HEADMAN. A letter for you! Whoever's going to write to you?
AMAL. If the King does.
HEADMAN. Ha! ha! What an uncommon little fellow you are! Ha! ha! the King indeed, aren't you his bosom friend, eh! You haven't met for a long while and the King is pining, I am sure. Wait till to-morrow and you'll have your letter.
AMAL. Say, Headman, why do you speak to me in that tone of voice? Are you cross?
HEADMAN. Upon my word! Cross, indeed! You write to the King! Madhav is devilish swell nowadays. He'd made a little pile; and so kings and padishahs are everyday talk with his people. Let me find him once and I'll make him dance. Oh, you snipper-snapper! I'll get the King's letter sent to your house—indeed I will!
AMAL. No, no, please don't trouble yourself about it.
HEADMAN. And why not, pray! I'll tell the King about you and he won't be very long. One of his footmen will come along presently for news of you. Madhav's impudence staggers me. If the King hears of this, that'll take some of his nonsense out of him. (Exit)
AMAL. Who are you walking there? How your anklets tinkle! Do stop a while, dear, won't you?
(A Girl enters)
GIRL. I haven't a moment to spare; it is already late!
AMAL. I see, you don't wish to stop; I don't care to stay on here either.
GIRL. You make me think of some late star of the morning! Whatever's the matter with you?
AMAL. I don't know; the doctor won't let me out.
GIRL. Ah me! Don't then! Should listen to the doctor. People'll be cross with you if you're naughty. I know, always looking out and watching must make you feel tired. Let me close the window a bit for you.
AMAL. No, don't, only this one's open! All the others are shut. But will you tell me who you are? Don't seem to know you.
GIRL. I am Sudha.
AMAL. What Sudha?
SUDHA. Don't you know? Daughter of the flower-seller here.
AMAL. What do you do?
SUDHA. I gather flowers in my basket.
AMAL. Oh, flower gathering! That is why your feet seem so glad and your anklets jingle so merrily as you walk. Wish I could be out too. Then I would pick some flowers for you from the very topmost branches right out of sight.
SUDHA. Would you really? Do you know more about flowers than I?
AMAL. Yes, I do, quite as much. I know all about Champa of the fairy tale and his seven brothers. If only they let me, I'll go right into the dense forest where you can't find your way. And where the honey-sipping hummingbird rocks himself on the end of the thinnest branch, I will flower out as a champa. Would you be my sister Parul?
SUDHA. You are silly! How can I be sister Parul when I am Sudha and my mother is Sasi, the flower-seller? I have to weave so many garlands a day. It would be jolly if I could lounge here like you!
AMAL. What would you do then, all the day long?
SUDHA. I could have great times with my doll Benay the bride, and Meni the pussycat and—but I say it is getting late and I mustn't stop, or I won't find a single flower.
AMAL. Oh, wait a little longer; I do like it so!
SUDHA. Ah, well—now don't you be naughty. Be good and sit still and on my way back home with the flowers I'll come and talk with you.
AMAL. And you'll let me have a flower then?
SUDHA. No, how can I? It has to be paid for.
AMAL. I'll pay when I grow up—before I leave to look for work out on the other side of that stream there.
SUDHA. Very well, then.
AMAL. And you'll come back when you have your flowers?
SUDHA. I will.
AMAL. You will, really?
SUDHA. Yes, I will.
AMAL. You won't forget me? I am Amal, remember that.
SUDHA. I won't forget you, you'll see. (Exit)
(A Troop of Boys enter)
AMAL. Say, brothers, where are you all off to? Stop here a little.
BOYS. We're off to play.
AMAL. What will you play at, brothers?
BOYS. We'll play at being ploughmen.
FIRST BOY (Showing a stick) This is our ploughshare.
SECOND BOY. We two are the pair of oxen.
AMAL. And you're going to play the whole day?
BOYS. Yes, all day long.
AMAL. And you'll come back home in the evening by the road along the river bank?
BOYS. Yes.
AMAL. Do you pass our house on your way home?
BOYS. You come out to play with us, yes do.
AMAL. Doctor won't let me out.
BOYS. Doctor! Suppose the likes of you mind the doctor. Let's be off; it is getting late.
AMAL. Don't. Why not play on the road near this window? I could watch you then.
THIRD BOY. What can we play at here?
AMAL. With all these toys of mine lying about. Here you are, have them. I can't play alone. They are getting dirty and are of no use to me.
BOYS. How jolly! What fine toys! Look, here's a ship. There's old mother Jatai; say, chaps, ain't he a gorgeous sepoy? And you'll let us have them all? You don't really mind?
AMAL. No, not a bit; have them by all means.
BOYS. You don't want them back?
AMAL. Oh, no, I shan't want them.
BOYS. Say, won't you get a scolding for this?
AMAL. No one will scold me. But will you play with them in front of our door for a while every morning? I'll get you new ones when these are old.
BOYS. Oh, yes, we will. Say, chaps, put these sepoys into a line. We'll play at war; where can we get a musket? Oh, look here, this bit of reed will do nicely. Say, but you're off to sleep already.
AMAL. I'm afraid I'm sleepy. I don't know, I feel like it at times. I have been sitting a long while and I'm tired; my back aches.
BOYS It's only early noon now. How is it you're sleepy? Listen! The gong's sounding the first watch.
AMAL. Yes, dong, dong, dong, it tolls me to sleep.
BOYS We had better go then. We'll come in again to-morrow morning.
AMAL. I want to ask you something before you go. You are always out—do you know of the King's postmen?
BOYS Yes, quite well.
AMAL. Who are they? Tell me their names.
BOYS One's Badal, another's Sarat. There's so many of them.
AMAL. Do you think they will know me if there's a letter for me?
BOYS Surely, if your name's on the letter they will find you out.
AMAL. When you call in to-morrow morning, will you bring one of them along so that he'll know me?
BOYS Yes, if you like.
CURTAIN
ACT II