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OR, THE FATAL RING.
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Sárn. Beware, lest the godlike sage, who would have bestowed on thee, as a free gift, his inestimable treasure, which thou hadst taken, like a base robber, should now cease to think of thee, who art lawfully married to his daughter, and should confine all his thoughts to her whom thy perfidy disgraces.

Sárad. Rest awhile, my Sárngarava, and thou Sacontalá, take thy turn to speak; since thy lord has declared his forgetfulness.

Sac. [Aside.] If his affection has ceased, of what use will it be to recall his remembrance of me?—Yet, if my soul must endure torment, be it so; I will speak to him.—[Aloud to Dushmanta.]—O my husband!—[Pausing.]—Or (if the just application of that sacred word be still doubted by thee) O son of Puru, is it becoming, that, having been once enamoured of me in the consecrated forest, and having shown the excess of thy passion, thou shouldst this day deny me with bitter expressions.

Dushm. [Covering his ears.] Be the crime removed from my soul!—Thou hast been instructed for some bad purpose to vilify me, and make me fall from the dignity which I have hitherto supported; as a river which has burst its banks and altered its placid current, overthrows the trees that had risen aloft on them.

Sac. If thou sayst this merely from want of recollection, I will restore thy memory by producing thy own ring, with thy name engraved on it!