FIRST SCENE
Before the Office of the Begunbari Factory
Enter GOPINATH and Herdsman
Gopi. How did you get so much information?
Cowherd. We are their neighbours; day and night we go to their house. Whenever we are in want of anything, either a little salt or a ladle of oil, we immediately go to them and bring it; if the child cry, we bring a little molasses from them and give it to the child; we are getting our support for nearly seven generations from the Bose family; and can't we get information about them?
Gopi. Where was Bindu Madhab married?
Cowherd. Oh, it is in a village to the west of Calcutta. In which they wanted to have the Kaistas wear the poita.[1] We cannot satisfy all the Brahmins now in existence in a great feast, and still they wanted to increase the number of the Brahmins. The father-in-law of our young Babu is greatly respected. The Judge or Magistrate, when they come to him, take off their hats. Even the Governor takes off his hat while coming to meet him. Do such men give their daughters to men of these places? Observing the improvements in learning made by our young Babu, they did not care about the village belonging to ryots. People say that the women in cities are showy, and that there is no distinction between them and those who live in the bazzar.[2] But we do not at all find a young woman of a mild temper as the Bou of the Bose family is. The mother of Goma goes to their house every day, still, although she has been married for nearly five years, she has never seen her face.
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