Binodini—"See, my Eyesore, how tactful our friend Vihari is. He lays the blame on his maker to avoid questioning your taste. It's your misfortune if you can't appreciate such devotion."
Vihari—"If it earns me your pity, sister Binod, I am more than repaid."
Binodini—"Can even the sea make up to the chatak[1] for the absence of rain?"
Asha would no longer be restrained. She freed herself from Binodini and left the room.
Vihari was also turning to go when Binodini said: "Can you tell me what's the matter with Mahendra Babu?"
Vihari sat back startled. "Why, is there anything the matter? I know nothing."
Binodini—"I can't say that I do either, but I don't like it anyway, my friend."
Vihari anxiously stared at Binodini hoping to hear something further. Binodini, however, said nothing more and silently went on with her hemming. After waiting a while Vihari asked. "Have you noticed anything particular about Dada?"
"I don't know, friend, but somehow I don't like it," repeated Binodini in an ordinary tone of voice. "I do feel so anxious for my poor Eyesore." With a sigh she put away her work, and made as if she would leave the room.
"Oh do stay a little," said Vihari taking a chair himself.
Binodini opened the window wider, turned up the lamp, and gathering up her work, sat down again on the furthest edge of the bed. Then she said: "Friend Vihari, I'm not here for ever, but when I'm gone, do look after my Eyesore, see that she's not made unhappy." And she turned away her face, lest her feelings should get the better of her.
"Sister Binod!" exclaimed Vihari in alarm. "You really mustn't go. You have none of your own to go to, you must take on yourself the care of this poor true-hearted girl. If you desert her I see no hope."
Binodini—"You know the ways of the world, my friend. How can I stay here for ever? What will people say?"
Vihari—"Oh let people say what they will, their gossip doesn't matter. Your soul is far above the petty things of this world, you alone can protect this helpless innocent from its cruel touch. Sister, forgive me, at first I knew you not; and like a low-minded wretch I allowed myself to harbour unworthy suspicions against you. I even went so far as to believe that you envied poor Asha her happiness;—'tis a sin even to talk about all that I imagined. Now that I know you to have the soul of an angel I couldn't help making this confession and asking your forgiveness."
Binodini's whole being was thrilled. Playing a part as she knew she was, she had not the heart, even to herself, to refuse Vihari's offering of praise as not her due. She had never received the like from anyone before. For the moment she felt as if she was really the pure high-souled creature of his imagination; an undefined pity for Asha brought the tears to her eyes. She did not seek to hide these tears from Vihari, they assisted her to keep up her self-delusion.
Vihari, himself overcome at the sight of her emotion, abruptly left the room and went to Mahendra. He could not even guess why his friend had proclaimed himself a scoundrel. He did not find Mahendra in his room, and heard he had gone out for a stroll. This was very unusual for Mahendra, who had a horror of strange people and strange places, and never left the house except with a definite object. Vihari slowly wended his way homewards lost in thought.
Binodini brought Asha into her own room and, enfolding her in her arms, said with brimming eyes:—"Eyesore, my love, I am such an unfortunate. such an ill-omened creature!"
Asha was greatly touched, and embracing her in turn she lovingly rebuked her saying: "Why, my dear, do you say such things?"
Binodini cried on her breast like a child, as she replied: "Wherever I go some evil is sure to happen—let me go, my dear, let me return to the wilderness whence I came."
Asha put her hand under Binodini's chin and lifted up her tearful face. "Don't talk like that, there's a darling," she pleadingly urged. "I shan't be able to live without you. What has happened to-day to make you think of leaving me?"
Vihari, baffled at not finding Mahendra, was burning to contrive another talk with Binodini about Mahendra and Asha, to find out what had really come between
- ↑ The bird which is poetically supposed to live on rain-drops or dew.
