this music-room of
ours is empty. I wonder where the actors have gone. [_Reflecting._]
Ah, I understand.

P. 4.7]

Empty his house, to whom no child was born;
Thrice empty his, who lacks true friends and sure;
To fools, the world is empty and forlorn;
But all that is, is empty to the poor. 8

I have finished the concert. And I've been practising so long that
the pupils of my eyes are dancing, and I'm so hungry that my eyes
are crackling like a lotus-seed, dried up by the fiercest rays of the
summer sun. I'll just call my wife and ask whether there is anything
for breakfast or not.

Hello! here I am--but no! Both the particular occasion and the
general custom demand that I speak Prakrit. [_Speaking in Prakrit._]
Confound it! I've been practising so long and I'm so hungry that
my limbs are as weak as dried-up lotus-stalks. Suppose I go home
and see whether my good wife has got anything ready or not. [_He
walks about and looks around him._] Here I am at home. I'll just go
in. [_He enters and looks about._] Merciful heavens! Why in the world
is everything in our house turned upside down? A long stream of
rice-water is flowing down the street. The ground, spotted black
where the iron kettle has been rubbed clean, is as lovely as a girl
with the beauty-marks of black cosmetic on her face. It smells so
good that my hunger seems to blaze up and hurts me more than
ever. Has some hidden treasure come to light? or am I hungry
enough to think the whole world is made of rice? There surely isn't
any breakfast in our house, and I'm starved to death. But everything
seems topsyturvy here. One girl is preparing cosmetics, another
is weaving garlands of flowers. [_Reflecting._] What does it all
mean? Well, I'll call my good wife and learn the truth. [_He looks
toward the dressing-room._] Mistress, will you come here a moment?

[_Enter an actress._]

_Actress._ Here I am, sir.

_Director._ You are very welcome, mistress.

_Actress._ Command me, sir. What am I to do?

[3.8. S.

_Director._ Mistress, I've been practising so long and I'm so hungry
that my limbs are as weak as dried-up lotus-stalks. Is there anything
to eat in the house or not?

_Actress._ There's everything, sir.

_Director._ Well, what?

_Actress._ For instance--there's rice with sugar, melted butter, curdled
milk, rice; and, all together, it makes you a dish fit for
heaven. May the gods always be thus gracious to