But in order to realize the scenes in all their oriental CHAPTER VI. colouring, the hot rays of an Indian sun must be seen in the streets and gardens, and the lassitude of Indian life must be taken into consideration. The characters must also appear in Hindú costume, and surrounded by Hindú belongings. Chárudatta and Maitreya, the Judges on the bench, and all the • officers of the court, are not Europeans of fair complexion, but brown Asiatics arrayed in white silk or cotton; or perhaps bare to the waist, with a nondescript petticoat below. The Bráhman burglar who creeps through the house-wall is probably naked, excepting that a cloth is round his loins, and his whole body is smeared with oil. The wife of Chárudatta is most likely a faded matron in coloured muslin; whilst the courtesan is a slenderwaisted damsel of golden complexion, radiant in silks and jewels. The want of moral perception which pervades the drama is still one of the defects in the national character. Falsehood is passed over with a smile. The robbery of the casket is almost a joke; although some horror of the theft is expressed in strained and artificial language. The visits to the gardens in the cool air of early morning is one of the conditions of Indian life; whilst the stupid carelessness of the two coachmen, in driving off without knowing who is inside their respective carriages, will be familiar to the experience of most European residents in India.

ment in the

The historical element of the play is of compara- Historical eletively small importance. Ujain is famous in tradi- play. tion, but nothing is known of its real annals. Asoka is said to have been appointed to the government of Ujain in his early youth, but the statement only

CHAPTER VI. rests on the dubious authority of the Buddhist chironicles.10 The rebellion which places Aryaka upon the throne seems to be altogether wanting in political meaning. It is one of those semi-religious outbreaks, which are not unfrequent in India, and which are sometimes followed by dangerous disturbances. It originated in the foolish prophecy of some holy man, which proved to be disastrous because it was implicitly believed. To this day the people of India, or rather of some parts of India, are subject to strange panics, which seem to drive them to a revolt; but if the rising is promptly checked it rapidly subsides into a dead calm. In the present case the cowherd who had been promised the kingdom was placed in confinement, but he effected his escape and was joined by all the malcontents of the city. Before the day is out the Raja is slain, and Aryaka ascends the throne, and then the play is over.

The "Signet of the Minister;" a political drama.

The historical drama next in importance to the "Toy-cart" is the one known as the "Signet of the Minister." It not only represents a similar political revolution, but it refers by name to the overthrow and death of the Raja of Patali-putra, named Nanda; and to the reign of Chandragupta, the Sandrokottos of the Greeks, who succeeded Nanda on the throne." There is, however, an artificial air of unreality about the drama, and an absence of that varied life which characterizes the "Toy-cart." Only one woman appears on the stage throughout the play,

10 See ante, page 231, note.

11 In the Buddhist chronicles Chandragupta is described as a cowherd of princely origin; and this account perhaps is only another version of the story of Aryaka. See Appendix II., Buddhist chronicles.

and she is there only for a few moments whilst her CHAPTER VI. husband is being led to execution, from which, like Chárudatta, he is ultimately saved. The plot is nothing more than a series of bewildering intrigues between the two ministers of two rival Rajas; and the drama is thus mainly valuable as illustrating the ideas of statesmanship which are entertained by orientals. It will therefore suffice to indicate the bare outline, without descending to tedious and perplexing details.

play.

It appears that a dynasty of Rajas, known as the Story of the Nandas, reigned over the ancient empire of Magadha, of which the city of Patali-putra is the capital. The last of the Nanda Rajas seems to have been offended by a Brahman named Chanakya, and finally turned him ignominiously out of the palace. In return the Bráhman pronounced a curse against the Raja. The Bráhman then formed a plan for overthrowing the Nanda Raja, and placing an obscure member of the family, named Chandragupta, on the throne of Magadha. With this object he secured the services of a powerful Raja of the mountain tribes, named Párvatika, by the promise of half the empire; and then marched a large irregular army against Pataliputra, and took possession of the capital.

It soon appears that the contest was not so much between Chandragupta and Nanda, as between their respective ministers. Rákshasa is the hereditary minister of Nanda, and Chánakya the Bráhman is the minister of Chandragupta. Rákshasa maintained an obstinate resistance, but chiefly tried to destroy Chandragupta by assassination. Such, however, was the consummate skill of Chánakya that he not only warded off every blow, but directed it against some individual whose interests were

CHAPTER VI. opposed to those of Chandragupta. Thus whilst Rakshasa incurred the odium, Chandragupta reaped the advantage of every murder. Rákshasa employed a woman to give poison to Chandragupta, but she gave it to Párvatika, and thus removed an inconvenient claimant to half the empire. Rákshasa again employed an architect to let an archway fall on Chandragupta; the archway fell, but it crushed a son of Párvatika who had inherited his father's claim.

Plot against plot.

At the opening of the drama, Raja Nanda has been slain, and Rákshasa has escaped from the capital. The wife and children of Rákshasa still remain in the city under the charge of a wealthy jeweller, named Chandana Dás, who proves throughout a faithful friend of the minister. Rákshasa is joined by a surviving son of Párvatika, named Malayaketu, to whom he has promised the whole of the empire. Five great Rajas have also marched armies to his assistance, and even the chieftains of Chandragupta have deserted their master to support the cause of the allies.

The game was now one of plot against plot between Chanakya and Rákshasa, assisted by their respective spies, who play a variety of extraordinary characters. One is a snake-charmer. Another is a kind of religious showman, who wanders about with pictures of Yama, and sings barbarous hymns in his praise. A third is a Buddhist mendicant; whilst a fourth is a wandering minstrel. Chánakya discovers that Chandana Dás is protecting the wife and family of Rákshasa, and demands their surrender. Chandana Dás refuses to point out their hiding-place, and accordingly Chanakya imprisons him, and

threatens to impale him in the hope that Rákshasa CHAPTER VI. will come forward and save his friend. Chánakya pretends to quarrel with Chandragupta, in the hope that Rákshasa may be thereby drawn to the capital. Rákshasa, on his part, sends a minstrel to sing verses in the hearing of Chandragupta, which will warn him of the ambitious designs of his minister. Rákshasa hears that the quarrel has reached such a pitch, that Chánakya has delivered up the dagger of office. He accordingly proposes to the confederate Rajas that they should immediately march upon the capital. But meantime Chánakya has succeeded in implanting a spirit of mutual suspicion amongst the allies. The chieftains who had nominally deserted Chandragupta were carrying out the designs of Chánakya. Malayaketu is induced to believe that Rakshasa was the real murderer of his father. Forged letters are found upon a spy, which bear the seal of Rákshasa, and are addressed to Chandragupta. They report that the five great Rajas are prepared to join the cause of Chandragupta, and that Rákshasa will follow their example provided that Chánakya is banished from the realm.

witted.

When Rakshasa proposed to march on the capital, Rakshasa outMalayaketu asks to see the order of march. The mountain prince then discovers that his own troops are to be surrounded by the armies of the five allies, and naturally infers that Rákshasa has made his arrangement with the view of taking him prisoner, and carrying him to Chandragupta. He arrests the five treacherous Rajas, and puts them to death at once. He denounces Rákshasa as the murderer of his father. He then marches on to Patali-putra, but on his way he is seized by the chiefs of Chandra