THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

V.. 7. Kalidasa's Characters289against the rose-in-bud that has formed the whole groundworkof the Malavica. There the groundwork, here its interest is briefand episodical. And yet none of the more elaborated figures inthe earlier play, not even Dharinie herself, is as fine and deep aconception as the wife of Pururavas. Princess of Kashie, daughterof the Ushinars, acknowledged by her rival to deserve byright of her noble majesty of fairness the style of Goddess andof Empress, we feel that she has a right to resent the preferenceto her even of an Apsara from heaven and the completeness ofPururavas' absorption in Urvasie gives a tragic significance toher loss which is not involved in the lighter loves and jealousiesof Vidisha. The character is more profoundly and boldly conceived.The passion of her love strikes deeper than the mereheyday of youth and beauty and the senses in Iravatie, as thenoble sadness of her self-renunciation moves more powerfullythan the kind and gentle wilfulness of Queen Dharinie. And inthe manner of her delineation there is more incisiveness, restraintwith a nobler economy of touch. The rush of her jealousy comeswith less of a storm than Iravatie's but it has fierier and keeneredge and it is felt to be the disguise of a deep and mighty love.The passion of that love leaps out in the bitter irony of her selfaccusal:Not yours the guilt, my lord. I am in faultWho force my hated and unwelcome faceUpon you.And again when in the very height of her legitimate resentmentshe has the sure consciousness of her after-repentance:And yet the terrorOf the remorse I know that I shall feelIf I shun his kindness, frightens me.Anger for the time sweeps her away, but we are prepared forthe repentance and sacrifice in the next act. Even in her angershe has been imperially strong and restrained and much of thepoetic force of her renunciation comes from the perfect sweet-