meant. The boys laughed in their sleeves at the very sight of him—some followed him from at a distance. The old men of the village turned their backs, as they saw him coming. All these astonished Chandra Shekhar—frightened him and made Shaibalini the sole object of his thought. He looked to no side and came up straight to the gate of his house. The doors were closed. The servant opened the entrance of the outer apartment of the house when it was knocked from outside. He burst into a scream when he saw Chandra Shekhar. Chandra Shekhar anxiously enquired, "What is the matter?" The servant gave no answer and left the place, crying loudly as he passed. Chandra Shekhar took the name of the God of his adoration. He saw that the courtyard had not been cleansed for a long time—there were filth and dirt in the sacred apartments of the household Gods. Here and there, he saw burnt torches and broken doors. Chandra Shekhar entered into the female quarters and found that the doors of all the rooms were closed from without. He noticed that the maid-servant walked out in silence when she saw him, and began to cry aloud from outside. After this, Chandra Shekhar, standing in
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