[_Aside_.

Ha! the description suits me exactly. Would I could bring myself
to inquire the name of the child's mother!

[_Reflecting_.]

But it is against propriety to make too minute inquiries about
the wife of another man[120].

FIRST ATTENDANT.

[_Entering with the china peacock in her hand_.

Sarva-damana, Sarva-damana, see, see, what a beautiful [S']akoonta
(bird).

CHILD. [_Looking round_.

My mother! Where? Let me go to her.

BOTH ATTENDANTS.

He mistook the word [S']akoonta for [S']akoontala. The boy dotes upon
his mother, and she is ever uppermost in his thoughts.

SECOND ATTENDANT.

Nay, my dear child, I said: Look at the beauty of this [S']akoonta.

KING. [_Aside_.

What! is his mother's name [S']akoontala? But the name is not
uncommon among women. Alas! I fear the mere similarity of a name,
like the deceitful vapour of the desert[94], has once more raised
my hopes only to dash them to the ground.

CHILD.

Dear nurse, what a beautiful peacock!

[_Takes the toy_.

FIRST ATTENDANT.

[_Looking at the CHILD. In great distress_.

Alas! alas! I do not see the amulet on his wrist.

KING.

Don't distress yourself. Here it is. It fell off while he was
struggling with the young lion.

[_Stoops to pick it up_.

BOTH ATTENDANTS.

Hold! hold! Touch it not, for your life. How marvellous! He has
actually taken it up without the slightest hesitation.

[_Both raise their hands to their breasts and look at each other
in astonishment_.

KING.

Why did you try to prevent my touching it?

FIRST ATTENDANT.

Listen, great Monarch. This amulet, known as 'The Invincible,'
was given to the boy by the divine son of Marichi, soon after his
birth, when the natal ceremony was performed. Its peculiar virtue
is, that when it falls on the ground, no one except the father or
mother of the child can touch it unhurt.

KING.

And suppose another person touches it?

FIRST ATTENDANT.

Then it instantly becomes a serpent, and bites him.

KING.

Have you ever witnessed the transformation with your own eyes?

BOTH ATTENDANTS.

Over and over again.

KING. [_With rapture. Aside_.