Page:Nil Durpan.djvu/82

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long shall your force of hand continue? You shall not be able to do anything, when the ryots shall fly. There is no abuse more horrid than to say, Die! When the ryots abscond en masse your factory will go to ruins. Just settle our eldest Babu's account of the last year; and take what he consents to sow of Indigo in the present year. It is owing to you that they have fallen into a state of confusion. It is not merely to load one with advances, but cultivation is necessary. Good evening, our young Saheb. Now, I go.

(Throws him about, lying on his back, and flies off.

Planter Rogue. By Jove! Beaten to jelly!

FOURTH SCENE

The Hall in the House of Goluk Basu
Enter SABITRI

Sabitri.   (With a deep sigh.) O thou cruel Magistrate! why didst not thou also give me a summons? I would have gone to the Zillah with my husband and my child; that would have been far better than remaining in this desert. Ah! my husband always remains in the house, never goes out to another village even on invitation. Is he destined to suffer so much? The peadahs taking him away, and he himself to go to the jail. Bhagavati[1], my mother! was there so much in thy mind? Ah, he says that he can never sleep but in a room very long and broad; he eats only the boiled Atapa rice[2]; he takes the food prepared by no other hand but that of the eldest Bou. Ah! he brought blood out of his breast by severe slaps; he made his eyes swollen by tears; and at the same time he took his leave, he said "this is my going

  1. Hindu Goddess.
  2. When the rice is cleansed from its husks by being placed in the sun, instead of being boiled, it is called the Atapa rice.

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