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Then raising her face, she said: "Oh, dearer than life, I will conceal nothing that is in my mind." Nagendra said: "You need not speak; I know that you suspect me of feeling love for Kunda Nandini." Surja Mukhi, hiding her face at the feet of her husband, wept.
Returning to Calcutta, he began a search there. Kamal Mani, remaining in Govindpur, continued to look for the lost one. The happiness for which Kunda Nandini had never ventured to hope was now hers; she had become the wife of Nagendra. On the marriage day she thought, "This joy is boundless; it can never end!" But after the flight of Surja Mukhi, repentance came to Kunda Nandini.
Early the next morning Hira related to Surja Mukhi all that she had heard from Debendra his three years' passion, and his present attempt to play the lover to Kunda Nandini in the disguise of a Boisnavi. Then Surja Mukhi's blue eyes grew inflamed with anger, the crimson veins on her temples stood out. Kamal also heard it all. Surja Mukhi sent for Kunda Nandini, and when she came said to her
"Kunda, we have learned who Haridasi Boisnavi is. We know that he is your paramour. I now know your true character. We give no place in our house to such a woman. Take yourself away from here, otherwise Hira shall drive you away with a broom." Kunda trembled. Kamal saw that she was about to fall, and led her away to her own chamber.
Having recognized in Nagendra the likeness of the man she had seen in her dream, Kunda Nandini doubted whether his wife would not resemble the female figure she had seen later; but the sight of Surja Mukhi removed this doubt. Surja Mukhi was of a warm, golden colour, like the full moon; the figure in the dream was dark. Surja Mukhi's eyes were beautiful, but not like those in the dream.
A year passed in evasion and procrastination; when, seeing that this could be carried on no longer, he made an excuse that his house was in need of repair, and sent Kunda Nandini to Nagendra's house. When the repairs of the house were completed, Kunda Nandini returned home. A few days after, Debendra, with some of his friends, called upon Tara Charan, and jeered him for his false boasting.
Gradually the old man's utterance became obscure, the breath left the throat, the eyes lost their light, the suffering soul obtained release from pain. In that dark place, by that glimmering lamp, the solitary Kunda Nandini, drawing her father's dead body on to her lap, remained sitting.
Kunda Nandini, raising her head, fixed a steadfast look on the face of Kamal Mani. Kamal, understanding the silent question, replied, "Ah, unhappy one! dost thou not see that my brother loves thee?" Kunda's head again sank on Kamal's breast, which she watered with her tears. Both wept silently for many minutes. What the passion of love is the golden Kamal Mani knew very well.
Surja Mukhi conversed pleasantly with Kunda, and summoned the attendants, to the chief among whom she said, "This is Kunda with whom I shall give Tara Charan in marriage; therefore see that you treat her as my brother's wife." The servant expressed her assent, and took Kunda aside with her to another place. At sight of her Kunda's flesh crept; a cold moisture came over her from head to foot.
At first she thought of a lover; but then, whose lover? Malati knew everything that went on, so she dismissed this idea. Then the thought flashed across her that it might be Kunda, of whose expulsion from the house of Nagendra she had heard. She speedily determined upon a means of resolving her doubt.
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