Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/428

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MICHAEL M. DATTA.
385

wisdom of an ancient sage, the energy of an Englishman, and the heart of a Bengali mother." I was right; an hour afterwards I received your letter and the 1500 Rupees you have sent me. How shall I thank you, my noble, my illustrious, my great friend? You have saved me. * *

"Am I not right in thinking that you have the heart of a Bengali mother?

"Yours &c.,
(Sd.) "Michael M. Dutt."

Vidyasagar now found a fresh field to display his natural benevolence, though at great personal sacrifice. This was not the only remittance he sent to Madhusudana. By several successive instalments he had to remit 6,000 Rupees to Europe on Michael's account. All this heavy amount he had to raise by loans. On such occasions, his practice was to borrow Government Promissory Notes of his friends, which he pledged to money-lenders and received loans to the amounts required, and then to repay them at convenience and release the hypothecated Notes. He informed Madhusudana of his own difficulties, but, at the same time, helped him with liberal remittances. The next letter that he received from his friend in Europe was this:—

Versailles-France
18th December 1864.

"My dear friend,

"Your kind letter with a draft for 2490 Francs