United States or Cambodia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Although Sripati was prepared to touch Jogmaya's body, and swear that his kind feeling towards the helpless but beautiful Kadambini was no whit greater than it should be, he could not prove it by his behaviour. He thought that her father-in-law's people must have treated this forlorn widow abominably, if she could bear it no longer, and was driven to take refuge with him.
Your father-in-law's folk surely didn't let you go!" Kadambini remained silent, and at last said: "Sister, do not ask about my father-in-law. Give me a corner, and treat me as a servant: I will do your work." "What?" cried Jogmaya. "Keep you like a servant! Why, you are my closest friend, you are my " and so on and so on. Just then Sripati came in.
'Uncle, said I to him, 'for a long while you have cherished a desire to go on a pilgrimage to Benares. You had better do it now, and leave the girl in my charge. I will take care of her. "So he went. I lodged the girl in the house of Sripati Chatterji, passing him off as her father. What happened next is known to you. I feel a great relief to-day, having told you everything from the beginning.
When things were in this state, I sent Sripati to you with the proposal of marriage; you consented without a moment's hesitation. Everything was settled. "Shortly before the day fixed, Kusum became so obstinate that I had the greatest difficulty in bringing her round again. 'Do let it drop, uncle, she said to me constantly.
Sripati replied: "The woman you have taken into your house is not your Kadambini." Hearing this, she was greatly annoyed, especially since it was her husband who said it. "What! I don't know my own friend? I must come to you to recognise her! You are clever, indeed!" Sripati explained that there was no need to quarrel about his cleverness. He could prove what he said.
She thought that if she could find a discrepancy between the day of death and the date of some letter from Kadambini, she could prove that Sripati erred. He told her the date of Kadambini's death, and they both saw that it fell on the very day before she came to their house. Jogmaya's heart trembled, even Sripati was not unmoved.
The result of a letter, he thought, might not be satisfactory; so he resolved to go to Ranihat, and act on what he learnt. So Sripati went, and Jogmaya on her part said to Kadambini "Friend, it hardly seems proper for you to stop here any longer. What will people say?" Kadambini stared solemnly at Jogmaya, and said: "What have I to do with people?" Jogmaya was astounded.
It was nearly ten o'clock at night when Sripati returned from Ranihat. The earth was drowned in torrents of rain. It seemed that the downpour would never stop, that the night would never end. Jogmaya asked: "Well?" "I've lots to say, presently." So saying, Sripati changed his clothes, and sat down to supper; then he lay dawn for a smoke. His mind was perplexed.
As he was going to Calcutta, Nisindapur, though not near, was on his way. So he took Kadambini to Sripati s house, and the friends met again. At first they did not recognise one another, but gradually each recognised the features of the other's childhood. "What luck!" said Jogmaya. "I never dreamt that I should see you again. But how hate you come here, sister?
Kadambini stared at him for some time, and then went out very slowly. She kept her head uncovered, and showed not the slightest modesty or respect. Jogmaya, fearing that Sripati would be prejudiced against her friend, began an elaborate explanation. But Sripati, who readily agreed to anything Jogmaya said, cut short her story, and left his wife uneasy in her mind.
Word Of The Day