out of the
palace. And don't get careless.

_The two policemen_. Go in, chief. I hope the king will be nice to
you.

_Chief_. Good-bye. (_Exit_.)

_Suchaka_. Januka, the chief is taking his time.

_Januka_. You can't just drop in on a king.

_Suchaka_. Januka, my fingers are itching (_indicating the fisherman_)
to kill this cutpurse.

_Fisherman_. Don't kill a man without any reason, master.

_Januka_ (_looking ahead_). There is the chief, with a written order
from the king. (_To the fisherman_.) Now you will see your family, or
else you will feed the crows and jackals. (_Enter the chief_.)

_Chief_. Quick! Quick! (_He breaks off_.)

_Fisherman_. Oh, oh! I'm a dead man. (_He shows dejection_.)

_Chief_. Release him, you. Release the fishnet fellow. It is all
right, his getting the ring. Our king told me so himself.

_Suchaka_. All right, chief. He is a dead man come back to life. (_He
releases the fisherman_.)

_Fisherman_ (_bowing low to the chief_). Master, I owe you my life.

(_He falls at his feet_.)

_Chief_. Get up, get up! Here is a reward that the king was kind
enough to give you. It is worth as much as the ring. Take it. (_He
hands the fisherman a bracelet_.)

_Fisherman_ (_joyfully taking it_). Much obliged.

_Januka_. He _is_ much obliged to the king. Just as if he had been
taken from the stake and put on an elephant's back.

_Suchaka_. Chief, the reward shows that the king thought a lot of the
ring. The gem must be worth something.

_Chief_. No, it wasn't the fine gem that pleased the king. It was this
way.

_The two policemen_. Well?

_Chief_. I think, when the king saw it, he remembered somebody he
loves. You know how dignified he is usually. But as soon as he saw it,
he broke down for a moment.

_Suchaka_. You have done the king a good turn, chief.

_Januka_. All for the sake of this fish-killer, it seems to me. (_He
looks enviously at the fisherman_.)

_Fisherman_. Take half of it, masters, to pay for something to drink.

_Januka_. Fisherman, you are the biggest and best friend I've got. The
first thing we want, is all the brandy we can hold. Let's go where
they keep it. (_Exeunt omnes_.)

SCENE II.--_In the Palace Gardens_

(_Enter_ MISHRAKESHI, _flying through the air_.)

_Mishrakeshi_. I have taken my turn in waiting upon the nymphs. And
now I will see what this good king is doing. Shakuntala is like a
second self to me, because she is the daughter of Menaka. And