In pairs, prepare a script based on the given excerpt from The Home and the World by Rabindranath Tagore. You may write five exchanges between the characters with other directions such as movements on stage and way of speaking, etc.
One afternoon, when I happened to be specially busy, word came to my office room that Bimala had sent for me. I was startled.
"Who did you say had sent for me?" I asked the messenger.
"The Rani Mother".
"The Bara Rani?"
"No, sir, the Chota Rani Mother."
The Chota Rani! It seemed a century since I had been sent for by her. I kept them all waiting there, and went off into the inner apartments. When I stepped into our room I
had another shock of surprise to find Bimala there with a distinct suggestion of being dressed up. The room, which from persistent neglect, had latterly acquired an air of having grown absent-minded, had regained something of its old order this afternoon. I stood there silently, looking enquiringly at Bimala. She flushed a little and the fingers of her right hand toyed for a time with the bangles on her left arm. Then she abruptly broke the silence. "Look here! Is it right that ours should be the only market in all Bengal which allows foreign goods?"
"What, then, would be the right thing to do?" I asked.
"Order them to be cleared out!" "But the goods are not mine." "Is not the market yours?"
"It is much more theirs who use it for trade."
"Let them trade in Indian goods, then."
"Nothing would please me better.
But suppose they do not?"
"Nonsense! How dare they be so insolent? Are you not..."
"I am very busy this afternoon and cannot stop to argue it out. But I must refuse to tyrannise."
"It would not be tyranny for selfish gain, but for the sake of the country."
"To tyrannise for the country is to tyrannise over the country. But that I am afraid you will never understand." With this I came away.
Tagore: Who did you say had sent for me?
The messenger: The Rani Mother.
Tagore inquired (with confusion): The Bara Rani?
The messenger said (respectfully): No, sir, the Chota Rani Mother.
Tagore was amused to know that as he had not been sent by The Chota Rani for quite some time now. As Tagore reached her room, another surprise waited for him. The room which was usually in a state of disarray seemed like to have gained a certain level of organisation.
The Chota Rani: Look here! Is it right that ours should be the only market in all Bengal which allows foreign goods?
Tagore said: What, then, would be the right thing to do?
The Chota Rani (commandingly): Order them to be cleared out.
Tagore (inquiringly): Is not the market yours?
The Chota Rani: It is much more theirs who use it for trade.
Tagore suggested: Let them trade in Indian goods, then.
The Chota Rani: Nothing else would please me better, but suppose they do not follow, then what?
Tagore retorted: Nonsense, how dare they be so insolent? I am very busy this afternoon and do not have time to argue over this, but I need to mention that I refuse to tyrannise my country.
The Chota Rani: But this tyrannising would be for the country.
Tagore: Tyrannising for the country is equivalent to tyrannising over the country but perhaps you would not understand this.
Saying this, Tagore chose to leave the room.