goat to expiate my sin? Did I sever this beautiful flower from its stem to be consumed in the fierce flames of a disappointed youth?”
In these thoughts Chandrashekhar forgot to take his meal. The next morning a message came from the Chief Secretary of the Nawab desiring him to come to Murshidabad. The Nawab had some business with him.
CHAPTER III.
LAWRENCE FOSTER.
CLOSE to Vedagram, in a village called Purandarpore, there was a small silk—factory belonging to the East India Company. Lawrence Foster was its factor. Disappointed in the love of Mary Foster, while yet very young, he accepted service under the East India Company and came out to Bengal. Just as various bodily ailments are bred in the Englishmen of the present day on their advent to India, similarly the air of Bengal used to breed in the Englishmen of those days the ailment of Avarice. Very soon Foster was attacked with this disease, consequently the image of Mary Foster was effaced from his mind. Once he had occasion to go to Vedagram on some business. In the waters of the Bheema the lovely lotus—like face of Shaihalini crossed his vision. At the sight of a white man Shaibalini had run away, but Foster returned to the factory meditating all the while. After much cogitation he came to the conclusion, that black eyes were better than blue eyes, black hair was better than fair hair. Suddenly he was reminded that woman was like a ship in the ocean of this mundane world; everyone ought to put her into requisition. Those Englishmen, who after coming out to India, defraud the priest and take Bengali beauties
