INDIRA AND OTHER STORIES
was parched in my mouth. Failing speech, what must I do but fall to crying!
The stupid man, he misunderstood my silly tears! Guess what he said. He said:
"Why are you crying? I did not send for you. You have come of your own accord, and now you cry!"
The cruel speech caused me horrible pain. He considered me a shameless wretch, a suppliant for his favours! My tears flowed afresh at the thought. For a moment I resolved to tell him at once. I could not bear the pain of his scorn. But again it occurred to me that if I told him, he might not believe me. I had told him that my home was at Kaladighi. He would guess that I had heard of his wife's adventure, and was impersonating her for mercenary motives. If some such suspicion were to cross his mind, how was I to convince him? So I resolved to keep my counsel for the present. I sighed, I wiped my eyes, I tried to engage him in conversation. After idle talk on different matters, he said:
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