MANTHARA'S GUILE. "But this happiness was all destroyed by the intrigues of Dasaratha's second wife, who was jealous of Rama, and determined that her son Bharat should be the future king." MRS. SPEIR. High on the palace roof Kaikeyi's maid, The crook-back Manthara, the town surveyed. She saw the water sprinkled o'er the street, And busy Brahmans bustling here and there. She heard a concert of glad music raised; D The white-robed nurse, with transport uncontrolled, All the glad story to the damsel told : "To-morrow's happy light will see," she cried, "Prince Rama Regent by his father's side." Down from the roof, high as Kailasa's' head, In furious haste the crook-backt maiden sped: Planning accursed guile, her soul aflame, Where queen Kaikeyi lay asleep, she came. "Up, queen!" she cried, "unclose thy heedless eyes; Huge peril threatens thee, awake! arise! Art thou still sleeping, still too blind to see The load of misery that crushes thee? Boast of thy husband's love, and find too late And thou, the scion of a royal race, Shouldst know the frauds which royal hearts disgrace. Poor queen, he loves thee not: thy treacherous lord Can smile upon thee while he bares the sword: And thy sweet soul, pure from all thought of sin, Kind flattering words he makes thine empty dower, A deadly serpent to thy foolish breast, Lavishing love on him who works thee woe, No loving husband but a mortal foe. Come, rouse thee, mistress, while there yet is time, Up from thy careless ease! awake, and be Up rose Kaikeyi radiant with delight, Like the calm moon upon the autumn night, I joy that Rama shares his father's throne: I love Kausalya's son e'en as I love mine own." The handmaid's soul with grief and fury burned; She cried in anger, as the gift she spurned : "What! on the sea of whelming ruin tost, Canst thou rejoice when all but hope is lost? When peril threatens and will soon destroy. If thou wert wise thou scarce wouldst hail, I ween, For king, the offspring of a rival queen. Soon wilt thou stand in menial habit drest, And move obedient to her high behest. Yea, thou wilt serve with us who serve thee now, And see thy child before his brother bow. And thy poor daughter be a helpless thrall." "The virtuous Rama," thus the dame replied, "From virtue's path will never turn aside. Obedient, grateful, pure from stain, and true, His lords and brethren many a year will share, Meek to his mother, meeker still to me. Kaikeyi ceased the impatient maiden sighed, And thus with tears of grief and spite replied: "Ah queen, what frenzy has assailed thy mind, And made thee thus to instant danger blind? Too blind to mark the seas of grief and woe, |