He is also CHAPTER VI.
He finds a

ing fragments would make no noise.
anxious to keep clear of any women.
rat-hole, and widens it by extracting the bricks
around it; and at last works his way into the house.
He first opens the outer door from the inside, in order
to provide a way of escape. He then enters the room
where the two Bráhmans are lying, and turns his
lamp upon their faces to ascertain if they are really
asleep. He then looks around, and sees nothing
but a drum, a tabor, a lute, pipes, and a few books.
He had supposed the householder to be a rich man,
but finds that he is only a poct or dancer. At this
moment Maitreya is dreaming, and cries out in a
half-conscious state:-"Master, they are breaking
into the house: I can see the thief: Take charge of
the casket!" The burglar hears the words, takes
the casket from the unconscious hand of the
Bráhman, and at once makes off with his prize.

wife.

Next morning the two Bráhmans discover the Alarm of the theft. Chárudatta is in agony at the loss, for he fears no one will believe that the casket has been really stolen. The maid-servant carries the news to the wife of Chárudatta, who is in the inner apartments. The poor lady is greatly alarmed lest her husband should lose his reputation. Her jewels are now nearly all exhausted. She has only one string of diamonds left, and she fears that Chárudatta will not accept it, as it was given to her before she left her mother's home. She sends for Maitreya, and induces him to palm it off on Chárudatta, as a gift which he had himself received in alms. The ruse is successful. Chárudatta accepts the diamonds, though with great reluctance; and he directs Maitreya to carry them to Vasanta-séná, with the

CHAPTER VI. strange apology that he had heedlessly lost the casket at play, and requested her to accept the diamonds in its stead.

Incidents in the house of the

heroine.

Restoration of the casket.

The fourth act takes place in the house of Vasanta-séná. This lady is now talking with her maid Madaniká, respecting a portrait which she has procured of Chárudatta. At this juncture she receives a message from her mother, that the prince has sent a chariot for her with a number of costly presents; but she declines his offers with every expression of disgust.

The next visitor is Servillaka, the dissipated Bráhman and burglar. His first object is to see Madaniká alone; and this he accordingly accomplishes, although Vasanta-séná overhears the whole of the conversation. He inquires about the cost of her manumission, confesses that he has stolen the jewels, and requests her to take the casket to her mistress, and ascertain if it will suffice to purchase her freedom. Madaniká now discovers that he has stolen the very casket that Vasanta-séná had left with Chárudatta. She is horrified at the idea of her lover having committed robbery, but becomes half reconciled at knowing it was undertaken for her sake. At last she persuades Servillaka to appear before her mistress in the character of a messenger from Chárudatta, and to return the jewels in his name on the plea that his house is insecure. As Vasanta-séná has heard all that passed, she is prepared how to act. Accordingly when Servillaka presents himself, she takes the casket, and makes him a present of Madaniká. The enfranchised maiden is placed in a covered carriage drawn by oxen, and taken away by Servillaka to be his wife.

At this moment a loud proclamation is heard in the CHAPTER VI. streets. A seer has prophesied that a cowherd, named Aryaka, will ascend the throne; and the Raja of Ujain has prevented disturbances by placing Aryaka in prison. Servillaka is a warm friend of Aryaka. He accordingly sends away his bride to the care of the chief of the city musicians, and hastens off to effect, if possible, the release of Aryaka.

Maitreya.

The plot now begins to be tedious, although it Message of is perfectly adapted to Hindú tastes. Maitreya arrives at the house of Vasanta-séná, and delivers his message, and apologizes for the loss of the casket at play, and makes over the diamonds." The lady, being already in possession of the casket, knows that the gambling story is a falsehood, and accordingly accepts the diamonds with a smile. She then promises to visit Chárudatta in the evening, and Maitreya departs with this message in high displeasure.

hero and

The fifth act reverts to the house of Chárudatta. Meeting of the Maitreya enters, and vents his spleen against heroine. Vasanta-séná. She had pounced upon the diamonds without the slightest compunction, and had

7 As Maitreya approaches the house he is supposed to express the utmost admiration, and dilates upon its magnificence with apparent exaggeration. It is said to have consisted of eight courts or quadrangles. The entrance was adorned with flags and garlands. The first quadrangle was surrounded by white palaces, having upper apartments with windows looking in the streets below. The second court was occupied with stables for oxen and horses. The third was surrounded with seats, and formed a place of resort for all the young men of Ujain. The fourth was gay with singing and dancing girls, whilst other damsels were reading plays and poems. The fifth court was the kitchen, sending forth delicious odours. The sixth court was filled with working jewellers, whilst damsels and their gallants were talking, laughing, and drinking wine. The seventh court was an aviary. In the eighth court the mother and brother of Vasanta-séná were sitting. The interview between Maitreya and Vasanta-séná took place in the garden.

CHAPTER V. not deigned to offer him any refreshment. Moreover, her attendant damsels had been mightily amused, and seemed to have been laughing at him. Presently Vasanta-séná is announced. She enters splendidly dressed, and throws flowers at Chárudatta, and rallies him upon his gambling. She then produces the stolen casket. Vasanta-séná and Chárudatta now understand each other. The rain descends in torrents, and Vasanta-séná remains all night in the inner apartments.

The courtesan and the wife.

The sixth act opens with some commotion. Vasanta-séná awakes in the house of her lover, and is told that Chárudatta has gone away to a public garden, and left a covered bullock-carriage for her to follow him. She is naturally afraid that she has caused some vexation in the family. She tries to soften matters by sending the string of diamonds to the wife of Chárudatta, with the message that she is the handmaid of Chárudatta, and has consequently become her slave. The injured matron refuses to accept the gift, and declares that she values no ornament except her husband. Vasanta-séná falls back upon the little son of Chárudatta. The lad is crying over his toy-cart, because it is made of pottery, whereas he wants one of gold. She fills his cart with jewels, and tells him to buy a golden cart. She then leaves the house in the bullockcarriage. The wife of Chárudatta is evidently aware of her husband's amour, and that he will spend the day with her rival in the pleasuregarden without the city. But she gives vent to no

8 This complaint seems to indicate a period when Brahmans would take food from the hands of a Sudrá. This was the case in the time of Alexander the Great. See ante, page 169.

expression of her feelings. She merely takes the CHAPTER VI. jewels out of the toy-cart, and requests Maitreya to return them to Vasanta-séná. This incident is invested with a tragical interest in the after-part of the play.

the heroine.

It now transpires that Vasanta-séná has gone Fatal mistake of away in the wrong vehicle. Instead of entering the carriage of Chárudatta whom she loved, she had entered that of the prince whom she detested. The cause of this mistake easily appears upon the stage. She had spent some time in dressing, and Chárudatta's coachman had taken advantage of the delay to drive away from the door to procure some cushions. Meantime the prince walks to his own garden, and directs his boy to follow him with the bullock-carriage, in order to bring him back to the city when the day is hot. The street, however, is choked with carts, and the boy halts at the door of Chárudatta's house in order to drive them away. Vasanta-séná comes out of the house, sees the prince's carriage all ready, and enters it without hesitation, and is driven off to the garden with the full expectation of seeing no one but Chárudatta.

ka the rebel.

Another mistake occurs as regards Chárudatta's Escape of Aryacarriage. His coachman returns to the door of the house, and patiently awaits the coming of the lady. Meantime Aryaka, the cowherd, had escaped from prison, and is looking for a place of refuge. Seeing the carriage, he at once enters it, and is driven away to the garden where Chárudatta is expecting the lady. The coachman hears the clank of his fetters, but thinks it is the jingling of Vasantaséná's anklets. Aryaka, however, has a very narrow escape. The city police are looking out for him in