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"What's your name and residence?" "Sádhu Sheikh, of Simulgachi." "Now, do you know who I am?" "No-o," replied Sádhu, hesitatingly. "I am Ramani Babu's new bailiff, sent with these men to see that his market is well attended." Sádhu's tone completely changed. "Sálam, Babu," he whined. "I did not know who you were. Please let me pass or I shall be too late."
Come to our house to-morrow evening; we will have witnesses ready, and Esáf will be there with the den mohur." Ramzán had a sleepless night and was too downcast to work on the morrow. When evening came, he walked wearily to Simulgachi. There was quite a small crowd in Sádhu's courtyard. On one side sat Maini and some other women with faces closely covered; Esáf and the witnesses were on the other.
I am going to take you back to Sádhu's." Maini obeyed without a word of remonstrance, and a quarter of an hour later the ill-assorted pair might have been seen walking towards Simulgachi. On reaching a bamboo foot-bridge which spanned it, Ramzán ordered his wife to go first.
The whole of Kadampur and Simulgachi are clamouring for your blood, and Allah has appointed me to be the minister of his vengeance. Time was when I had to cringe to you, just as you are doing to me, but never did I receive mercy from you. Now the tables are turned. I might kill you, and who would dare to inform the police folk?" You deserve all this and more but we will be merciful.
This much was known that he had come to Kadampur fifteen years before my tale opens with a brass drinking-pot and blanket, and obtained a humbly-paid office as a clerk under a local Zemindar. In this capacity he made such good use of the means it offered of extorting money that he was able to set up as a moneylender at Simulgachi, close to Kadampur.
Sádhu Sheikh, of Simulgachi, lived by raising vegetables for sale in Kumodini Babu's market, until he was forbidden to do so by Ramani Babu's clubmen. Failing this resource, he abandoned the little trade; and thus got deeper into the books of his moneylender. A visit to the local moneylender was fruitless and only led to a hint that old scores must be cleared off.
As for Gobardhan, his fame spread far and wide, and his hut was rarely without some client, eager to learn the future. Patience is a Virtue. Sádhu Sheikh of Simulgachi was not long in finding a husband for his half-sister, Maini Bibi. Before she was fourteen, a young farmer named Ramzán proposed for her hand, offering a den mohur of Rs. 100.
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