comrade. He mentions the quarrel about the CHAPTER VI. carriage. He says that the coachman was driving Vasanta-séná to the garden to meet Chárudatta. The Judge here postpones further inquiry into his complaint, and despatches him to the garden, to ascertain if the body of the lady is still there. After a certain interval the captain returns with the information that he has found female hair, and traced the marks of female hands and feet, but that the body has disappeared.

Chárudatta.

The case against Chárudatta is now very strong; Conviction of but another incident seems to place his guilt beyond a doubt. It will be remembered that his wife had commissioned Maitreya to carry back to Vasantaséná the jewels which the courtesan had left in the child's toy-coat. Maitreya accordingly takes the jewels in his girdle, and sets out for the house of Vasanta-séná, but on his way he wanders into the public hall. Here he listens to the horrible accusation which the prince has brought against his friend. In his wrath he assails the prince, and during the struggle the jewels drop from his girdle. In a moment they are recognized as the jewels of Vasanta-séná. This points to the conclusion that Vasanta-séná has been murdered for the sake of her jewels. The accumulation of evidence leads to the conviction of the accused. The Judge reports to the Raja that Chárudatta has been found guilty of the robbery and murder. At the same time he reminds the Raja that the condemned man is a Bráhman, and that consequently he cannot be executed, nor his property confiscated, but that he may be banished from the realm. Raja Pálaka, however, is not inclined to show favour to the

CHAPTER VI. Bráhmans. He orders that Chárudatta should be put to death by impalement; and he issues special instructions that the condemned man should be led to the place of execution with the stolen jewels hanging round his neck, whilst his crime is proclaimed by beat of drum.

Preparations for the execution.

The tenth and last act takes place on the road to the place of execution, which is situated in the burning-place without the city. Chárudatta appears decorated with garlands, like a victim being led to the sacrifice. On his shoulder he carries the stake. He is attended by two executioners, who belong to the lowest class of outcastes. They are named Chándálas, and their very touch is a horrible pollution. The women of Ujain are weeping all around, as Chárudatta takes farewell of his little son. The sad procession moves on whilst one of the Chándálas proclaims the crime and the sentence by beat of drum. Presently the procession passes the palace, where the black-hearted prince is gloating over the sufferings of the innocent Bráhman. But in a room on the upper story is the lad who had driven Vasanta-séná to the presence of the prince, and who knows that she had been strangled by his wicked master. The boy shouts aloud that the prince is the murderer, but no one heeds him. Suddenly he breaks his chain, and leaps from the balcony, crying out that Chárudatta is innocent. The Chándálas stop to listen to the lad. The crowd eagerly believe his evidence, and cry out that the prince is the murderer. The prince sees that his life is in peril, and rushes from the palace into the street. He declares that the boy is bringing a false charge because he had been punished for

theft; and he reminds the mob that the boy cannot CHAPTER VI. be believed because he is a slave. This indeed proves to be the law; the evidence of a slave cannot be received. The mob is excited, but does nothing; and the Chándálas with their prisoner move slowly and reluctantly along, followed by the prince, who thirsts more than ever for the death of his victim.

The last station is reached; the drum is beaten, The rescue. and the proclamation is made for the last time. The pathos has reached its climax, for an innocent Brahman is preparing for a death of excruciating agony. At this moment the beautiful Vasanta-séná, the pride and glory of the whole city, suddenly rushes through the crowd, and throws herself into the arms of Chárudatta. A scene of overwrought excitement follows, which must be left to the imagination. Some of the crowd run off to carry the news to the Raja. The Chándálas arrest the prince as a perjurer and would-be murderer. But the public agitation is raised to a still higher pitch by loud shouts in the distance :-" Victory to Aryaka! The Raja is slain, and Aryaka ascends the throne of Pálaka." The cowardly prince is quaking with terror, and throws himself at the feet of Chárudatta shrieking for mercy. The mob shout for his immediate execution. Chárudatta, however, interposes, and the villain is suffered to wander forth as a vagabond wherever he will.

The last scene must be indicated, if only to ex- The last scene. hibit the vast gulf which separates the European from the Hindú. The wretched wife of Chárudatta is discovered on the eve of committing herself to the funeral pile, in order that she may accompany her

CHAPTER VI. murdered lord to another world. The husband saves his wife, and takes her to his embrace; and here according to all European ideas of propriety the curtain ought to fall. Certainly no European poet or dramatist would imagine that at such a solemn moment of re-union a courtesan could appear between the married pair. But Vasanta-séná is present, radiant with charms. The Hindú wife beholds her, and knows that her husband loves the courtesan. Shakespeare himself would have been unable to reconcile his audience to the scene. the wife approaches the courtesan, with the crushed spirit of a Hindú woman, and says:-"Welcome, happy sister!" The veil is thrown over Vasantaséná. Henceforth she ceases to be a courtesan, and is secluded for the remainder of her days in the inner apartments of Chárudatta.

Aryaka ascends the throne.

Review of the "Toy-cart."

Yet

Aryaka the cowherd thus ascends the throne of Ujain, and distributes his rewards. The Buddhist mendicant is made chief of all the viharas in Ujain. The slave-boy of the prince obtains his freedom. The two Chándálas are appointed heads of their tribe. Lastly the captain, who connived at the escape of Aryaka, is raised to the post of Kotwal or chief over all the police of the city.

It would be vain to attempt to judge the foregoing drama by a European standard. The main interest of an ordinary plot is altogether wanting, namely, the passion which draws together a youth and maiden, and terminates in a happy marriage, or tragical denouement. The chief interest in the play turns upon the accumulation of circumstantial evidence against Chárudatta, and the sudden discovery of his innocence on the eve of his execution.

But in order to realize the scenes in all their oriental CHAPTER VI. colouring, the hot rays of an Indian sun must be seen in the streets and gardens, and the lassitude of Indian life must be taken into consideration. The characters must also appear in Hindú costume, and surrounded by Hindú belongings. Chárudatta and Maitreya, the Judges on the bench, and all the officers of the court, are not Europeans of fair complexion, but brown Asiatics arrayed in white silk or cotton; or perhaps bare to the waist, with a nondescript petticoat below. The Brahman burglar who creeps through the house-wall is probably naked, excepting that a cloth is round his loins, and his whole body is smeared with oil. The wife of Chárudatta is most likely a faded matron in coloured muslin; whilst the courtesan is a slenderwaisted damsel of golden complexion, radiant in silks and jewels. The want of moral perception which pervades the drama is still one of the defects in the national character. Falsehood is passed over with a smile. The robbery of the casket is almost a joke; although some horror of the theft is expressed in strained and artificial language. The visits to the gardens in the cool air of early morning is one of the conditions of Indian life; whilst the stupid carelessness of the two coachmen, in driving off without knowing who is inside their respective carriages, will be familiar to the experience of most European residents in India.

ment in the

The historical element of the play is of compara- Historical ele tively small importance. Ujain is famous in tradi- play. tion, but nothing is known of its real annals. Asoka is said to have been appointed to the government of Ujain in his early youth, but the statement only