Krishna and Radha Character Analysis

PIKE “Perhaps my soul will stay behind as a smudge of paint on paper, as if I’d always been here, like … Radha?”

MRS SWAN Radha.

PIKE “—the most beautiful of the herdswomen, undressed—”

MRS SWAN (Interrupting, briskly) Well, the portrait, as it happens, is on canvas and Flora is wearing her cornflower dress.

DURANCE Where did you get such a thing?

FLORA His Highness gave it to me.

DURANCE Why?

FLORA Because I ate an apricot. Because he is a Rajah. Because he hoped I’d go to bed with him. I don’t know.

DURANCE But how could he … feel himself in such intimacy with you?

[…]

DURANCE … but I’m in a frightfully difficult position now.

FLORA Why?

DURANCE Did he visit you?

FLORA I visited him.

DURANCE I know. Did he visit you?

FLORA Mind your own business.

DURANCE But it is my business.

FLORA Because you think you love me?

DURANCE No, I … Keeping tabs on what His Highness is up to is one of my … I mean I write reports to Delhi.

FLORA (Amused) Oh heavens!

“Darling, that’s all from Jummapur, because how I’m packed, portrait and all, and Mr Coomaraswami is coming to take me to the station. I’ll post this in Jaipur as soon as I get there. I’m not going to post it here because I’m not. I feel fit as two lops this morning, and happy, too, because something good happened here which made me feel halfway better about Modi and getting back to Paris too late. That was a sin I’ll carry to my grave, but perhaps my soul will stay behind as a smudge of paint on paper, as if I’d always been here, like Radha who was the most beautiful of the herdswomen, undressed for love in an empty house.”

PIKE “Perhaps my soul will stay behind as a smudge of paint on paper, as if I’d always been here, like … Radha?”

MRS SWAN Radha.

PIKE “—the most beautiful of the herdswomen, undressed—”

MRS SWAN (Interrupting, briskly) Well, the portrait, as it happens, is on canvas and Flora is wearing her cornflower dress.

DURANCE Where did you get such a thing?

FLORA His Highness gave it to me.

DURANCE Why?

FLORA Because I ate an apricot. Because he is a Rajah. Because he hoped I’d go to bed with him. I don’t know.

DURANCE But how could he … feel himself in such intimacy with you?

[…]

DURANCE … but I’m in a frightfully difficult position now.

FLORA Why?

DURANCE Did he visit you?

FLORA I visited him.

DURANCE I know. Did he visit you?

FLORA Mind your own business.

DURANCE But it is my business.

FLORA Because you think you love me?

DURANCE No, I … Keeping tabs on what His Highness is up to is one of my … I mean I write reports to Delhi.

FLORA (Amused) Oh heavens!

“Darling, that’s all from Jummapur, because how I’m packed, portrait and all, and Mr Coomaraswami is coming to take me to the station. I’ll post this in Jaipur as soon as I get there. I’m not going to post it here because I’m not. I feel fit as two lops this morning, and happy, too, because something good happened here which made me feel halfway better about Modi and getting back to Paris too late. That was a sin I’ll carry to my grave, but perhaps my soul will stay behind as a smudge of paint on paper, as if I’d always been here, like Radha who was the most beautiful of the herdswomen, undressed for love in an empty house.”