Most opportune and convenient, certainly!

KING. [Smiling.

Ho, there, Raivatika!  Tell the charioteer from me to bring round the chariot with my bow.

WARDER.

I will, Sire.

[Exit.

BOTH THE HERMITS. [Joyfully.

Well it becomes the King by acts of grace
To emulate the virtues of his race. 
Such acts thy lofty destiny attest;
Thy mission is to succour the distressed.

KING. [Bowing to the HERMITS.

Go first, reverend Sirs, I will follow you immediately.

BOTH THE HERMITS.

May victory attend you!

[Exeunt.

KING.

My dear Ma[T.]Havya, are not you full of longing to see [S’]akoontala?

MA[T.]HAVYA.

To tell you the truth, though I was just now brimful of desire to see her, I have not a drop left since this piece of news about the demons.

KING.

Never fear; you shall keep close to me for protection.

MA[T.]HAVYA.

Well, you must be my guardian-angel, and act the part of a very
Vishnu [43] to me.

WARDER. [Entering.

Sire, the chariot is ready, and only waits to conduct you to victory.  But here is a messenger named Karabhaka, just arrived from your capital, with a message from the Queen, your mother.

KING. [Respectfully.

How say you? a messenger from the venerable Queen?

WARDER.

Even so.

KING.

Introduce him at once.

WARDER.

I will, Sire.

[Goes out and re-enters with KARABHAKA.]

Behold the King.  Approach.

KARABHAKA.

Victory to the King!  The Queen-mother bids me say that in four days from the present time she intends celebrating a solemn ceremony for the advancement and preservation of her son.  She expects that your Majesty will honour her with your presence on that occasion.

KING.

This places me in a dilemma.  Here, on the one hand, is the commission of these holy men to be executed; and, on the other, the command of my revered parent to be obeyed.  Both duties are too sacred to be neglected.  What is to be done?

MA[T.]HAVYA.

You will have to take up an intermediate position between the two, like King Tri[s’]anku [44], who was suspended between heaven and earth, because the sage Vi[s’]wamitra commanded him to mount up to heaven, and the gods ordered him down again.

KING.

I am certainly very much perplexed.  For here,

  Two different duties are required of me
  In widely distant places; how can I
  In my own person satisfy them both? 
  Thus is my mind distracted, and impelled
  In opposite directions like a stream
  That, driven back by rocks, still rushes on,
  Forming two currents in its eddying course.