226

NARADA.

18.

18. When a house has been plundered, the king
shall cause the thief-catchers, the guards, and the in-
habitants of that kingdom to make good the loss,
when the thief is not caught.
19. Or, if he is a wicked man and there exists a
doubt as to (whether) the robbery (was actually com-
mitted or not), the person (alleged to have been)
robbed shall be caused to make an oath regarding
the robbery, to clear himself (from suspicion).
20. When another person than the thief has been
accused of robbery and has been declared thief, be-
cause he is unable to prove his innocence, he shall
be paid twice as much (as has been stolen), after the
(real) thief has been detected.
21. When a man has obtained property stolen by
a thief, he must restore it in its pristine shape ; if it be
no longer in existence, he must make good its value,
and must be macle to pay a fine to the same amount.
*22. For stealing wood, cane, grass and the like,
(utensils) macle of clay, bamboo, utensils made of
bamboo, rattan, bone, leather,
*23. Vegetables, green roots, grass or flowers,
cow-milk, molasses, salt, or oil,
*24. Cooked food (and other) prepared food,
spirituous liquor, flesh, and every sort of objects of
small value—(for stealing any of these) a fine five
times the value (of the article stolen should be paid).
*25. (For stealing) any articles sold by weight or
measure or tale, the fine shall be eight times their
amount, in case they are very valuable.

19. The senseless reading of the MS., dapyaka tesham, has been
conjecturally altered into doshakartaisha.
22-24. Mann VIII, 326-329. 23. Manu VIII, 321.