KING.—Hand me the paper. [Vetravatí delivers it.
KING [reading].—What have we here? "A merchant named Dhanamitra, trading by sea, was lost in a late shipwreck. Though a wealthy trader, he was childless; and the whole of his immense property becomes by law forfeited to the King." So writes the minister. Alas! alas! for his childlessness. But surely, if he was wealthy, he must have had many wives. Let an inquiry be made whether any one of them is expecting to give birth to a child.
VETRAVATÍ.—They say that his wife, the daughter of the foreman of a guild belonging to Ayodhyá, has just completed the ceremonies usual upon such expectations.
KING.—The unborn child has a title to his father's property. Such is my decree. Go, bid my minister proclaim it so.
VETRAVATÍ.—I will, my liege. [Going.
KING.—Stay a moment.
VETRAVATÍ.—I am at your Majesty's service.
KING.—Let there be no question whether he may or may not have left offspring;
Rather be it proclaimed that whosoe'er
Of King Dushyanta's subjects be bereaved
Of any loved relation, an it be not
That his estates are forfeited for crimes,
Dushyanta will himself to them supply
That kinsman's place in tenderest affection.
VETRAVATÍ.—It shall be so proclaimed. [Exit Vetravatí, and reënter after an interval.