SCENE IV

Outside Dongurh.
Ichalgurh, a letter in his hand; Ruttan, the Captain.

ICHALGURH

Who art thou, soldier?

CAPTAIN

The leader of the lances
That guarded Edur's princess and with her
Were captived by the Bheels. Their chief I serve.

ICHALGURH

Thou hast dishonoured then the Rajpoot name
Deserting from thy lord to serve a ruffian
Under the eyes of death, thou paltry trembler.

CAPTAIN

My honour, Rao of Ichalgurh, is mine
To answer for, and at a fitting name
I will return thy insults on my swordpoint.
But now I am only a messenger.

ICHALGURH

I'll read
The princess' writing, (reads) "Baron of Ichalgurh,
My mother's clansman, warrior, noble Rajpoot,
Thrice over therefore bound to help the weak
And save the oppressed! A maiden overpowered,
Comol Cumary, Edur's princess, sues
For thy heroic arm of rescue, prince,
To the Bheel outlaws made a prey, unsought
By her own kin; whom if thou save, I am
A princess and thy handmaid, else a captive
Only and Bappa's slave-girl." Go! my war-cry
Echoing among the hills shall answer straightway  

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This piteous letter. Ruttan, swift! Arm! arm!
I will not vent my wrath in braggart words,
But till it leap into my sword, I suffer.

RUTTAN

You shall not wait for long.

Exit.

CAPTAIN

I have a letter
To Toraman, the Scythian.

ICHALGURH

Give it to him,

For this is he.

Enter Canaca, Hooshka and Scythians.

CANACA  

It will not fill. This paltry barren Rajputana has not the where-withal to choke up the gulf within me. Ha! avaunt! Dost thou flutter paper before me? I have no creditors in Rajputana. 

CAPTAIN

I understand thee not. This is a script
Comol Cumary sends thee, Edur's princess.

CANACA

Is it so? Well then, thou mayst kneel and lay it at my feet; I will deign to read it. (The Captain flings it into his hands.) What, thou dirty varlet! (The Captain lays his hand on his sword.) Nay, it is a game? Oh, I can catch, I can catch.

Exit Captain,

CANACA (reads)

"Prince Toraman, they say thou desirest me and earnest from Cashmere as far as Edur for my sake. Thou must come a little farther, prince! Bappa, the outlaw, has been beforehand

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with thee and holds me in durance among the hills. Prince, if thou yet desirest this little beauty one poor body can hold, come up hither and fight for its possession which otherwise I must in seven days perforce yield to my captor. From whom if thou canst rescue me, — but I will not drive bargains with thee, trusting rather to thy knightly princeliness to succour a distressed maiden for no hope of reward. Comol Cumary." 

No, no, no; there is too much butter about thee. No hope of reward! What! I shall fight like an enraged rhinoceros, I shall startle the hills by my valour, I shall stick three thousand Bheels with my own princely hand like so many boar-pigs; and all this violent morning exercise for what ? To improve my appetite ? I have more gastric juice than my guts can accommodate. They roar to me already for a haunch of venison.

HOOSHKA

Prince Toraman, shall I give the order for the hills?

CANACA

Ay, Hooshka Longnose, hast thou news of venison, good fellow?

HOOSHKA

I meant, to rescue the Princess Comol Cumary from the Bheels.

CANACA

Didst thou mean so ? Nay, I will not hinder thy excellent intentions. But bring some venison with thee as thou comest along with her, Hooshka.

HOOSHKA

Prince of Cashmere, lead us to the hills and tear her from the grip of the outlaws. As a prince and a soldier thou canst do no less.

CANACA  

Thou liest through thy long nose! I can do much less than that. I will not suffer thee to put limits to my infinite ability. And I

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can tell a decoy-duck from a live gander. Shall I waddle my shins into Bappa's trap? This letter was written under compulsion.

HOOSHKA

The Princess must be rescued. I wonder, Prince Toraman, that thou wilt jest over a thing so grave and unhappy.

CANACA

Why, genius will out, you cannot stable it for long, Hooshka;  it will break bounds and gallop. Yet go, Hooshka, go; take all my men, Hooshka. Hooshka, slay the Bheel; rescue the lady, Hooshka. I wish I could go with thee and swing my dreadful blade with my mighty arm till the mountains re-echoed. But the simple truth is, I have a bleeding dysentery. Willingly would I shed my princely blood for my sweet lady, but it is shedding itself already otherwise. 

HOOSHKA (aside)

Thou fat-gutted cowardly rogue, wilt thou blacken the name of a hero with thy antics ? Out at once, or the Rajpoots shall know
who thou art and carve thee into little strips for a dog's dinner.  

CANACA

Sayst thou, my little captain ? Thy arguments are strangely conclusive. Arms! arms! my horse! my horse! Out, Scythians, to the hills! My horse, I say! I will do deeds; I will paint the hills in blood and tattoo the valleys. (Enter Scythians.) Amitabha! Amitabha! yell, you rogues, have you no lungs in your big greasy carcasses? With what will you fight then?

SCYTHIANS

Amitabha!

Enter Ruttan and Rajpoots.

RUTTAN

Rajpoots, to save a noble lady captived
We march today. No gallant open enemy,

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But savages who lurk behind the rocks
Are our opposers. Sweep them from the hills,
Rajpoots, with the mere flashing of your swords
And rescue from their villain touch a princess.

Exeunt Ichalgurh, Ruttan and Rajpoots.

CANACA

March, Scythians! (aside) Hooshka, what say you? We will keep behind these mad-dog Rajpoots and fight valiantly in their shadow. That is but strategy.

HOOSHKA (aside)

If thou dost, I will kick thee into the enemy's midst with my jackboots.

CANACA (aside)

Wilt thou muddy such a fine coat as this is? Hast thou the heart? (aloud) Trumpets! Into the breach, into the breach, my soldiers!  

Exeunt.

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