_Nandini_
You are _my_ rampart. When I come to you I seem to climb high, I find
the open light.
_Bishu_
Ever since coming to Yaksha Town the sky has dropped out of my life.
I felt as if they had pounded me in the same mortar with all the
fractions of men here, and rolled us into a solid lump.
Then you came and looked into my face in a way that made me sure some
light could still be seen through me.
_Nandini_
In this closed fort a bit of sky survives only between you and me, my
mad one.
_Bishu_
Through that sky my songs can fly towards you.
(_Sings_)
_You keep me awake that I may sing to you,
O Breaker of my sleep!
And so my heart you startle with your call,
O Waker of my grief!
The shades of evening fall, the birds come to their nest.
The boat arrives ashore, yet my heart knows no rest,
O Waker of my grief!_
_Nandini_
The waker of your grief, Bishu?
_Bishu_
Yes, you are my messenger from the unreachable shore. The day you
came to Yaksha Town a gust of salt air knocked at my heart.
_Nandini_
But I never had any message of this sorrow of which you sing.
_Bishu_
Not even from Rañjan?
_Nandini_
No, he holds an oar in each hand and ferries me across the stormy
waters; he catches wild horses by the mane and rides with me through
the woods; he shoots an arrow between the eyebrows of the tiger on
the spring, and scatters my fear with loud laughter. As he jumps into
our Nagai river and disturbs its current with his joyous splashing,
so he disturbs me with his tumultuous life. Desperately he stakes his
all on the game and thus has he won me.
You also were there with us, but you held aloof, and at last
something urged you one day to leave our gambling set. At the time of
your parting you looked at my face in a way I could not quite make
out. After that I’ve had no news of you for long. Tell me where you
went off to then.
_Bishu_
My boat was tied to the bank; the rope snapped; the wild wind drove
it into the trackless unknown.
_Nandini_
But who dragged you back from there to dig for nuggets here in Yaksha
Town?
_Bishu_
A woman. Just as a bird on the wing is brought to the ground by a
chance arrow, so did she bring me down to the dust. I forgot myself.
_Nandini_
How could she touch you?
_Bishu_
When the thirsty heart despairs of finding water it’s easy enough for
it to be deluded by a mirage, and driven in barren quest from desert
to desert.
One day, while I was gazing at the sunset clouds, she had her eye
upon the golden spire of the Governor’s palace. Her glance challenged
me to take her over there. In my foolish pride I vowed to do so. When
I did bring her here, under the golden spire, the spell was broken.
_Nandini_
I’ve come to take you away from here.
_Bishu_
Since you have moved even the king of this place, what power on earth
can prevent you? Tell me, don’t you feel afraid of him?
_Nandini_