know what is said in the teaching which
\nfor us is the truth: love is the only legitimate bond of union. The absence of
\nlove is enough to invalidate any union. Certainly, there are unions without
\nlove, based on esteem and mutual concessions, which can be quite tolerable, but
\nI consider that when love comes, everything else should give way to it. My
\nfriend, you remember our pact: we promised each other full freedom the moment
\nlove would awaken in either of us. That is why I listened, and now I have come
\nto tell you: you are free, be happy. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nP<\/font><\/span>OET<\/font> <\/span>(deeply
\nmoved<\/span><\/i>) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>But you, you? I know you
\nalways live at the summit of your consciousness, in a pure and serene light.
\nBut solitude is sometimes hard and the hours can be monotonous and sad.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Oh, I shall not be alone,
\nfor I shall go and join those through whom we have found the path, those who
\npossess the eternal wisdom and who have, from a distance, guided our steps
\nuntil now. Surely they will shelter me. (She
\nturns towards the Clairvoyant and takes her by the hand<\/i>.) Come, do not be
\nupset. Women who are sensitive and sincere have the right to freely choose the
\nperson who will be their protector and guide in life. You have acted according
\nto the natural law and all is well. Our way of looking at things and our
\nbehaviour may surprise you; they are new to you and you do not know the reasons
\nfor them. (Pointing to the Poet<\/i>) He
\nwill explain them to you. I am going away, but before I go let me join your
\nhands. (She places the hand of the
\nClairvoyant in the hand of the Poet.) <\/i>No blessing can ever be equal to the
\nblessing of love. And yet I shall give you mine, knowing that it will be dear
\nto you. And if you permit,<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 471<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

I shall add some advice which is almost a request. Do not allow
\nyour union to serve as an excuse for the satisfaction of animal appetites or
\nsensual desires. On the contrary, make it a means of mutual support so that you
\nmay transcend yourselves in a constant aspiration and an effort for progress
\ntowards the growing perfection of your being. May your association be both
\nnoble and generous, noble in quality, generous in action. Be an example to the
\nworld and show all men of goodwill the true aim of human life. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\nC<\/font><\/span>LAIRVOYANT<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font> (deeply moved) <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>You can be sure that we
\nshall do our utmost to deserve the trust you have shown us and be worthy of
\nyour esteem. But I would like to hear from your own lips that my coming to this
\nhouse and the event that has followed do not mean an irreparable misfortune to
\nyou. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\nS<\/font><\/span>HE
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Have no fear. I now know
\nfor certain that only one love can satisfy my being: it is the love for the
\nDivine, the divine love, for that alone never fails. Perhaps one day I shall
\nfind the favourable conditions and the necessary help for the achievement of
\nthe supreme realisation, the transformation and divinisation of the physical
\nbeing which will change the world into a blessed place full of harmony and
\nlight, peace and beauty. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(The
\nClairvoyant, more and more deeply moved, remains silent, her hands clasped as
\nif in prayer. The Poet bows respectfully to Her, takes her hand and lays his
\nforehead on it as the curtain falls.) <\/span><\/i>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 472<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

 PART\u00a0 THREE  DRAMAS   TOWARDS\u00a0\u00a0 THE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FUTURE    A one-act play in prose that can be staged in any country, with small changes in the details…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-12-on-education-volume-12","wpcat-118-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4202"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9742,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4202\/revisions\/9742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}