the idea crossed his mind that in the troubled sea of the world, woman is, as it were, a raft and that every man should seek her help. Those Englishmen are indeed very clever, who take Bengalee beauties as companions of their life and thus save the clergyman's dues. Many Bengalee girls have been seduced to worship English profligates for money—may not Shaibalini be tempted to do so? Foster, accompanied by a native officer of the factory, came to Bedagram again and both of them remained concealed in a bush. The officer saw Shaibalini and marked out her house.
Bengalee children, as a class, get frightened at the very mention of a bugbear but there are such naughty children too as would like to see it. So it happened with Shaibalini. At first she, as usual in those days, used to run away breathless whenever she met Foster. Afterwards some one told her, "The Englishman does not swallow a man alive—he is a curious animal—just look, at him once." Shaibalini did so—she found that the Englishman really did not swallow her alive. Since then Shaibalini never ran away at the sight of Foster and gradually grew bold enough to speak with him. This is known to our readers.
32
