The Little Clay Cart Part 50

_Gild-warden and Clerk._ Do these jewels belong to Charudatta?

_Charudatta._ Never!

_Gild-warden and Clerk._ To whom then?

[153.12. S.

_Charudatta._ To this lady's daughter.

_Gild-warden and Clerk._ How did she lose them?

_Charudatta._ She lost them. Yes, so much is true.

_Gild-warden and Clerk._ Charudatta, speak the truth in this matter.

For you must remember,

Truth brings well-being in its train; Through speaking truth, no evils rise; Truth, precious syllable!--Refrain From hiding truth in lies. 35

_Charudatta._ The jewels, the jewels! I do not know. But I do know that they were taken from my house.

_Sansthanaka._ Firsht you take her into the garden and murder her. And now you hide it by tricky trickinessh.

_Judge._ n.o.ble Charudatta, speak the truth!

Merciless lashes wait to smite This moment on thy tender flesh; And we--we can but think it right. 36

_Charudatta._

Of sinless sires I boast my birth, And sin in me was never found; Yet if suspicion taints my worth, What boots it though my heart be sound? 37

[_Aside._] And yet I know not what to do with life, so I be robbed of Vasantasena. [_Aloud._] Ah, why waste words?

A scoundrel I, who bear the blame, Nor think of earth, nor heaven blest; That sweetest maid, in pa.s.sion's flame-- But _he_ will say the rest. 38

_Sansthanaka._ Killed her! Come, you shay it too. "I killed her."

_Charudatta._ You have said it.

_Sansthanaka._ Lishten, my mashters, lishten! He murdered her! No one but him! Doubt is over. Let punishment be inflicted on the body of thish poor Charudatta.

P. 253.1]

_Judge._ Beadle, we must do as the king's brother-in-law says.

Guardsmen, lay hold on this Charudatta. [_The guardsmen do so._]

_Mother._ Be merciful, good gentlemen, be merciful! [_She repeats what she had said before, beginning_ "When the golden casket:" _page 143._]

If my daughter is killed, she is killed. Let him live for me--bless him!

And besides, a lawsuit is a matter between plaintiff and defendant. I am the real plaintiff. So let him go free!

_Sansthanaka._ You shlave, get out of the way! What have you got to shay about him?

_Judge._ Go, madam. Guardsmen, conduct her forth.

_Mother._ Oh, my child, my son! [_Exit weeping._

_Sansthanaka._ [_Aside._] I 've done shomething worthy of myshelf.

Now I 'll go. [_Exit._

_Judge._ n.o.ble Charudatta, the decision lies with us, but the rest depends on the king. And yet, beadle, let King Palaka be reminded of this:

The Brahman who has sinned, our laws declare, May not be slain, but banished from the realm, And with his wealth entire abroad may fare. 39

_Beadle._ Yes, Your Honor. [_He goes out, then reenters in tears._]

Oh, sirs, I was with the king. And King Palaka says: "Inasmuch as he killed Vasantasena for such a trifle, these same jewels shall be hung about his neck, the drum shall be beaten, he shall be conducted to the southern burying-ground, and there impaled." And whoever else shall commit such a crime, shall be punished with the like dreadful doom.

_Charudatta._ Oh, how wanton is this act of King Palaka! Nevertheless,

Although his counsellors may plunge a king Into injustice' dangers great, Yet he will reap the woe and suffering; And 't is a righteous fate. 40

[155.10. S.

And more than this:

They who pervert the king's true bent, The white crow's part who play, Have slain their thousands innocent, And slay, and slay, and slay. 41

My friend Maitreya, go, greet the mother of my son in my name for the last time. And keep my son Rohasena free from harm.

_Maitreya._ When the root is cut away, how can the tree be saved?

_Charudatta._ No, not so.

When man departs to worlds above, In living son yet liveth he; Bestow on Rohasena love No less than that thou gavest me. 42

_Maitreya._ Oh, my friend! I will prove myself your friend by continuing the life that you leave unfinished.

_Charudatta._ And let me see Rohasena for a single moment.

_Maitreya._ I will. It is but fitting.

_Judge._ My good beadle, remove this man. [_The beadle does so._]

Who is there? Let the headsmen receive their orders. [_The guardsmen loose their hold on Charudatta, and all of them go out._]

_Beadle._ Come with me, sir.

_Charudatta._ [_Mournfully repeats the verse, page 146, beginning_ "My friend Maitreya!" _Then, as if speaking to one not present._]

If you had proved my conduct by the fire, By water, poison, scales, and thus had known That I deserved that saws should bite my bone, My Brahman's frame, more could I not desire.

You trust a foeman, slay me thus? 'T is well.