lowing streams. 25

And yet again:

The clouds first darkly rise, then darkly fall,
Send forth their floods of rain, and thunder all;
Assuming postures strange and manifold,
Like men but newly blest with wealth untold. 26

_Courtier._ True.

The heaven is radiant with the lightning's glare;
Its laughter is the cry of myriad cranes;
Its voice, the bolts that whistle through the air;
Its dance, that bow whose arrows are the rains.
It staggers at the winds, and seems to smoke
With clouds, which form its black and snaky cloak. 27

_Vasantasena._ O shameless, shameless sky!

To thunder thus, while I
To him I love draw nigh.
Why do thy thunders frighten me and pain?
Why am I seized upon by hands of rain? 28

O Indra, mighty Indra!

Did I then give thee of my love before,
That now thy clouds like mighty lions roar?
Ah no! Thou shouldst not send thy streaming rain,
To fill my journey to my love with pain. 29

[83.23. S.

Remember:

For Ahalya's sweet sake thou once didst lie;
Thou knowest lover's pain.
As thou didst suffer then, now suffer I;
O cruel, cease thy rain. 30

And yet:

Thunder and rain and lighten hundredfold
Forth from thy sky above;
The woman canst thou not delay nor hold
Who journeys to her love. 31

Let thunders roar, for men were cruel ever;
But oh, thou maiden lightning! didst thou never
Know pains that maidens know? 32

_Courtier._ But mistress, do not scold the lightning. She is your
friend,

This golden cord that trembles on the breast
Of great Airavata;[67] upon the crest
Of rocky hills this banner all ablaze;
This lamp in Indra's palace; but most blest
As telling where your most beloved stays. 33

_Vasantasena._ And here, sir, is his house.

_Courtier._ You know all the arts, and need no instruction now.
Yet love bids me prattle. When you enter here, you must not
show yourself too angry.

Where anger is, there love is not;
Or no! except for anger hot,
There is no love.

Be angry! make him angry then!
Be kind! and make him kind again--
The man you love.