CHAPTER XXVIII
COMEDIAN
Soon a new announcement could be read on the bills of the "Circus ofthe Two Worlds."
The Celebrated DEVADATTA Unique Elephant Brother of THE DIVINE GANESA In His Various Acts
Mr. Oldham had certainly acquitted himself remarkably well and rapidly,with my education, and I now no longer delighted the public by merelyjuggling with rings. I performed at each representation, always in thesame order of succession, and when my repertoire was completed, this iswhat I did.
First, I tossed the rings; then a target was placed, and I stood beforeit, with a basket of balls beside me. I picked up the balls with mytrunk, and threw them at the target--and I believe I never missed.
The target being removed, a huge ball of iron was brought to me, and Istood upon it with my four feet, balancing myself, and moving slowlyforward. This exercise fatigued me excessively; so, to afford me arest, I was made to play a _Dramatic Scene_.
A young King and a beautiful young Queen were supposed to be travellinghappily in the country. All at once sounds of the hunt are heard; Iappear--chased by horsemen; the young King and Queen try in terror tohide themselves; I pretend to be enraged, and run furiously two orthree times round the Circus. Then I see the Queen, and rush towardsher. Then, in the Scene as originally composed by Moukounj--(for mymaster had become an author, in order to increase the brilliancy of mytheatrical career), the King should strive to protect the Queen withhis person, draw his sword, and bury it in my breast, and I shouldfall, apparently dead. The sword, of course, had a blade of tin, whichslipped up inside the handle. But this finale was changed by me afterthe first evening.
It was Miss Nightingale who played the young Queen. She was most lovelyin this part, with a robe of delicate white gauze under which glisteneda tunic of mauve silk. And when I saw her, looking so beautiful, thememory of Parvati, which never left me, came over me more vividlyand tenderly than ever before; so that, instead of rushing violentlyupon her, I stopped; and then came forward slowly, and humbly andsubmissively--knelt at her feet! The audience applauded tremendously,and it was decided to retain this denouement for the Scene hereafter.
After this, I made the circle of the Ring five times on a Bicycle,an enormous Bicycle built for my stature. (You can imagine with whatdifficulty an elephant could balance himself on such a machine!) Iworked the pedals with my forefeet and steered with my trunk.
Next, I had to stand up and dance a Polka; and, finally, I had to playanother Dramatic Scene--a _Comedy_, composed by Mr. Oldham.
They brought into the middle of the Circus a Table and a Chair of theproper size for me. Then a couple of uprights, between which hung abell, with a cord attached.
I entered, sat down in the chair, and with my trunk pulled thebell-cord. Instantly, Mr. Oldham, dressed like a Waiter, ran in. I madehim understand that I wished my dinner.
"Yes, Mr. Elephant--it will be ready immediately!"
He went out. Then I drew from a bag fastened around my waist a pairof enormous spectacles, and put them on. Then I took a news-paper andpretended to read--(though at that time I did not really know how toread!) After a while, as Mr. Oldham did not return, I pretended to growimpatient, and rang again, and Mr. Oldham ran in:
"Yes, Mr. Elephant.... Your dinner will be ready in a few minutes!"
Twice more I rang, and twice Mr. Oldham ran in and repeated thesame thing, "Yes, Mr. Elephant, your dinner will be ready in a fewminutes"--without bringing me anything. The third time he broughtme merely one dish, which contained nothing but a few rolls, and Iswallowed them in one mouthful.
I rang again and Mr. Oldham appeared; I signified that I wishedsomething more. After a long while he brought me a second dish, witha few vegetables, which I ate up as quickly as the first. I orderedanother dish, and this time he brought me fruits, cakes, and a bottleof Champagne, which I popped loudly!
I now rang for the last time, and signed that I desired my bill.Without waiting a moment this time, Mr. Oldham brought me an enormouslylong piece of paper. I put on my spectacles, having taken them off toeat. I looked at the bill, and gave a deep roar of indignation. Mr.Oldham fell to the ground as if terror-stricken, and bounded up again:
"What is the matter, Mr. Elephant?"
I expressed my displeasure by tearing the bill, and getting up andstamping on it.
"You think it is too much?"
I made a sign that I did.
"But you must pay it!"
I signified that I would not.
"What! You will not pay me?"
I continued to signify "No."
"Very well! Mr. Elephant, we will see about that!" and he called out:
"Hi! there! Police! Police!"
Then entered Mr. Trick and Mr. Trock, dressed as Policemen.
"Policemen!" said Mr. Oldham, "here is Mr. Elephant who refuses to paymy bill!"
"Oh, very well! we will arrest you, Mr. Elephant, and take you to theStation House," said Mr. Trick.
"Yes! Off with him to the Station House!" said Mr. Trock.
At this threat I appeared to be very much agitated, and, using mytrunk, I drew out of my bag a number of imitation bank notes, whichI threw down on the table--and went hastily out, while Mr. Oldhamperformed an extravagant and burlesque dance of triumph with Mr. Trickand Mr. Trock....
This scene always delighted the public, who invariably encored me twoor three times. But I felt humiliated at playing the part of a buffoon,and making a clown of myself.
I lived in this way for several years; when the receipts fell off inany city, Mr. Hardwick took us to another. We went from Calcutta toChandernagor, from Chandernagor to Patna; then I saw Benares, Alahabad,Delhi, and other places.
I need not have been very unhappy. I had made myself respected by thosewho at first attempted to tease me. Mr. Oldham was proud of his pupiland loved me; Moukounj was always the same good, kind fellow who hadreceived me; and my four friends, Miss Annie, who, I had occasionallyprotected from her mother's violence, Circe Nightingale, Miss SarahSkipton, and Miss Clara Morley were always kind and spoiled meincessantly.
But, alas! I thought constantly of my beautiful life of other days--socalm--so happy; and I thought of Parvati, who perhaps was sad andill-treated, and whom I might have defended. Had she forgotten me? Or,if she thought of me, must she not accuse me of ingratitude? And, had Inot been indeed ungrateful, to leave her as I did, because of a wickedjealousy?...
So, in spite of all the kindness by which I was surrounded, I was very,very sad.
CHAPTER XXIX
THE RETURN TO PARADISE
One day the "_Grand Circus of the Two Worlds_" arrived at Bombay.I was by this time at the end of my endurance--overwhelmed bymortification....
I, the "King-Magnanimous," before whom a whole nation had prostrateditself--I, the fierce warrior, who had shed the blood of the enemy,restored a King to his throne, and had been the loved companion ofthe most beautiful of Princesses--to be reduced to exhibiting myselfin-grotesque parades to astonish and amuse the public!...
Ah! how hard life seemed to me! How lonely I felt among these newcompanions, in spite of their kind treatment of me!
As I was never to see Parvati again--never return to my lostparadise--why should I prolong my sufferings?
I determined to once more go away, and to seek in the depths of thewild forests the elephants' Burial Place, and there let myself die ofhunger, among the whitening bones of my mates.
Yes, this evening's performance should be the last.
When all would be asleep, I would quit my wooden shed; I would swimacross the narrow channel that separates the island of Bombay from themain land, and go to find the resting-place where all my griefs woulddie with me.
I was so preoccupied with the resolve I had taken, and the thoughts itawakened, that I paid little attention to the ext
raordinary activitywhich reigned that evening among the artists of the "_Grand Circus ofthe Two Worlds_."
Costumes were being repaired, the accessories furbished up; familiaracts were being rehearsed with an altogether unusual care; and theywere even sewing in great haste a gold fringe onto a drapery of redvelvet--for what purpose I could not imagine.
The performance began much later than usual. It was delayed as much aspossible, in spite of the impatient stampings of the public.
When I entered the Ring I saw, facing the entrance, a great spaceseparated from the rest by railings painted red; the front of thisimprovised box was covered by a drapery of red velvet fringed withgold, and ornamented with the Arms of England, and garlands of flowers.Arm chairs were placed inside.
I knew at once that they expected some distinguished person; but he hadnot yet arrived, for the box was empty, and made a great dark gap inthe midst of the other seats, which were all filled to overflowing by abrilliant audience, gaily dressed.
Mr. Oldham had been obliged, unwillingly, to begin my performance, andI was engaged in balancing on the Rolling Ball, when a general movementof the audience led me to know that the illustrious Personage hadarrived.
Being careful not to lose my balance, it was impossible to look up tosee who it might be:
"It is most likely the President of Bombay," thought I, and I carednothing to see him.
But all at once the Ball rolled out from under my feet, I lost mybalance, and fell on my knees.... A woman's voice had cried:
"_Iravata!_"
Who could call my name of other days?... my name of happiness? And thevoice--that voice so sweet and musical, which penetrated me like asword, cast me onto my knees, and sent all the blood to my heart!... Itcould be no voice but hers--her own voice! I was sure of it, and yet Idared not look--it seemed as if mistaken I should die!
The audience, surprised and respectful, kept perfectly still; and thevoice, grown sad this time, spoke again:
"Have you forgotten me altogether, Iravata?"
In one bound I was on my feet, and before the box, which was just myheight, and through tears of joy I beheld Parvati, as if through flamesof fire.... She caressed me--kissed me--caring nothing for the crowdswho looked on in amazement.... And I! no human being, even, couldhave expressed what I felt, and I was more than ever ashamed of thehoarse cries, and the stampings that were the only means I possessed ofexpressing a joy that took my breath away.
"OH, IRAVATA! IRAVATA!" SHE SAID IN A LOW VOICE]
"Ah! Iravata--Iravata!" said she in a low voice, close to my ear:"Thou couldst leave me at such a trying time in my life?... I saw wellenough that thou didst not give thy consent to my marriage; no doubtthou hadst read the soul of the Prince--and it did not please thee! Thywisdom certainly saw his nature clearly; but thou shouldst have doneas I did--resign thyself, and submit to fate, instead of abandoningme--ungrateful as thou wert--because of _jealousy_? I knew thou wertjealous--and I read the death of the Prince in thy looks of rage! If itwas to avoid committing a crime that thou didst leave Golconda, I mustforgive thee, in spite of the pain thou hast caused me. Thou mayestreturn now--for the Prince is no more!"
What I did on hearing these happy tidings was certainly not proper, forI have been instructed that it is not right to rejoice at the death ofany one ... but I could not help it! _I ran three times round the ringat the top of my speed, and trumpeted so loudly that the Audience fledin terror!_
The Prince Alemguir and Saphire-of-Heaven were in the box, but I hadnot seen them at first, so blinded was I by tears.
They had sent for the Director of the Circus, and I now understood theywere speaking to him of my ransom.
He showed himself very modest and dignified in the presence of the Kingand Queen of Golconda, and declared with great frankness that he didnot own me, but had only engaged me with my actual master, and that Ihad so increased the profits of the company that he owed much to me,while nothing whatever was owing to him.
It was, therefore, as a gracious present that he accepted, after manyprotestations, the magnificent diamond which the King offered him, anda very handsome sum for distribution among the actors of the troupe.
Moukounj now approached, and I made the Princess understand that I didnot wish him to be left behind. He conducted himself as well as he knewhow, and they did not perceive that he was, as usual--drunk. It wasagreed that he should go with us to Golconda.
All the Artists, in stage costume, were now assembled in the Ring.
I bade them good-bye as cordially as I could.... But already theyseemed far, far away--as if forgotten, and veiled in mists anddarkness....
I had once more found my Light--my Life! I could not see nor think ofanything else! And while the Champagne corks popped, and the glassesclinked in my honour, it was as if in a dream that I left forever the"Grand Circus of the Two Worlds"--absorbed in the great happiness offeeling once more on my neck the light weight of my beloved Princess,regained at last.
THE END
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