Chapter IV: Part 4

_Reboti._ (_To Sabitri_). Oh my mother! Dost thou call that young
Bou a bad woman, who you said was incomparable in the village; and
without whose taking food you never took food. My mother, you do
not hear my words; we were trained by you, you gave us much food.

_Sabitri._ Come on the Ata Couria[62] of the child, and I shall
give you many sweetmeats.

_Nobin’s Aunt._ My sister, Nobin will be alive again; do not be
mad.

_Sabitri._ How did you know this? That name is known to no one. My
father-in-law said, when my daughter-in-law gets a child, I shall
give it (if male) the name “Nobin Madhab.” Now the child is born,
I shall give it that name. My husband always said, When shall the
child be born, and I shall call him by the name “Nobin Madhab”
(_weeps_). If he had been alive, he would have satisfied that
desire on this day. (_Aside, a sound_). There, the musicians are
coming. (_Claps with her hands_).

_Soirindri._ Bou, go into that room, the physician is coming.

_Enter_ SADHU CHURN _and the Physician_.

(_Exit Saralota, Reboti, and all the neighbouring
women; and Soirindri, putting
a veil on her head, stands in
one side of the room._)

_Sadhu._ Our madam has risen up.

_Sabitri._ (_Weeps._) Is it because that my husband is not here
that you have left your drums at home.

_Aduri._ She has no understanding; she is become entirely insane.
She called that dead elder Haldar “My infant child,” and chastised
the young Haldar’s wife, calling her an European’s wife. That
young woman is weeping severely. Again, she is calling you
musicians.

_Sadhu._ So great a misfortune has now come to pass!

_Physician._ (_Sitting near Nobin_). It is very probable and also
according to the Nidana[63] that while she is not taking food for
the death of her husband, and while she has seen this miserable
condition of her dearest son, she should become thus. It is
necessary to see her pulse once. Madam, let me observe thy pulse
once. (_Stretching out his hand towards her_).

_Sabitri._ Thou vile man must be a creature of the Factory, else
why dost thou want to take hold of the hand of the woman of a good
family? (_rising up_). Nurse keep your eyes upon the child; I go
to take a little water. I shall give you a silk _sarhi_.

_Physician._ Ah! the light of the understanding will not brighten
again. I will send the Hima Sagara Toila (a medicinal oil) which
is now necessary for her (_observing the pulse of Nobin_). His
pulse is only very weak, but I do not find any other bad symptom.
The doctors are ignorant in other matters, but in anatomical
operations they are very expert. The expense will be heavy, but it
is of urgent necessity to call one in.

_Sadhu._ A letter has been sent to the young Babu to come along
with a doctor.

_Physician._ That is very good.

_Enter Four Relatives._

_First._ We never even dreamt that such an accident would come to
pass. At noon-day, some were eating, some bathing, and some were
going to lie down in their beds after dinner. I heard of it now.

_Second._ The stroke on the head appears fatal. What ill-fated
accident! There was no probability of a quarrel on this day; or
else, many of the ryots would have been present.

_Sadhu._ Two hundred ryots with clubs in their hands are crying
aloud, “Strike off, Strike off,” and are weeping with these words
in their mouths, “Ah! eldest Babu! Ah eldest Bahu!” I told them to
go to their own houses, since if the Saheb get the least excuse,
he will, on account of the pain in his nose, burn the whole
village.

_Physician._ Now, wash the head and apply turpentine to it; in the
evening, I shall come again and try some other means. To make
noise in a sick person’s room is to increase his disease; so, let
there be no noise here.

(_Exit the Physician, Sadhu Churn and the
relatives in one way, and Aduri, the other;
Soirindri, sits down_). _The curtain falls._

-----

Footnote 52:

This term Yabans has reference to the Mahomedans, the Europeans.

Footnote 53:

The name of Vishnu, God.

Footnote 54:

This pronoun “his” stands for Goluk Chunder, the father of Nobin
Madhab.

Footnote 55:

The term maid-servant here refers to Soirindri, the wife of
Nobin Madhab.

Footnote 56:

It is a general custom in this country to apply the alpana on
the floor nearly in all religions observances.

Footnote 57:

This term signifies the wife of one’s son.

Footnote 58:

This expression, “the brightener of the ten sides” signifies
that he did good wherever he went. The ten sides are the north,
south, east, west, north-east, north-west, south-east,
south-west, the top, and the under sides.

Footnote 59:

The reference here is to the wanderings of Rama in the
wilderness of the Deccan. The signification of the original is
that while the husband Nobin is he on the point of death, there
is no preparation for his wife to die with him.

Footnote 60:

That is, she had expressed so much anger against her; or as the
original, thrown her into the burning-pot of disgust and hatred.
The Champa is the name of a fragrant yellow flower.

Footnote 61:

This day in kept sacred by the widows of this country.

Footnote 62:

A certain ceremony performed on the eighth day after the birth
for securing its good fortune.

Footnote 63:

A treatise on the science of medicine.

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----------

FIFTH ACT—THIRD SCENE.
THE ROOM OF SADHU CHURN.

-------

_On one side, Khetromani in great torment on her bed, and Sadhu;
on the other side, Reboti, sitting._

_Khetro._ Sweep over my bed; mother, sweep over my bed!

_Reboti._ My dear, dear daughter, why art thou doing so? I have
swept on the bed; there is nothing then on the coat of shreds. I
have placed another which your aunt gave.[64]

_Khetro._ Thorns are pinching me, I die! I die! Oh! turn me to my
father’s side.

_Sadhu._ (_Silently turning her to the other side. To himself_).
This agony is the presage to death. (_Openly_) Daughter, thou art
the precious jewel of this poor man; my daughter, take a little
food. I have brought some pomegranates from Indrabad, and also the
ornamented sarhi; but you did not at all express your pleasure
when you saw that.

_Reboti._ How very extravagant are my daughter’s desires! She said
once, give me a flower garland at the time of _Semonton_. What is
that countenance now become? What shall I do! Oh oh! Oh oh!
(_Places her mouth on the mouth of her daughter_). Ah! my Khetro
of gold is become a piece of charcoal. Where are the pupils of the
eye? See, see.

_Sadhu._ Khetromani! Khetromani! Open your eyes fully my daughter.

_Khetro._ My mother! my father! All, it is an axe! (_Turns on the
other side_).[65]

_Reboti._ Let me take her on my lap; she will remain quiet there.
(_Comes to take her on her lap_).

_Sadhu._ Do not take her up; she will faint.

_Reboti._ Am I so very unfortunate! Ah! Ah! My Harana is as
Kartika on his peacock.[66] How can I forget him? Dear me! my
Siva!

_Sadhu._ Raychurn is gone a long time ago; he is not yet come.

_Reboti._ Our eldest Babu preserved her from the grasp of the
tiger. The young Saheb killed my daughter, and the elder one
killed the eldest Babu. Ah! Ah! there is no one to preserve the
poor.

_Sadhu._ What virtuous actions have I done, that I shall see the
face of my grand-child?

_Khetro._ My body is cut off—a cracked Tangrah (a fish) Ah! ah!

_Reboti._ I think the ninth of the moon is closed;[67] my image of
gold is to go to the water, and what means shall I have? Who shall
call me mother! mother! Did you bring her for this purpose.
(_Taking hold of Sadhu’s neck, weeps_).

_Sadhu._ Be silent, don’t weep now; she will faint.

_Enter_ RAYCHURN _and the Physician_.

_Physician._ How is she now? Did you give her that medicine?

_Sadhu._ The medicine did not act, and whatever went down
immediately came up by a vomit. See her pulse once more now; I
think, it is n sign of her end.

_Reboti._ She is crying out, thorns, thorns. I have prepared her
bed so thickly,[68] still she is tossing about. Now save her by a
good medicine. Dear Sir, this relative is very dear unto me.

_Sadhu._ We don’t see any sign of the pulse.

_Physician._ (_Taking hold of the hand_). In this state, it is
good for the pulse to be weak. “Weakness makes the pulse strong;
to have a strong pulse is fatal.”

_Sadhu._ At this time, it is the same thing either to apply or not
to apply the medicine. The parents have hope to the very end;
therefore, see, if there be any means.

_Physician._ The water with which the Atapa (dried rice) is
washed, is now necessary. The application of the Shuchikavaran (a
medicine) is required.

_Sadhu._ That Atapa which the Barah Renee sent for offerings of
prayer is in the other room. Raychurn, bring that here.

(_Exit Raychurn._)

_Reboti._ Is Annapurnah[69] now awake, that she shall with the
rice in her hands come to me my Khetromani? It is through my
ill-fate that our mistress is become mad.

_Physician._ She is already full of sorrow for the death of her
husband; again, her son is on the point of death; her insanity is
on the increase. I think she shall die before Nobin; she is become
very weak.

_Sadhu._ Sir, how did you find our eldest Babu, to-day? I think,
with his pure blood he has extinguished the fire of tyranny of the
giants, the Indigo Planters. It is probable, that the Indigo
Commission might produce to the ryots some advantages; but what
effect has that? If one hundred serpents do bite at once my whole
body I can bear that; if on a hearth made of bricks, a frypan
placed full of molasses, and the same be boiling by a great fire,
I can also bear the torments, if by accident I fall into the pan;
if in the dark night of the new-moon a band of robbers with
terrible sounds come upon and kill my only son who is honest and
very learned, take away all the acquisitions made during the past
seven generations, and then make me blind: all these also, I can
bear; and in the place of one, even if there be ten Indigo
Factories in the village, that also I can allow; but to be
separated even for a moment from that elder Babu who is so much
the supporter of his dependants, that can I never bear.

_Physician._ The blow through which the brain has oozed out is
fatal. I have found the pulse indicate that death is near; either
at mid-day or in the evening, life will depart. Bipin gave a
little water of the Ganges in his mouth, but it came out by its
sides. Nobin’s wife is quite distracted; but she is trying her
utmost for his safety.

_Sadhu._ Ah! Ah! Had our mistress not been insane, her heart would
have been burst asunder on seeing this. The doctor has also said,
that the bruise on the head is fatal.

_Physician._ The doctor is a very kind-hearted man: when Babu
Bindu wanted to give him money, he said, “Babu Bindu, the manner
in which you are already troubled makes it improbable that the
ceremony of your father will be performed. I cannot take any thing
from you now, and also it is not necessary for you to give money
for the bearers who brought me and who will now take me away.” Had
the doctor been of a hard heart, he would have taken away the
money kept for the ceremony. I have seen that kind of doctors
twice; he is as scurrilous as avaricious.

_Sadhu._ Our young Babu brought along with him the doctor to see
Khetromani; but he said nothing with certainty. The doctor
observing my want, owing to the tyranny of the Planters, gave me
two rupees in the name of Khetromani.

_Physician._ Had the doctor been hard-hearted he would have taken
hold of the hand, and said, she would die; and he would have taken
the money by selling your kine.

_Reboti._ I can give money by selling off whatever I have, if they
can only cure my Khetro.

_Enter_ RAYCHURN _with the rice_.

_Physician._ Having washed the rice, bring the water here.
(_Reboti takes the rice_). Do not give much water. I see the plate
is very beautiful.

_Reboti._ Our mistress (Sabitri) went to Gya and brought many
plates; and she gave this to my Khetro. Ah! the same mistress is
now turned mad, and her hands are bound with a rope, because she
is slapping her cheeks.

_Physician._ Sadhu, bring the stone-mortar, I have the medicine
here. (_Opens his box of medicine._)

_Sadhu._ Sir, don’t bring out your medicine; just see, how her
eyes appear. Raychurn, come here.

_Reboti._ Oh mother! What is my fate now! Oh mother, how shall I
forget the figure of Harana! Oh! Oh! Oh Khetro, Oh Khetro!
Khetromoni! daughter. Wilt thou not speak any more, my daughter?
Oh! Oh! Oh! (_Weeps_).

_Physician._ Her end is very near.

_Sadhu._ Raychurn take hold of her, take hold of her (_Sadhuchurn
and Raychurn take Khetramoni from the bed, and go out-side_).

_Reboti._ I cannot leave my Laksmi of gold to float on the water.
Where shall I go? Had she lived with the Saheb, that would have
been better. I would have remained at rest by seeing her face. My
daughter, ho! ho! ho! (_Goes behind Khetra, slapping herself_).

_Physician._ I die! I die! I die! What pains does the mother bear!
It is good not to have a child.

(_Exit all._)

-----

Footnote 64:

Reboti says, My daughter, what is it that gives you so much
pain? The bed is all over cleared, there is nothing that can
trouble the body.

Footnote 65:

These are words which are expressed through great grief.

Footnote 66:

Kartika is taken to be the most lovely in appearance among the
gods—the symbol of male beauty. He is the son of Siva and
Doorgah.

Footnote 67:

Here, the reference is to the last of the three days in which
the goddess Doorgah is worshipped; and the last day is taken to
be one of great pain, because on that day she is to take her
departure from her parents to go to her husband Siva.

Footnote 68:

Thickly prepared signifies many coverings of the bed placed one
above another.

Footnote 69:

It is one of the names of Doorgah. The term signifies “full of
rice,” or the Goddess of Plenty.

-----

----------

FIFTH ACT—FOURTH SCENE.
THE HALL IN THE HOUSE OF GOLUK CHUNDER BASU.

-------

_Sabitri sitting with the dead body of Nobin on her lap._

_Sabitri._ Let my dear child sleep; my dear keeps my heart at
rest. When I see the sweet face, I remember that other face[70]
(_kisses_). My child is sleeping most soundly (_rubs the hand
over the head of the corpse_). Ah! what have the musquitoes
done? What shall I do for the heat? I must not lie down without
letting the curtains fall (_rubs the hand on the breast of the
body_) Ah! Can the mother suffer this, to see the bugs bite the
child and let drops of blood come out. No one is here to prepare
the bed of the child; how shall I let it lie down. I have no one
for me; but all are gone with my husband. (_Weeps_). Oh
unfortunate creature that I am! I am crying with my child here
(_observing the face of Nobin_). The child of the sorrowful
woman is now making deala[71] (_kissing the mouth_). No, my
dear, I have forgotten all distress in seeing thee; I am not
weeping (_placing the pap on its mouth_); my dear, suckle the
pap, my dear, suckle it; I entreated the bad woman so much, even
fell at her feet, still she did not bring my husband for once;
he would have gone after settling about the milk of the child.
This stupid person has such a friendship with Yama, that if she
had written a letter, he would have immediately given him leave
(_seeing the rope in her hand_). The husband never gets
salvation if on his death the widow still wears ornaments;
although I wept with such loud cries, still they made me wear
the shanka.[72] I have burnt it by the lamp, still it is in my
hands (_cuts off the rope with her teeth_). For a widow to wear
ornaments it does not look good and is not tolerable. On my
hands there has arisen a blister (_cries_). Whoever has stopped
my wearing the shanka, let her shanka be taken off within three
days[73] (_snaps the joints of her fingers on the ground_). Let
me prepare the bed myself (_prepares the bed in fancy._) The mat
was not washed (_extends her hands a little_). I can’t reach to
the pillow; the coat of shreds is become dirty, (_rubs the floor
with her hands_). Let me make the child lie down (_placing the
dead body slowly on the ground._) My son, what fear near a
mother? You lie down peacefully. I shall spit here (_spits on
its breast_). If that Englishman’s lady come here this day, I
shall kill her by pressing down her neck. I shall never have my
child out of my sight. Let me place the bow round it (_gives a
mark with her finger round the floor, while reading a certain
verse as a sacred formula read to a God_). “The froth of the
serpent, the tiger’s nose, the fire prepared by the Sala’s[74]
resin, the whistling of the swinging machine, the white hairs of
seven co-wives[75]—_bhanti_[76] leaves, the flowers of the
_dhuturá_, the seeds of the Indigo, the burnt pepper, the head
of the corpse, the root of the _maddar_, the mad dog, the
thief’s reading of the Chundi; these together make the arrow to
be directed against the gnashing teeth of Yama.”

_Enter_ SARALOTA.

_Saralota._ Where are these gone to? Ah! she is turning round the
dead body. I think, my husband, tired with excessive travelling,
has given himself up to Sleep, that goddess who is the destroyer
of all sorrows and pains. Oh Sleep! how very miraculous is thy
greatness, thou makest the widow to be with her husband in this
world, thou bringest the traveller to his country; at thy touch,
the prisoner’s chain breaks; thou art the Dhannantari[77] of the
sick; thou hast no distinction of castes in thy dominions; and thy
laws are never different on account of the difference of nations
or castes; thou must have made my husband a subject of thy
impartial power; or else, how is it, that the insane mother brings
away the dead son from him. My husband is become quite distracted
by being deprived of his father and his brother. The beauty of his
countenance has faded by and by, as the full-moon decreases day by
day. My mother, when hast thou come up? I have left off food and
sleep, and am looking after thee continually; and did I fall into
so much insensibility; I promised, that I shall bring thy husband
from Yama, (Invisible) in order to cure thee, and therefore thou
remainedest quiet for some. In this formidable night, so full of
darkness, like unto that which shall take place on the destruction
of the Universe; when the skies are spread over with the tenors of
the clouds, the ashes of lightning are giving a momentary light,
like the arrows of fire, and the race of living creatures are
given up, as it were, to the sleep of Death; all are silent; when
the only sound is the cry of jackals in the wilderness and the
loud noise of the dogs, the great band of enemies to thieves. My
mother, how is it possible, that in such a night as this then wast
able to bring thy dead son from out-side the house. (_Goes near
the corpse_).

_Sabitri._ I have placed the circle; and why do you come within
it?

_Saralota._ Ah! my husband can never be able to live on seeing the
death of this his land-conquering and most dear brother.
(_Weeps_).

_Sabitri._ You are envying my child; you all-destroying wretch,
the daughter of a wretch! Let your husband die. Go out, just now;
be out; or else, I shall place my foot on your throat, take out
your tongue and kill you immediately.

_Saralota._ Ah! such Shoranan[78] (six-mouthed) of gold, whom our
father-in-law and mother-in-law had, is now gone into the water.

_Sabitri._ Don’t look on my child; I forbid you—you destroyer of
your husband. I see, your death is very near. (_Goes a little
towards her_).

_Saralota._ Ah! how very cruel are the formidable arms of Death?
Ah Yama! you gave so much pain to my honest mother-in-law.

_Sabitri._ Calling again! Calling again! (_takes hold of
Saralota’s neck by her two hands and throws her down on the
ground_). Thou stupid, beloved of Yama. Now will I kill thee
(_stands upon her neck_). Thou hast devoured my husband; again,
thou art calling your paramour to swallow my dear infant. Die,
die, die, die now. (_Begins to skip upon the neck._)

_Saralota._ Gah, a, a, (_death of Saralota._)

_Enter_ BINDU MADHAB.

_Bindu._ Oh! She is lying flat here. Oh mother, what is that? Thou
hast killed my Saralota (_taking hold of Saralota’s head_). My
dear Sarala has left this sinful world. (_After weeping, kisses
Saralota._)

_Sabitri._ Gnaw the wretch and destroy her. She was calling Yama
to devour my infant; and therefore I killed her. (_Standing on her
neck_).

_Bindu._ As the mother, having destroyed the child whom she was
fondling for making it sleep on her lap, on awaking will go to
destroy herself, so wilt thou, Oh my mother! go to kill thyself,
if thine insanity passing off thou can’st understand, that thy
most beloved Saralota was murdered by thee. It will be good if
that lamp no more give its light to thee. Ah! how very pleasant it
is for a woman to be mad, who has lost her husband and son! The
deer-like mind being enclosed within the stone walls of madness
can never be attacked by the great tiger Sorrow. I am thy Bindu
Madhab.

_Sabitri._ What, what do you say?

_Bindu._ Mother, I can no longer keep my life, becoming mad by the
death of my father bound by the rope, and the death of my older
brother; thou hast destroyed my Saralota, and thus hast applied
salt to my wounded heart.

_Sabitri._ What! Is my Nobin dead! Is my Nobin dead! Ah, my dear
son, my dear Bindu Madhab! Have I killed your Saralota? Have I
killed my young Bou by becoming mad (_embracing the dead body of
Saralota_). I would have remained alive, although deprived of my
husband and my son. Ah, but on murdering you by my own hands, my
heart is on the point of being burnt. Ho! Ho! Mother, (_embracing
Saralota, she falls down, dead on the ground_).

_Bindu._ (_Placing his hand on Sabitri’s body._) What I said, took
place actually. My mother died on recovering her understanding.
What affliction! My mother will no more take me on her lap, and
kiss me. Oh mother! the word mama will no more come out of my
mouth, (_weeps_). Let me place the dust of her feet on my head
(_takes the dust from her feet and places that on his own head_).
Let me also purify my body by eating that dust. (_Eats the dust of
her feet_).

_Enter_ SOIRINDRI.

_Soirindri._ I am going to die with my husband; do not oppose me,
my brother-in-law? My Bipin shall live happily with Saralota.
What’s this, what’s this? Why are our mother-in-law and Bou both
lying in this manner?

_Bindu._ Oh eldest Bou! our mother first killed Saralota, then
getting her understanding again, she fell into such excess of
sorrow, that she also died.

_Soirindri._ Now! In what manner? What loss! What is this! What is
this! Ah! Ah! my sister, thou hast not yet worn that most pleasant
lock of hair on the head which I prepared for thee! Ah! ah! thou
shalt no more call me, sister (_cries_). Mother-in-law, thou art
gone to your Rama, but did’st not let me go there. Oh my
mother-in-law, when I got thee, I did not for a moment remember my
mother.

_Enter_ ADURI.

_Aduri._ Oh eldest Haldarni, come soon; thy young Bipin is afraid.

_Soirindri._ Why did you not call me thence? You left him there
alone. (_Goes out hastily with Aduri_).

_Bindu._ My Bipin is now the pole-star in the ocean of dangers!
(_with deep sigh_). In this world of short existence, human life
is as the bank of a river which has a most violent course and the
greatest depth. How very beautiful are the banks, the fields
covered over with new grass, most pleasant to the view, the trees
full of branches newly coming out; in some places the cottages of
fishermen; in others the kine feeding with their young ones. To
walk about in such a place enjoying the sweet songs of the
beautiful birds, and the charming gale full of the sweet smell of
flowers, only wraps the mind in the contemplation of that Being
who is full of pleasure. Accidentally, a hole small as a line is
observed in the field, and immediately that most pleasant bank
falls down into the stream. How very sorrowful! The Bose family of
Svaropur is destroyed by Indigo, the great destroyer of honour.
How very terrible are the arms of Indigo!

The cobra de capello, like the Indigo Planters, with mouths full
of poison, threw all happiness into the flame of fire. The father,
through injustice, died in the prison; the elder brother in the
Indigo-field, and the mother, being insane through grief for her
husband and son, murdered with her own hands a most honest woman.
Getting her understanding again, and observing my sorrow, the
ocean of grief again swelled in her. With that disease of sorrow
came the poison of want; and thus without attending to
consolation, she also departed this life. Incessantly do I call,
Where is my father? Where is my father? Embrace me once more with
a smiling face. Crying out, Oh mother! Oh mother! I look on all
sides; but that countenance of joy do I find no where. When I used
to call, Mama, she immediately took me on her breast, and rubbed
my mouth. Who knows the greatness of maternal affection? The cry
of mama, mama, mama, mama do I make in the battle-field and the
wilderness whenever fear arises in the mind. Oh my brother, dear
unto the heart, in the place of whom there is not one, as a friend
in this world! Thy Bindu Madhab is come! open thine eyes once more
and see. Ah! ah! it bursts my heart, not to know where my hearts
Sarala is gone to. The most beautiful, wise, and entirely devoted
to me; she walked as the swan,[79] and her eyes were handsome as
those of the deer. With a smiling face and with the sweetest
voice, thou didst read to me the _Betal_. The mind was charmed by
thy sweet reading which was as the singing of the bird in the
forest. Thou, Sarala, hadst a most beauteous face, and didst
brighten the lake of my heart. Who did take away my lotus with a
cruel heart? The beautiful lake became dark. The world I look upon
is as a desert full of corpses; while I have lost my father, my
mother, my brother, and my wife.

Ah! where are they gone to in search of the dead body of my
brother? I am to prepare for going to the Ganges as soon as they
come. Ah! how very terrible, the last scene of the drama of the
lion-like Nobin Madhab is? (_Sits down, taking hold of Sabitri’s
feet_).

[_The curtain falls down._

_FINIS._

-----

Footnote 70:

The face of her husband.

Footnote 71:

It sometimes happens, that during sleep the child either cries
or laughs; that is called, the Deala of the child.

Footnote 72:

An ornament made of shell for the wrists of women.

Footnote 73:

That is, let her become a widow within three days, who has made
me so.

Footnote 74:

The Sala is the native name of the tree _Shorea robusta_.

Footnote 75:

The wives of the same husband.

Footnote 76:

_Volkmeria odorata._

Footnote 77:

Dhannantari is the Physician of the Gods.

Footnote 78:

Shoranan is one of the names of Kartikeya. In this place, it
refers to Nobin Madhab, on account of the great honor which he
had acquired from the people of the country; and he is compared
with Kartikeya, because he had much honour among the gods.

Footnote 79:

The gait of the swan is considered in this country the most
beautiful model of the motion of the feet.

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Calcutta Printing and Publishing Press, No. 10, Weston’s Lane.

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Transcriber’s Note

Errors deemed most likely to be the printer’s have been corrected,
and are noted here. The references are to the page and line in the
original, including those which occur in the footnotes. Minor
lapses of punctuation in the formatting of the dialog itself are
corrected without comment here.

18.31 how many days are there still remaining of Replaced.
this month[./?]

19.32 This is a Bengal[l]i term Removed.

24.1 I shall take her away by certain latyals[.] Added.

24.15 Did you inform Sadhu of this[./?] Replaced.

34.19 but one of my friends[./,] Bonkima by name, Replaced.

42.5 like unto one leading a [,/.] Replaced.

45.11 business of the Amin[;/,] then this kind Replaced.

46.6 My dear, you can, with [c/e]ase, give Replaced.

48.7 My hea[s/r]t bursts Replaced.

65.13 the Kazi (the Mahomedan judge)[./?] Replaced.

66.11 _Bind[a/u]._ Have you seen my father this day? Replaced.

66.13 _Exit Bind[a/u] Madhab and Chaprasi_ Replaced.

66.15 (_Exit Bind[a/u] Madhab and Chaprasi._) Replaced.

68.10 _Daroga[h]._ Sir, you are wise Added.

76.34 a common [f]orm of expression for the term Restored.
Kaista.

84.18 there is no preparation for Sita’s going with Added.
him[.]

88.30 It is necessary to see her pulse on[c]e. Added.

88.31 let me observe the[y] pulse once. Removed.

89.30 on account [of the ]of the pain in his nose Redundant.

90.24 How very extravagant are my daug[th/ht]er’s Transposed.
desires!

95.2 take Khetramoni from the[.] bed Removed.

97.28 and therefore thou remainedest quiet for some[ Added.
]time.

100.17 Why are our mother-in-law and [b/B]ou both Capitalized.
lying in this manner?