chitra(西特拉)-第3章
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arms； if you are ready to pay for her the price of your probity？ Not my true
self； I know。 Surely this cannot be love； this is not man's highest homage
to woman！ Alas； that this frail disguise； the body； should make one blind to
the light of the deathless spirit！ Yes； now indeed； I know； Arjuna； the fame
of your heroic manhood is false。
Arjuna
Ah； I feel how vain is fame； the pride of prowess！ Everything seems to
me a dream。 You alone are perfect； you are the wealth of the world； the
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CHITRA
end of all poverty； the goal of all efforts； the one woman！ Others there are
who can be but slowly known。 While to see you for a moment is to see
perfect completeness once and for ever。
Chitra
Alas； it is not I； not I； Arjuna！ It is the deceit of a god。 Go； go； my hero；
go。 Woo not falsehood； offer not your great heart to an illusion。 Go。
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CHITRA
SCENE III
Chitra
No； impossible。 To face that fervent gaze that almost grasps you like
clutching hands of the hungry spirit within； to feel his heart struggling to
break its bounds urging its passionate cry through the entire bodyand
then to send him away like a beggarno； impossible。
Enter MADANA and VASANTA。
Ah； god of love； what fearful flame is this with which thou hast
enveloped me！ I burn； and I burn whatever I touch。
Madana
I desire to know what happened last night。
Chitra
At evening I lay down on a grassy bed strewn with the petals of spring
flowers； and recollected the wonderful praise of my beauty I had heard
from Arjuna；drinking drop by drop the honey that I had stored during the
long day。 The history of my past life like that of my former existences was
forgotten。 I felt like a flower； which has but a few fleeting hours to listen
to all the humming flatteries and whispered murmurs of the woodlands
and then must lower its eyes from the Sky； bend its head and at a breath
give itself up to the dust without a cry； thus ending the short story of a
perfect moment that has neither past nor future。
Vasanta
A limitless life of glory can bloom and spend itself in a morning。
Madana
Like an endless meaning in the narrow span of a song。
Chitra
The southern breeze caressed me to sleep。 From the flowering Malati
bower overhead silent kisses dropped over my body。 On my hair； my
breast； my feet； each flower chose a bed to die on。 I slept。 And； suddenly
in the depth of my sleep； I felt as if some intense eager look； like tapering
fingers of flame； touched my slumbering body。 I started up and saw the
Hermit standing before me。 The moon had moved to the west； peering
through the leaves to espy this wonder of divine art wrought in a fragile
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CHITRA
human frame。 The air was heavy with perfume； the silence of the night
was vocal with the chirping of crickets； the reflections of the trees hung
motionless in the lake； and with his staff in his hand he stood； tall and
straight and still； like a forest tree。 It seemed to me that I had； on opening
my eyes； died to all realities of life and undergone a dream birth into a
shadow land。 Shame slipped to my feet like loosened clothes。 I heard his
call〃Beloved； my most beloved！〃 And all my forgotten lives united as
one and responded to it。 I said； 〃Take me； take all I am！〃 And I stretched
out my arms to him。 The moon set behind the trees。 One curtain of
darkness covered all。 Heaven and earth； time and space； pleasure and pain；
death and life merged together in an unbearable ecstasy。 。 。 。 With the first
gleam of light； the first twitter of birds； I rose up and sat leaning on my left
arm。 He lay asleep with a vague smile about his lips like the crescent
moon in the morning。 The rosy red glow of the dawn fell upon his noble
forehead。 I sighed and stood up。 I drew together the leafy lianas to screen
the streaming sun from his face。 I looked about me and saw the same old
earth。 I remembered what I used to be； and ran and ran like a deer afraid of
her own shadow； through the forest path strewn with shephali flowers。 I
found a lonely nook； and sitting down covered my face with both hands；
and tried to weep and cry。 But no tears came to my eyes。
Madana
Alas； thou daughter of mortals！ I stole from the divine Storehouse the
fragrant wine of heaven； filled with it one earthly night to the brim； and
placed it in thy hand to drink yet still I hear this cry of anguish！
Chitra ＇bitterly＇
Who drank it？ The rarest completion of life's desire； the first union of
love was proffered to me； but was wrested from my grasp？ This borrowed
beauty； this falsehood that enwraps me； will slip from me taking with it the
only monument of that sweet union； as the petals fall from an overblown
flower； and the woman ashamed of her naked poverty will sit weeping day
and night。 Lord Love； this cursed appearance companions me like a
demon robbing me of all the prizes of loveall the kisses for which my
heart is athirst。
Madana
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CHITRA
Alas； how vain thy single night had been！ The barque of joy came in
sight； but the waves would not let it touch the shore。
Chitra
Heaven came so close to my hand that I forgot for a moment that it
had not reached me。 But when I woke in the morning from my dream I
found that my body had become my own rival。 It is my hateful task to
deck her every day； to send her to my beloved and see her caressed by him。
O god； take back thy boon！
Madana
But if I take it from you how can you stand before your lover？ To
snatch away the cup from his lips when he has scarcely drained his first
draught of pleasure； would not that be cruel？ With what resentful anger he
must regard thee then？
Chitra
That would be better far than this。 I will reveal my true self to him； a
nobler thing than this disguise。 If he rejects it； if he spurns me and breaks
my heart； I will bear even that in silence。
Vasanta
Listen to my advice。 When with the advent of autumn the flowering
season is over then comes the triumph of fruitage。 A time will come of
itself when the heat…cloyed bloom of the body will droop and Arjuna will
gladly accept the abiding fruitful truth in thee。 O child； go back to thy mad
festival。
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CHITRA
SCENE IV
Chitra
WHY do you watch me like that； my warrior？
Arjuna
I watch how you weave that garland。 Skill and grace； the twin brother
and sister； are dancing playfully on your finger tips。 I am watching and
thinking。
Chitra
What are you thinking； sir？
Arjuna
I am thinking that you； with this same lightness of touch and sweetness；
are weaving my days of exile into an immortal wreath； to crown me when
I return
