_Deputy Governor_
Don’t talk of all that to me. The Headman who has been put on duty is
the right man,--he doesn’t stick at any dirtiness whatever.
_Governor_
Does that man Gosain know about this affair?
_Deputy Governor_
I’m sure he can guess, but he’s careful not to know for certain.
_Governor_
What’s his object?
_Deputy Governor_
For fear of there being no way left open for saying: “I don’t believe
it.”
_Governor_
But what makes him take all this trouble?
_Deputy Governor_
Don’t you see? The poor man is really two in one, clumsily
joined,--Priest on the skin, Governor at the marrow. He has to take
precious care to prevent the Governor part of him coming up to the
surface, lest it should clash too much with his telling of beads.
_Governor_
He might have dropped the beads altogether.
_Deputy Governor_
No, for whatever his blood may be, his mind, in a sense, is really
pious. If only he can tell his beads in his temple, and revel in
slave-driving in his dreams, he feels happy. But for him, the true
complexion of our God would appear too black. In fact, Gosain is
placed here only to help our God to feel comfortable.
_Governor_
My friend, I see the instinct of the Ruler doesn’t seem to match with
the colour of your own blood, either!
_Deputy Governor_
There’s hope still. Human blood is fast drying up. But I can’t
stomach your No. 321 yet. When I’m obliged to embrace him in public,
no holy water seems able to wash out the impurity of his touch.
Here comes Nandini.
_Governor_
Come away, I don’t trust you. I know the spell of Nandini has fallen
on your eyes.
_Deputy Governor_
I know that as well as you do. But you don’t seem to know that a
tinge of her oleanders has got mixed with the colour of duty in
_your_ eyes too--that’s what makes them so frightfully red.
_Governor_
That may be. Fortunately for us, our mind knows not its own secret.
Come away.
[_They go._
(_Nandini comes in._)
_Nandini_
(_Knocking and pushing at the network_) Listen, listen, listen!
(_The Gosain comes in._)
_Gosain_
Whom are you prodding like that?
_Nandini_
That boa-constrictor of yours, who remains in hiding and swallows men.
_Gosain_
Lord, lord! When Providence wishes to destroy the small, it does so
by putting big words into their little mouths.
See here, Nandini, believe me when I tell you that I aim at your
welfare.
_Nandini_
Try some more real method of doing me good.
_Gosain_
Come to my sanctuary, let me chant you the Holy Name for a while.
_Nandini_
What have I to do with the name?
_Gosain_
You will gain peace of mind.
_Nandini_
Shame, shame on me if I do! I shall sit and wait here at the door.
_Gosain_
You have more faith in men than in God?
_Nandini_
Your God of the Flagstaff,--he will never unbend. But the man who is
lost to sight behind the netting, will he also remain bound in his
network for ever? Go, go. It’s your trade to delude men with words,
after filching away their lives.
[_The Gosain goes._
(_Enter Phágulal and Chandrá._)
_Phágulal_
Our Bishu came away with you, where is he now? Tell us the truth.
_Nandini_
He has been made prisoner and taken away.
_Chandrá_
You witch, you must have given information against him. You are their
spy.
_Nandini_
You don’t really believe that!
_Chandrá_
What else are you doing here?
_Phágulal_
Every person suspects every other person in this cursed place. Yet I
have always trusted you, Nandini. In my heart I used to---- However,
let that pass. But to-day it looks very very strange, I must say.
_Nandini_
Perhaps it does. It may really be even as you say. Bishu has got into
trouble for coming with me. He used to be quite safe in your company,
he said so himself.
_Chandrá_
They why did you decoy him away, you evil-omened creature?
_Nandini_
Because he said he wanted to be free.
_Chandrá_
A precious kind of freedom you have given him!
_Nandini_
I could not understand all that he said, Chandrá. Why did he tell me
that freedom could only be found by plunging down to the bottom of
danger?--Phágulal, how could I save him who wanted to be free from
the tyranny of safety?
_Chandrá_
We don’t understand all this. If you can’t bring him back, you’ll
have to pay for it. I’m not to be taken in by that coquettish
prettiness of yours.
_Phágulal_
What’s the use of idle bickering? Let’s gather a big crowd from the
workmen’s lines, and then go and smash the prison gate.
_Nandini_
I’ll come with you.
_Phágulal_
What for?
_Nandini_
To join in the breaking.
_Chandrá_
As if you haven’t done quite enough breaking already, you sorceress!
(_Gôkul comes in._)
_Gôkul_
That witch must be burnt alive, before everything else.
_Chandrá_
That won’t be punishment enough. First knock off that beauty of hers,
with which she goes about ruining people. Weed it out of her face as
the grass is weeded with a hoe.
_Gôkul_