{"id":758,"date":"2013-07-13T01:30:14","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=758"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:30:14","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:30:14","slug":"31-vasavadutta-act-four-scene-1-vol-06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06\/31-vasavadutta-act-four-scene-1-vol-06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06","title":{"rendered":"-31_Vasavadutta-Act Four-Scene-1.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n
\nAct Four <\/font><\/p>\n

<\/b> <\/p>\n

\n
\nSCENE I<\/font><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n <\/div>\n

\nA room in the royal apartments.
\nUngarica, Vasavadutta.<\/i><\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThou singest well; a cry of Vuthsa’s art
\nHas stolen into thy song.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nShe takes Vasavadutta on her lap.<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\nLook up at me,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nMy daughter, let me gaze into thy eyes
\nAnd from their silence learn thy treasured thoughts.
\nThou knowest I can read ‘twixt human lids
\nThe secrets of the throbbing heart ? I search
\nIn Vasavadutta’s eyes by what strange skill
\nVuthsa has crept into my daughter’s voice.
\nThou keepst thy lashes lowered ? thou wilt not let me look ?
\nBut that too I can read.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ASAVADUTTA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nO mother, mother mine,
\nPlague me not; thou know’st all things; comfort me.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThou needest comfort?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ASAVADUTTA
\n\t<\/font>.<\/font>
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nYes, against myself
\nWho trouble my own heart.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWhy? though I know.
\nThou wilt not speak ? I’ll speak then for thee.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nVasavadutta alarmed puts her hand<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 279<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nover Ungarica’s mouth.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nOff!
\nIt is because thou canst not here control
\nWhat thy immortal part with rapture wills
\nAnd the mortal longingly desires; for yet
\nThy proud heart cannot find the way to yield.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ASAVADUTTA<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIf thou knew’st, mother.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nNo, thou hast the will
\nBut not the art. Love’s learner. O my proud
\nSweet ignorance, ’tis he shall find the way
\nAnd thou shalt know the joy of being forced
\nTo what thy heart desires. Is it enough?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ASAVADUTTA<\/font><\/p>\n

\nO mother!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nShe hides her face in Ungarica’s bosom.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThou hast done thy father’s will?
\nThy husband shall be vassal to thy sire?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ASAVADUTTA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nHave I a father or a house? O none,
\nO none, O none exists but only he.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nLet none exist for thee but the dear all thou lov’st.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nI charge thee, Vasavadutta, when thou rul’st<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIn far Cowsambie, let this be thy reign<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nTo heap on him delight and seek his good.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nRaise his high fortunes, shelter from grief his heart,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nEven with thy own tears buy his joy and peace,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nNor let one clamorous thought of self revolt<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 280<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nAgainst him.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tVASAVADUTTA<\/font>
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nMother, thou canst see my heart;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIs<\/b> this not there ? Can it do otherwise,
\nBeing thus conquered, even if it willed ?<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nChild, ’tis my care to give thy heart a voice
\nAnd bind it to its nobler loving self.
\nLet this be now thy pride.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ASAVADUTTA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nIt is, it is.
\nBut, mother, it is very sweet to rule,
\nAnd if I rule him for his good, not mine ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThou canst not be corrected! Queenling, rule.
\nGo now; thy brother comes.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nVasavadutta escapes towards her own apartments;<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nVicurna enters from the outer door.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWhy is thy brow
\nA darkness?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWherefore was King Vuthsa brought
\nInto Ujjayinie? why is captive kept?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThy father’s will, who knows ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nBut I would know.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHim ask.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 281<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA
\n\t<\/font>(taking her face between his hands)<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\nI ask thee; thou must answer.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nTo wed<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThy sister.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nLet him wed and be released.
\nOur fame is smirched; the city murmurs. War
\nThreatens from Vuthsa’s nation and our cause
\nIs evil.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWedding her he must consent
\nTo be our vassal.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThus are vassals made ?
\nThus empires built? This is a shameful thing.
\nRelease him first, then with proud war subdue.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThou knowest thy father’s stern, unbending will
\nWhom we must all obey.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nNot <\/b>I, or not<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIn evil things.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nRespect thy father! He
\n<\/b>Will not, unsatisfied, release his foe.
\nDemand not this.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nI will release him then.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 282<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHim by what right who is thy house’s peril?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nHe is a hero and he is my friend.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nDidst thou not help to bring him captive here?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nFor Vasavadutta. I will bear them both
\nOut from the city in my chariot far
\nInto the freedom of the hills. I will hew down
\nAll who oppose me.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nRash and violent boy,
\nSo wilt thou make bad worse. Await the hour
\nWhen Vuthsa shall himself demand thy aid.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe hour will come?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>NGARICA
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nHe will be free.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tV<\/font>ICURNA<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThen soon,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nOr I myself will act.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHe goes out.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tU<\/font>N<\/font>GARICA<\/font>
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThis too is well
\nAnd most that the proud chivalries of old
\nAre not yet dead in all men’s hearts. O God
\nShiva, thou mak’st me fortunate in my sons.<\/font>
\n<\/font> <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 283<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Act Four   SCENE I     A room in the royal apartments. Ungarica, Vasavadutta. UNGARICA Thou singest well; a cry of Vuthsa’s art Has…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06","wpcat-15-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758","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=758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}