Page:Rajmohan's Wife.djvu/61

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FOREWARNED AND FOREARMED
55

anxiety, and the mortal enemy of the finny tribe, big with the importance of being the messenger of evil, flew to Madhav's chamber to discharge the mission which legitimately belonged to Hemangini.

She soon returned and informed Matangini that Madhav did not feel disposed to give weight to her (Karuna's) words and seemed particularly incredulous when she said that Matangini was in the house and that it was she who had brought the intelligence. "If she is here," Madhav had said, "I can hear the news from herself; bring her to me that I may learn from my sister-in-law how much there is to fear. Ask her to come hither."

"Go Hem," said Matangini to her sister, "You go—tell your husband that I am here and that what I say is true. He will believe you."

"No, no," said the girl, "you must go yourself. How can I answer all the questions that he may ask ? Go—answer all the questions that he may ask. Go and lose no time, for if it be as you say,—"

"I had better not go. Tell him that I say it, and that it is true."

"No—you go," again urged the reluctant girl with sweet child-like obstinacy.

"I cannot go, I must not," said Matangini in the most serious tone and in an agitated voice.

"O Luck!" shouted Karuna laughingly, "it is nothing then? Your sister wants to frighten you only, mother."

"Ah! sister, do you want to frighten me