Chārudatta. To this lady's daughter.
Gild-warden and Clerk. How did she lose them?
Chārudatta. She lost them. Yes, so much is true.
Gild-warden and Clerk. Chārudatta, 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
Chārudatta. The jewels, the jewels! I do not know. But I do know that they were taken from my house.
Sansthānaka. Firsht you take her into the garden and murder her. And now you hide it by tricky trickinessh.
Judge. Noble Chārudatta, speak the truth!
Merciless lashes wait to smite
This moment on thy tender flesh;
And we—we can but think it right. 36
Chārudatta. 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 Vasantasenā. [Aloud.] Ah, why waste words?
A scoundrel I, who bear the blame,
Nor think of earth, nor heaven blest;
That sweetest maid, in passion's flame—
But he will say the rest. 38
Sansthānaka. Killed her! Come, you shay it too. "I killed her."
Chārudatta. You have said it.
Sansthānaka. Lishten, my mashters, lishten! He murdered her! No one but him! Doubt is over. Let punishment be inflicted on the body of thish poor Chārudatta.
