from for a moment, should have left him—" and her eyes repeatedly brimmed over.
Rajlakshmi kept on coming to Vihari's room and saying, "Go and have your bath, my son, I am afraid the irregular hours you are keeping here will tell on your health."
Vihari somehow seemed not to be at all in the mood for toilet or food that day, and replied, "A bit of irregularity is good for a vagabond like me, mother."
But Rajlakshmi insisted, "No, my son, you really must get on with your bath."
At last after repeated urging Vihari went. As soon as he left the room Rajlakshmi hunted out the crumpled letter from the book, and taking it to Binodini, said: "Will you tell me, my little mother, what Mahin has been writing to Vihari."
Binodini proceeded to read the letter out aloud. In the beginning there was a little bit about his mother,—just what Vihari had read out, nothing more. Then came all about Asha! Mahendra seemed to be revelling in a boundless intoxication of rapturous love and excitement.
After reading out a little Binodini stopped for very shame and asked, "Pishima, need I go on?"
The affectionate eagerness in Rajlakshmi's face had in a moment frozen into a stony stare. After a short silence she said, "Let it be," and went away without taking back the letter.
Binodini shut herself into her room, settled down on the bed, and went on with her reading.
What charm Binodini found in that letter Binodini alone knew. But it was not the mere satisfaction of curiosity. As she read it over and over again, her eyes glowed like the sand under the midday sun, her breath came in hot gasps like the desert wind. What was Mahendra like, what was Asha like, what was the love between Mahendra and Asha like, these were the questions that kept whirling round and round in her mind. Leaning with her back against the wall, her feet stretched out on the bed, and the letter pressed on her lap with her hands, she sat long, staring straight before her.
Vihari was not able to find that letter of Mahendra's again!
That afternoon Annapurna suddenly made her appearance. Rajlakshmi's heart beat violently for fear of evil tidings; she could not bring herself to put any question, and gazed at Annapurna with blanched face.
"All is well at Calcutta" said Annapurna.
"What brings you here, then?" asked Rajlakshmi.
"Come and take charge of Jour household, sister," said Annapurna. "I have ceased to care for the world, I am going to Benares to end my days there, and have come to take the dust of your feet.[1] If knowingly or unknowingly I have wronged you, I beg your forgiveness. As for your daughter-in-law," here her eyes filled with tears, "she is but a child, and motherless; be she to blame or not to blame, she is after all your own—" she was unable to continue.
Rajlakshmi hurried away to look after Annapurna's toilet and food arrangements. Vihari, hearing of her arrival, rushed back from a neighbouring farmer's house, and after prostrating himself at her feet said, "No, Kaki, this won't do at all. Do you really mean to be so cruel as to forsake us?"
Annapurna, holding back her tears, said pleadingly, "Don't try to turn me back, Vihari. I wish all of you every happiness, but no part of it depends on me."
Vihari was silent for a time, and then said, "Fate is indeed unkind to Mahendra that it has made him part with you."
"Don't say that," said Annapurna with a little start, "Mahendra hasn't in any way annoyed me. But unless I go there can be no peace in the house."
Vihari looked away in silence. Annapurna then took out a pair of gold bangles from the folds of her sari and said, "Keep these bangles, my son. When you bring home your bride, put these on her wrists for me with my blessing."
Vihari touched his forehead with the bangles in reverent acceptance of the gift, and went oft into the next room to conceal his emotion.
At the time of departure Annapurna said, "Vihari, look after my Mahin and my Asha." Then putting a document into Rajlakshmi's hands she said, "Here is a deed of gift making over my share in the family property to Mahin. It will be quite enough if you send me fifteen rupees every month."
With which she prostrated herself, and, taking the dust of Rajlakshmi's feet on her head, started on her pilgrimage.
- ↑ Way of saying good-bye to an elder.
