The king writes, he is coming to visit Amal in person, and is bringing his royal Kobiraj, the medicine man, along with him as well.

Amal:Fakir! There, fakir, I hear his music playing, can’t you hear it?

Morol:Hahahaha! Unless he loses his senses some more, he can’t hear it.

Amal:Morolmoshai, I used to imagine you were angry with me—that you didn’t love me. I hadn’t expected that you would really bring me a letter from the king—come, let me bow at your feet and receive your blessings.

Morol:No, I must say this boy has a devout soul. He lacks brains, it’s true, but he has a good heart.

Amal:It must be past the hour for dusk by now, I think. There it goes—ding-dong ding-dong! Has the evening star arisen, fakir? Why can’t I see it?

Thakurda:Because they’ve closed the window. I’ll open it.

Knock on the door, from outside

Madhabdatta:What is that! Who is it? What sort of disturbance is this?

From outside

Open the door

Madhabdatta:Who are you all?

From outside

Open the door.

Madhabdatta:Morolmoshai, these are not dacoits, for sure!

Morol:Who is it? I am Panchanan Morol. Do you have no fear in your hearts? . . . See, the noise has stopped. Panchanan’s voice strikes terror in their hearts. However notorious the dacoits might be . . .

Madhabdatta(leaning out of the window): They have broken down the door; that’s why there’s no more noise.

Enter royal messenger

Royal Messenger:The king will come tonight.

Morol:What a disaster!

Amal:How late at night, O messenger? At what hour?

Messenger:At midnight.

Amal:When my friend the Prahari rings the bell at the city gate, ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong—at that hour?

Messenger:Yes, at that hour. The king has sent his senior-most Kobiraj to examine his young friend.

Enter the Rajkobiraj, the royal medicine man

Rajkobiraj:What’s this! Everything all around is fastened shut! Open them, open them, open all the doors and windows. (Stroking Amal’s body) Baba, how do you feel?

Amal:Very good, very good, Kobirajmoshai. I no longer have any sickness, any pain. Ah! They have opened everything—I can see all the stars—the stars beyond the darkness.

Rajkobiraj:When the king arrives at midnight, can you rise from your bed to go outside with him?

Amal:I can, I can. If I can go out, I’ll be saved. I’ll tell the king, show me the Pole Star in this dark sky. I must have seen that star so many times, but I don’t recognize which one it is, after all.

Rajkobiraj:He will help you recognize everything . . . (to Madhabdatta) Clean this room and decorate it with flowers for the king’s arrival. (Indicating the Morol) But we can’t have that man in the room.

Amal:No, no, Kobirajmoshai, he is my friend. Before you came, it was he who brought me the king’s letter.

Rajkobiraj:Achchha baba, since he is your friend, he too shall remain in the room.

Madhabdatta(whispering to Amal): Baba, the king loves you; he is coming here in person tonight—ask him for some blessings tonight. We are not well off after all. You know all about that, don’t you?

Amal:I have already decided to do that, Pishemoshai; you need not worry about it.

Madhabdatta:What have you decided, baba?

Amal:I’ll request him to make me a messenger for his post office—I’ll go from land to land, house to house, distributing his letters.

Madhabdatta(striking his forehead): Alas, how unfortunate I am!

Amal:Pishemoshai, the king is coming. What feast shall we prepare for him?

Messenger:He has said he will feast on muri-murki here at your place.

Amal:Muri-murki! Morolmoshai, you had already told us that! You know all about the king! We knew nothing, after all.

Morol:If you send someone over to my house, to fetch some nice dishes for the king . . .

Rajkobiraj:There’s no need for that. Calm down now, all of you. Here it comes, now sleep descends upon his eyes. I shall sit by his pillow . . . he is growing drowsy. Turn out the lamp . . . Now let the light shine in, from that star in the sky. He has grown drowsy.

Madhabdatta(to Thakurda): Thakurda, why have you become silent as a statue, with folded hands? I feel rather frightened. These things I see now, are they good signs? Why are they darkening my house! What use is starlight to me?

Thakurda:Quiet, you disbeliever! Don’t say a word.

Enter Sudha

Sudha:Amal!

Rajkobiraj:He has gone to sleep.

Sudha:But I have brought flowers for him—can’t I hand them to him?

Rajkobiraj:Achchha, give him your flowers.

Sudha:When will he awaken?

Rajkobiraj:Just now, when the king comes to call him.

Sudha:Will you whisper something in his ear then?

Rajkobiraj:What shall I tell him?

Sudha:Tell him: ‘Sudha has not forgotten you.’

 

A Poetic Mood and Lack of Food

Cast:

Kunjabihari

Bashambad

Attendant

The eminent poet Kunjabihari and Bashambad

Kunjabihari:What brings you here?

Bashambad:Sir, I can’t support myself any more.