?then handed him a letter. Musing and absent, he opened it and saw that it was in Bimala's handwriting. He crumpled and threw it away from him, with signs of great displeasure. The bearer took it up and went away.
At this a spectator who was close by said to another in a low tone,
"Perhaps, Sir, 'tis a letter from his daughter."
Hearing this, Virendra turned round and said,
"Who speaks of my daughter? I have no daughter."
When the bearer of the note departed, he said to the guards, "Await my return."
"All right, Your Excellency," replied they.
Osman himself was the bearer, and it was for this reason that the guards applied to him the epithet of "Excellency."
Taking the note, Osman went to the bottom of the wall of the inner apartment. There stood a veiled lady. Osman came to her, and after casting his eyes round, related to her all that had happened.
"I am giving you infinite trouble" said she; "but you must remember it is you who have reduced us to this pass. You must threfore do me this turn."
Osman said nothing.
"If you refuse it," continued she of the veil, in a voice trembling with emotion, "I am helpless;—but God will judge."
"Mother," said Osman, "you don't know what a perilous task you are laying upon me. Katlu Khan will take my life, if he come to know it."
"Katlu Khan?" returned the woman. "Why are you deceiving me? Katlu Khan dares not touch a hair of your head."
