means. The Naib came again, bowed to the Bhattacharyya, and said, pointing to a plot of land lying not far off, that it fell within the boundary-limits of the Zamindar's Pargannah, and that he must relinquish it. "How is that?" exclaimed Harihar all amazed, "it has been a rent-free holding in my family from time immemorial!" However, a suit was instituted that the land next to the court-yard of Harihar's house fell within the ancestral Zamindari of the Babus. Harihar said, "This plot of land I must give up, I can't appear in Court to give evidence in this decrepit old age." The youthful inmates told him, "How shall we stay in the house if we are to abandon the land just contiguous to it?"
Out of deep attachment for the ancestral heritage, which he valued more than life itself, the old man stood in the court-dock with trembling knees. The Munsiff, Navagopal Babu, dismissed the suit on the basis of his evidence alone. The Khas tenants of the Bhattacharyyas made a great rejoicing over the matter. Harihar stopped "the jocund din" in no time. The Naib came to the Bhattacharyya, took the dust of his feet with great ceremony, smeared it all over the body, and filed an appeal against the decree of the Munsiff. The lawyers took nothing from Harihar, did service for him gratis. They gave great hopes to the poor Brahmin that there was no chance of his losing the case. They said "Can day ever become night? Can truth be ever falsified?" These hopeful words allayed Harihar's anxieties and inspired great hopes in him.
Time rolled on. Once suddenly the village rang with an outburst of the music of drums tabors and cymbals; in the Zamindar's Cutchery, the Goddess Kali was to be worshipped with the sacrifice of goats, with great pomp and circumstance. What was the matter? The Bhattacharyya heard that the appeal had been decreed against him. He beat his forehead in great anguish and said to the pleader confoundedly,—"Just see what you have done, Basanta Babu! What would now become of me?"
Basanta Babu took upon himself to explain how mysteriously the day had become night, the improbable probable:—he who had recently come as the Additional Judge, was at loggerheads with the Munsiff Nabagopal Babu when he was himself yet a Munsiff. He could not do anything then against Nabagopal Babu. But now sitting on the Judge's Bench, he, invariably and, as it were, in retaliation, decreed all appeals against Nabagopal Babu's judgments. That is why the poor Brahmin had lost the case. Harihar interrogated impatiently and eagerly, "Does no appeal lie to the High Court?" Basanta Babu said, "The Judge has left you no chance of success in the High Court too. He has discredited the evidence of your witness and put faith in that of the appellants. There will be no examination of witnesses before the High Court."
With tearful eyes the old man broke out,
"Oh what will become of me? I am undone!"
The Vakil rejoined:—"No help."
Next day Girish Babu came with a large retinue of underlings, solemnly took the dust of the Brahmin's feet, and, as he left, fetched a deep sigh, and said,—"Good Lord, thy will be done!"
SISTER NIVEDITA
By Mrs. J. C. Bose.
IT is just thirteen years that a young Englishwoman—a picture of health and vigour—with a face beaming with enthusiasm, called on me. She explained that her object was to serve our women—not as one from outside but as one from within, and that she must therefore live their life and be one of them. I could not help telling her of my misgivings knowing full well the almost insurmountable barrier that stood in her way.
It was not till a much later date, when I
