his sisters-in-law,—especially as the eldest one was so pretty. Her honey was no less than her thorns—and Navendu's mind felt the exhilaration of the one and the stings of the other, simultaneously. The butterfly with its wings bruised buzzes round the flower in blind fury, unable to depart.
The society of his sisters-in-law so infatuated him that at last Navendu began to disavow his craving for European favours. On occasions when he went to salaam the Burra Sahib, he used to pretend that he was off to listen to a speech by Mr. Surendranath Banerjea. When going to the railway station to pay respects to the Chota Sahib returning from Darjeeling, he would tell his sisters-in-law that his youngest uncle was expected.
It was a sore trial to the unfortunate man placed between the cross-fires of his Sahibs and his sisters-in-law. The latter however secretly vowed that they would not rest till the former had been put to rout.
About this time it was rumoured that Navendu's name would be included in the forth-coming list of Birthday honours and that he would mount the first step of the ladder to Paradise by becoming a Rai Bahadur. But the poor fellow had not the courage to break the news, so overwhelmingly joyful, to his sisters-in-law. One evening, however, when the autumn moon was flooding the earth with its mischievous beams, Navendu's heart was so full that he could not contain himself any longer and told his wife. The next day Mrs. Navendu betook herself to her eldest sister's house in a palanquin and in a voice choked in tears, bewailed her lot.
"He isn't going to grow a tail"—said Labanya—"by becoming a Rai Bahadur—is he? Why should you feel so very humiliated?"
"Oh no, sissy dear"—said Arunlekha repeatedly—"I am prepared to be anything—but not a Rai-Bahadurni." The fact was that amongst her circle of acquaintances there was one Bhutnath Babu who was a Rai Bahadur—and that explained her intense aversion to that title.
Labanya said to her sister in soothing tones—"Don't you be upset about it, dear—I will see what I can do to prevent it."
Babu Nilratan,—the husband of Labanya—was a pleader at Buxar. When the autumn was over, Navendu received an invitation from Labanya to pay them a visit there. Before long he started for that place greatly pleased.
The early winter of the western province endowed Labanyalekha with new health and beauty and brought a glowing colour to her pale cheeks. She looked like the flower-laden kasa reeds on a clear autumn day, growing by the lonely bank of a rivulet. To Navendu's enchanted eyes she appeared like a malati plant in full blossom showering dew-drops resplendent with the morning light.
Navendu never felt better in his life before. The exhilaration of his own health and the genial company of his pretty sister-in-law made him feel as though he was light enough to tread on the air. The Ganges in front of their garden seemed to him to be flowing with an incessant noise to regions unknown, as though giving shape to his own wild fantasies.
When returning after his early morning constitutional on the bank of the river, the mellow rays of the winter sun gave his whole frame that pleasing sensation of warmth which lovers feel in each other's arms. Coming home he would occasionally find his sister-in-law amusing herself by cooking some dishes. He would offer his co-operation displaying his want of skill and ignorance at every step. But Navendu did not appear to be at all anxious to improve himself by practice and attention. On the contrary he seemed to thoroughly enjoy the rebukes he received from his sister-in-law. He was at great pains to demonstrate every day that he was inefficient and helpless as a new-born babe in the matter of mixing spices in proportion, handling the sauce-pan and regulating the heat so as to prevent things getting burnt—and he was duly rewarded with pitiful smiles and scoldings.
In the middle of the day, he did ample justice to the excellent viands set before him, driven on by his keen appetite and the coaxing of his sister-in-law. Later on, he would sit down to a game of cards—at which even, he betrayed the same lack of ability. He would cheat, pry into his adversary's hand, start quarrels—but never could he win a single rubber, and worse still, he would not acknowledge his defeat. This
