Sabitri. Let my dear child sleep; my dear keeps my heart at rest. When I see the sweet face, I remember that other face[[70]] (kisses). My child is sleeping most soundly (rubs the hand over the head of the corpse). Ah! what have the musquitoes done? What shall I do for the heat? I must not lie down without letting the curtains fall (rubs the hand on the breast of the body) Ah! Can the mother suffer this, to see the bugs bite the child and let drops of blood come out. No one is here to prepare the bed of the child; how shall I let it lie down. I have no one for me; but all are gone with my husband. (Weeps). Oh unfortunate creature that I am! I am crying with my child here (observing the face of Nobin). The child of the sorrowful woman is now making deala[[71]] (kissing the mouth). No, my dear, I have forgotten all distress in seeing thee; I am not weeping (placing the pap on its mouth); my dear, suckle the pap, my dear, suckle it; I entreated the bad woman so much, even fell at her feet, still she did not bring my husband for once; he would have gone after settling about the milk of the child. This stupid person has such a friendship with Yama, that if she had written a letter, he would have immediately given him leave (seeing the rope in her hand). The husband never gets salvation if on his death the widow still wears ornaments; although I wept with such loud cries, still they made me wear the shanka.[[72]] I have burnt it by the lamp, still it is in my hands (cuts off the rope with her teeth). For a widow to wear ornaments it does not look good and is not tolerable. On my hands there has arisen a blister (cries). Whoever has stopped my wearing the shanka, let her shanka be taken off within three days[[73]] (snaps the joints of her fingers on the ground). Let me prepare the bed myself (prepares the bed in fancy.) The mat was not washed (extends her hands a little). I can’t reach to the pillow; the coat of shreds is become dirty, (rubs the floor with her hands). Let me make the child lie down (placing the dead body slowly on the ground.) My son, what fear near a mother? You lie down peacefully. I shall spit here (spits on its breast). If that Englishman’s lady come here this day, I shall kill her by pressing down her neck. I shall never have my child out of my sight. Let me place the bow round it (gives a mark with her finger round the floor, while reading a certain verse as a sacred formula read to a God). “The froth of the serpent, the tiger’s nose, the fire prepared by the Sala’s[[74]] resin, the whistling of the swinging machine, the white hairs of seven co-wives[[75]]—bhanti[[76]] leaves, the flowers of the dhuturá, the seeds of the Indigo, the burnt pepper, the head of the corpse, the root of the maddar, the mad dog, the thief’s reading of the Chundi; these together make the arrow to be directed against the gnashing teeth of Yama.”
Enter Saralota.
Saralota. Where are these gone to? Ah! she is turning round the dead body. I think, my husband, tired with excessive travelling, has given himself up to Sleep, that goddess who is the destroyer of all sorrows and pains. Oh Sleep! how very miraculous is thy greatness, thou makest the widow to be with her husband in this world, thou bringest the traveller to his country; at thy touch, the prisoner’s chain breaks; thou art the Dhannantari[[77]] of the sick; thou hast no distinction of castes in thy dominions; and thy laws are never different on account of the difference of nations or castes; thou must have made my husband a subject of thy impartial power; or else, how is it, that the insane mother brings away the dead son from him. My husband is become quite distracted by being deprived of his father and his brother. The beauty of his countenance has faded by and by, as the full-moon decreases day by day. My mother, when hast thou come up? I have left off food and sleep, and am looking after thee continually; and did I fall into so much insensibility; I promised, that I shall bring thy husband from Yama, (Invisible) in order to cure thee, and therefore thou remainedest quiet for some[some]. In this formidable night, so full of darkness, like unto that which shall take place on the destruction of the Universe; when the skies are spread over with the tenors of the clouds, the ashes of lightning are giving a momentary light, like the arrows of fire, and the race of living creatures are given up, as it were, to the sleep of Death; all are silent; when the only sound is the cry of jackals in the wilderness and the loud noise of the dogs, the great band of enemies to thieves. My mother, how is it possible, that in such a night as this then wast able to bring thy dead son from out-side the house. (Goes near the corpse).
Sabitri. I have placed the circle; and why do you come within it?
Saralota. Ah! my husband can never be able to live on seeing the death of this his land-conquering and most dear brother. (Weeps).
Sabitri. You are envying my child; you all-destroying wretch, the daughter of a wretch! Let your husband die. Go out, just now; be out; or else, I shall place my foot on your throat, take out your tongue and kill you immediately.
Saralota. Ah! such Shoranan[[78]] (six-mouthed) of gold, whom our father-in-law and mother-in-law had, is now gone into the water.
Sabitri. Don’t look on my child; I forbid you—you destroyer of your husband. I see, your death is very near. (Goes a little towards her).
Saralota. Ah! how very cruel are the formidable arms of Death? Ah Yama! you gave so much pain to my honest mother-in-law.
Sabitri. Calling again! Calling again! (takes hold of Saralota’s neck by her two hands and throws her down on the ground). Thou stupid, beloved of Yama. Now will I kill thee (stands upon her neck). Thou hast devoured my husband; again, thou art calling your paramour to swallow my dear infant. Die, die, die, die now. (Begins to skip upon the neck.)