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Nevertheless the magistrate in him asked: "Have you any proofs?" Raicharan said: "How could there be any proof of such a deed? God alone knows that I stole your boy, and no one else in the world." When Anukul saw how eagerly his wife was clinging to the boy, he realised the futility of asking for proofs. It would be wiser to believe.
Anukul went out to see who was there. It was Raicharan. Anukul's heart was softened when he saw his old servant. He asked him many questions, and offered to take him back into service. Raicharan smiled faintly, and said in reply; "I want to make obeisance to my mistress." Anukul went with Raicharan into the house, where the mistress did not receive him as warmly as his old master.
About this time Anukul was transferred to a district on the banks of the Padma. On his way through Calcutta he bought his son a little go-cart. He bought him also a yellow satin waistcoat, a gold-laced cap, and some gold bracelets and anklets. Raicharan was wont to take these out, and put them on his little charge with ceremonial pride, whenever they went for a walk.
Raicharan took no notice of this, but folded his hands, and said: "It was not the Padma that stole your baby. It was I." Anukul exclaimed: "Great God! Eh! What! Where is he?" Raicharan replied: "He is with me, I will bring him the day after to-morrow." It was Sunday. There was no magistrate's court sitting.
He went off at once to Baraset where Anukul was magistrate. Anukul's wife was still broken down with grief. She had had no other child. One day Anukul was resting after a long and weary day in court. His wife was buying, at an exorbitant price, a herb from a mendicant quack, which was said to ensure the birth of a child. A voice of greeting was heard in the courtyard.
He looked for the last time on the face of his son; he made obeisance to his old master and mistress. Then he went out, and was mingled with the numberless people of the world. At the end of the month Anukul sent him some money to his village. But the money came back. There was no one there of the name of Raicharan.
"No," he said, "I could not allow it. I cannot trust you any more. You have done an act of treachery." Raicharan rose to his feet and said: "It was not I who did it." "Who was it then?" asked Anukul. Raicharan replied: "It was my fate." But no educated man could take this for an excuse. Anukul remained obdurate.
But, when a mistress came into the house, Raicharan found two masters instead of one. All his former influence passed to the new mistress. This was compensated for by a fresh arrival. Anukul had a son born to him, and Raicharan by his unsparing attentions soon got a complete hold over the child.
Anukul's wife, without a question, took the boy into her lap, and was wild with excitement, sometimes laughing, sometimes weeping, touching him, kissing his hair and his forehead, and gazing into his face with hungry, eager eyes. The boy was very good-looking and dressed like a gentleman's son. The heart of Anukul brimmed over with a sudden rush of affection.
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