THE WRECK
CHAPTER I
No one doubted for a moment that Ramesh would pass his law-examination. The Goddess of Learning, who presides over universities, had always showered petals on him from her golden lotus and had rained on him medals, and scholarships to boot.
Ramesh was supposed to be going home after the examination, but he seemed to be in no particular hurry to pack his trunk. His father had written bidding him return home at once. He had replied that he would come as soon as the results of the examination were announced.
Jogendra, son of Annada Babu, was Ramesh's fellow-student and lived next door to him. Annada Babu belonged to the Brahmo Samaj and his daughter Hemnalini had recently sat for the First Arts examination. Ramesh was a constant visitor at their house. He appeared regularly at tea-time, but tea was apparently not the only attraction as he was to be found there at other hours also.
Hemnalini used to walk up and down on the roof drying her hair after her bath and reading as she walked. Ramesh, likewise, used to sit book in hand by the stair-turret on the roof of his lodgings engaged in solitary study. Such a place is certainly suitable for quiet reading, but there were considerable distractions also, as a little reflection will show.
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