Stories from Tagore
Stories from Tagore-3
Raicharan smiled faintly and said in reply: "I
want to make obeisance to my mistress."
Anukul went with Raicharan into the house,
where the mistress did not receive him as warmly
[Pg 62]
as his old master. Raicharan took no notice of this,
but folded his hands and said: "It was not the
Padma that stole your baby. It was I."
Anukul exclaimed: "Great God! Eh! What!
Where is he?"
Raicharan replied: "He is with me. I will
bring him the day after to-morrow."
It was Sunday. There was no magistrate's court
sitting. Both husband and wife were looking expectantly
along the road, waiting from early morning
for Raicharan's appearance. At ten o'clock he
came leading Phailna by the hand.
Anukul's wife, without a question, took the boy
into her lap and was wild with excitement, sometimes
laughing, sometimes weeping, touching him, kissing
his hair and his forehead, and gazing into his face
with hungry, eager eyes. The boy was very good-looking
and dressed like a gentleman's son. The
heart of Anukul brimmed over with a sudden rush
of affection.
Nevertheless the magistrate in him asked:
"Have you any proofs?"
Raicharan said: "How could there be any proof
of such a deed? God alone knows that I stole your
boy, and no one else in the world."
When Anukul saw how eagerly his wife was
clinging to the boy, he realised the futility of asking
[Pg 63]
for proofs. It would be wiser to believe. And
then,—where could an old man like Raicharan get
such a boy from? And why should his faithful servant
deceive him for nothing?
"But," he added severely, "Raicharan, you must
not stay here."
"Where shall I go, Master?" said Raicharan, in
a choking voice, folding his hands. "I am old.
Who will take in an old man as a servant?"
The mistress said: "Let him stay. My child
will be pleased. I forgive him."
But Anukul's magisterial conscience would not allow
him. "No," he said, "he cannot be forgiven
for what he has done."
Raicharan bowed to the ground and clasped Anukul's
feet. "Master," he cried, "let me stay. It
was not I who did it. It was God."
Anukul's conscience was more shocked than ever
when Raicharan tried to put the blame on God's
shoulders.
"No," he said, "I could not allow it. I cannot
trust you any more. You have done an act of
treachery."
Raicharan rose to his feet and said: "It was not
I who did it."
"Who was it then?" asked Anukul.
Raicharan replied: "It was my fate."
[Pg 64]
But no educated man could take this for an excuse.
Anukul remained obdurate.
When Phailna saw that he was the wealthy magistrate's
son, and not Raicharan's, he was angry at
first, thinking that he had been cheated all this time
of his birthright. But seeing Raicharan in distress,
he generously said to his father: "Father, forgive
him. Even if you don't let him live with us, let him
have a small monthly pension."
After hearing this, Raicharan did not utter another
word. He looked for the last time on the
face of his son. He made obeisance to his old master
and mistress. Then he went out and was mingled
with the numberless people of the world.
At the end of the month Anukul sent him some
money to his village. But the money came back.
There was no one there of the name of Raicharan.
WORDS TO BE STUDIED
judicial. From the Latin word "judex," a judge. Compare
judicious, judge, judgment, just.
compensate. From the Latin word "pensare," to weigh.
Compare dispense, dispensary, compensation. (This
must not be confused with the Latin word "pendere,"
to hang. Compare suspend, expend, depend.)
ecstasy. From two Greek words "ex" and "stasis,"
meaning standing outside oneself.
transferred. From the Latin word "ferre," to carry.
Compare offer, defer, confer, prefer, proffer, infer, conference,
fertile.
[Pg 65]
crumble. To break into crumbs or little pieces.
promoted. From the Latin word "movēre," to move.
Compare motive, motion, motor, promotion, commotion.
excited. From the Latin word "ciere," to set in motion.
Compare incite, excitement, exciting, cite.
lantern. A French word derived from the Greek "lampein,"
to shine. Compare, magic-lantern, lamp.
gipsy. Also spelt gypsy, from "Egyptian"; because the
gipsies were supposed to come from Egypt.
usurper. From the Latin word "usurpare." This word is
made up of "usus," use and "rapere," to snatch.
Compare use, usual, usufruct, rapid, rapt, rapture.
magisterial. From the Latin word "magister," a judge.
Compare magistrate, magistracy.
obdurate. From the Latin word "dūrus," hard. Compare
endure, endurance, obduracy.
[Pg 66]
[Pg 67]
MASTER MASHAI
[Pg 68]
[Pg 69]
V
MASTER MASHAI
I
Adhar Babu lives upon the interest of the capital
left him by his father. Only the brokers, negotiating
loans, come to his drawing room and smoke the
silver-chased hookah, and the clerks from the attorney's
office discuss the terms of some mortgage or
the amount of the stamp fees. He is so careful with
his money that even the most dogged efforts of the
boys from the local football club fail to make any
impression on his pocket.
At the time this story opens a new guest came
into his household. After a long period of despair,
his wife, Nanibala, bore him a son.
The child resembled his mother,—large eyes,
well-formed nose, and fair complexion. Ratikanta,
Adharlal's protégé, gave verdict,—"He is worthy of
this noble house." They named him Venugopal.
Never before had Adharlal's wife expressed any
opinion differing from her husband's on household
expenses. There had been a hot discussion now and
[Pg 70]
then about the propriety of some necessary item and
up to this time she had merely acknowledged defeat
with silent contempt. But now Adharlal could no
longer maintain his supremacy. He had to give way
little by little when things for his son were in question.
II
As Venugopal grew up, his father gradually became
accustomed to spending money on him. He
obtained an old teacher, who had a considerable repute
for his learning and also for his success in
dragging impassable boys through their examinations.
But such a training does not lead to the cultivation
of amiability. This man tried his best to
win the boy's heart, but the little that was left in
him of the natural milk of human kindness had
turned sour, and the child repulsed his advances from
the very beginning. The mother, in consequence,
objected to him strongly, and complained that the
very sight of him made her boy ill. So the teacher
left.
Just then, Haralal made his appearance with a dirty
dress and a torn pair of old canvas shoes. Haralal's
mother, who was a widow, had kept him with
great difficulty at a District school out of the scanty
earnings which she made by cooking in strange houses
[Pg 71]
and husking rice. He managed to pass the Matriculation
and determined to go to College. As a result
of his half-starved condition, his pinched face
tapered to a point in an unnatural manner,—like
Cape Comorin in the map of India; and the only
broad portion of it was his forehead, which resembled
the ranges of the Himalayas.
The servant asked Haralal what he wanted, and
he answered timidly that he wished to see the master.
The servant answered sharply: "You can't see
him." Haralal was hesitating, at a loss what to do
next, when Venugopal, who had finished his game in
the garden, suddenly came to the door. The servant
shouted at Haralal: "Get away." Quite unaccountably
Venugopal grew excited and cried: "No,
he shan't get away." And he dragged the stranger
to his father.
Adharlal had just risen from his mid-day sleep
and was sitting quietly on the upper verandah in his
cane chair, rocking his legs. Ratikanta was enjoying
his hookah, seated in a chair next to him. He asked
Haralal how far he had got in his reading. The
young man bent his head and answered that he had
passed the Matriculation. Ratikanta looked stern
and expressed surprise that he should be so backward
for his age. Haralal kept silence. It was Ratikanta's
[Pg 72]
special pleasure to torture his patron's dependants,
whether actual or potential.
Suddenly it struck Adharlal that he would be able
to employ this youth as a tutor for his son on next to
nothing. He agreed, there and then, to take him at
a salary of five rupees a month with board and lodging
free.
III
This time the post of tutor remained occupied
longer than before. From the very beginning of
their acquaintance Haralal and his pupil became
great friends. Never before did Haralal have such
an opportunity of loving any young human creature.
His mother had been so poor and dependent, that
he had never had the privilege of playing with the
children where she was employed at work. He had
not hitherto suspected the hidden stores of love
which lay all the while accumulating in his own
heart.
Venu, also, was glad to find a companion in Haralal.
He was the only boy in the house. His two
younger sisters were looked down upon, as unworthy
of being his playmates. So his new tutor became
his only companion, patiently bearing the undivided
weight of the tyranny of his child friend.
[Pg 73]
IV
Venu was now eleven. Haralal had passed his
Intermediate, winning a scholarship. He was working
hard for his B.A. degree. After College lectures
were over, he would take Venu out into the public
park and tell him stories about the heroes from
Greek History and Victor Hugo's romances. The
child used to get quite impatient to run to Haralal,
after school hours, in spite of his mother's attempts
to keep him by her side.
This displeased Nanibala. She thought that it
was a deep-laid plot of Haralal's to captivate her
boy, in order to prolong his own appointment. One
day she talked to him from behind the purdah: "It
is your duty to teach my son only for an hour or two
in the morning and evening. But why are you always
with him? The child has nearly forgotten his
own parents. You must understand that a man of
your position is no fit companion for a boy belonging
to this house."
Haralal's voice choked a little as he answered that
for the future he would merely be Venu's teacher and
would keep away from him at other times.
It was Haralal's usual practice to begin his College
study early before dawn. The child would
[Pg 74]
come to him directly after he had washed himself.
There was a small pool in the garden and they used
to feed the fish in it with puffed rice. Venu was also
engaged in building a miniature garden-house, at the
corner of the garden, with its liliputian gates and
hedges and gravel paths. When the sun became too
hot they would go back into the house, and Venu
would have his morning lesson from Haralal.
On the day in question Venu had risen earlier
than usual, because he wished to hear the end of the
story which Haralal had begun the evening before.
But he found his teacher absent. When asked about
him, the door-servant said that he had gone out. At
lesson time Venu remained unnaturally quiet. He
never even asked Haralal why he had gone out, but
went on mechanically with his lessons. When the
child was with his mother taking his breakfast, she
asked him what had happened to make him so
gloomy, and why he was not eating his food. Venu
gave no answer. After his meal his mother caressed
him and questioned him repeatedly. Venu burst out
crying and said,—"Master Mashai." His mother
asked Venu,—"What about Master Mashai?"
But Venu found it difficult to name the offence which
his teacher had committed.
His mother said to Venu: "Has your Master
Mashai been saying anything to you against me?"
[Pg 75]
Venu could not understand the question and went
away.
V
There was a theft in Adhar Babu's house. The
police were called in to investigate. Even Haralal's
trunks were searched. Ratikanta said with
meaning: "The man who steals anything, does not
keep his thefts in his own box."
Adharlal called his son's tutor and said to him:
"It will not be convenient for me to keep any of you
in my own house. From to-day you will have to
take up your quarters outside, only coming in to teach
my son at the proper time."
Ratikanta said sagely, drawing at his hookah:
"That is a good proposal,—good for both parties."
Haralal did not utter a word, but he sent a letter
saying that it would be no longer possible for him to
remain as tutor to Venu.
When Venu came back from school, he found his
tutor's room empty. Even that broken steel trunk
of his was absent. The rope was stretched across
the corner, but there were no clothes or towel hanging
on it. Only on the table, which formerly was
strewn with books and papers, stood a bowl containing
some gold-fish with a label on which was
written the word "Venu" in Haralal's hand-writing.
[Pg 76]
The boy ran up at once to his father and asked him
what had happened. His father told him that Haralal
had resigned his post. Venu went to his room
and flung himself down and began to cry. Adharlal
did not know what to do with him.
The next day, when Haralal was sitting on his
wooden bedstead in the Hostel, debating with himself
whether he should attend his college lectures,
suddenly he saw Adhar Babu's servant coming into
his room followed by Venu. Venu at once ran up
to him and threw his arms round his neck asking him
to come back to the house.
Haralal could not explain why it was absolutely
impossible for him to go back, but the memory of
those clinging arms and that pathetic request used to
choke his breath with emotion long after.
VI
Haralal found out, after this, that his mind was
in an unsettled state, and that he had but a small
chance of winning the scholarship, even if he could
pass the examination. At the same time, he knew
that, without the scholarship, he could not continue
his studies. So he tried to get employment in some
office.
Fortunately for him, an English Manager of a big
merchant firm took a fancy to him at first sight.
[Pg 77]
After only a brief exchange of words the Manager
asked him if he had any experience, and could he
bring any testimonial. Haralal could only answer
"No"; nevertheless a post was offered him of
twenty rupees a month and fifteen rupees were allowed
him in advance to help him to come properly
dressed to the office.
The Manager made Haralal work extremely hard.
He had to stay on after office hours and sometimes
go to his master's house late in the evening. But, in
this way, he learnt his work quicker than others, and
his fellow clerks became jealous of him and tried to
injure him, but without effect. He rented a small
house in a narrow lane and brought his mother to
live with him as soon as his salary was raised to forty
rupees a month. Thus happiness came back to his
mother after weary years of waiting.
Haralal's mother used to express a desire to see
Venugopal, of whom she had heard so much. She
wished to prepare some dishes with her own hand
and to ask him to come just once to dine with her son.
Haralal avoided the subject by saying that his house
was not big enough to invite him for that purpose.
VII
The news reached Haralal that Venu's mother had
died. He could not wait a moment, but went at once
[Pg 78]
to Adharlal's house to see Venu. After that they began
to see each other frequently.
But times had changed. Venu, stroking his budding
moustache, had grown quite a young man of
fashion. Friends, befitting his present condition,
were numerous. That old dilapidated study chair
and ink-stained desk had vanished, and the room
now seemed to be bursting with pride at its new
acquisitions,—its looking-glasses, oleographs, and
other furniture. Venu had entered college, but
showed no haste in crossing the boundary of the Intermediate
examination.
Haralal remembered his mother's request to invite
Venu to dinner. After great hesitation, he did so.
Venugopal, with his handsome face, at once won the
mother's heart. But as soon as ever the meal was
over he became impatient to go, and looking at his
gold watch he explained that he had pressing engagements
elsewhere. Then he jumped into his carriage,
which was waiting at the door, and drove away.
Haralal with a sigh said to himself that he would
never invite him again.
VIII
One day, on returning from office, Haralal noticed
the presence of a man in the dark room on the
ground floor of his house. Possibly he would have
[Pg 79]
passed him by, had not the heavy scent of some
foreign perfume attracted his attention. Haralal
asked who was there, and the answer came:
"It is I, Master Mashai."
"What is the matter, Venu?" said Haralal.
"When did you arrive?"
"I came hours ago," said Venu. "I did not
know that you returned so late."
They went upstairs together and Haralal lighted
the lamp and asked Venu whether all was well.
Venu replied that his college classes were becoming
a fearful bore, and his father did not realize how
dreadfully hard it was for him to go on in the same
class, year after year, with students much younger
than himself. Haralal asked him what he wished
to do. Venu then told him that he wanted to go to
England and become a barrister. He gave an instance
of a student, much less advanced than himself,
who was getting ready to go. Haralal asked him
if he had received his father's permission. Venu
replied that his father would not hear a word of it
until he had passed the Intermediate, and that was an
impossibility in his present frame of mind. Haralal
suggested that he himself should go and try to talk
over his father.
"No," said Venu, "I can never allow that!"
Haralal asked Venu to stay for dinner and while
[Pg 80]
they were waiting he gently placed his hand on
Venu's shoulder and said:
"Venu, you should not quarrel with your father,
or leave home."
Venu jumped up angrily and said that if he was
not welcome, he could go elsewhere. Haralal
caught him by the hand and implored him not to go
away without taking his food. But Venu snatched
away his hand and was just leaving the room when
Haralal's mother brought the food in on a tray. On
seeing Venu about to leave she pressed him to remain
and he did so with bad grace.
While he was eating the sound of a carriage
stopping at the door was heard. First a servant
entered the room with creaking shoes and then
Adhar Babu himself. Venu's face became pale.
The mother left the room as soon as she saw strangers
enter. Adhar Babu called out to Haralal in a
voice thick with anger:
"Ratikanta gave me full warning, but I could not
believe that you had such devilish cunning hidden in
you. So, you think you're going to live upon Venu?
This is sheer kidnapping, and I shall prosecute you
in the Police Court."
Venu silently followed his father and went out of
the house.
[Pg 81]
IX
The firm to which Haralal belonged began to buy
up large quantities of rice and dhal from the country
districts. To pay for this, Haralal had to take the
cash every Saturday morning by the early train and
disburse it. There were special centres where the
brokers and middlemen would come with their receipts
and accounts for settlement. Some discussion
had taken place in the office about Haralal being entrusted
with this work, without any security, but the
Manager undertook all the responsibility and said
that a security was not needed. This special work
used to go on from the middle of December to the
middle of April. Haralal would get back from it
very late at night.
One day, after his return, he was told by his
mother that Venu had called and that she had persuaded
him to take his dinner at their house. This
happened more than once. The mother said that
it was because Venu missed his own mother, and
the tears came into her eyes as she spoke about it.
One day Venu waited for Haralal to return and
had a long talk with him.
"Master Mashai!" he said. "Father has become
so cantankerous of late that I cannot live with
him any longer. And, besides, I know that he is
[Pg 82]
getting ready to marry again. Ratikanta is seeking
a suitable match, and they are always conspiring
about it. There used to be a time when my father
would get anxious, if I were absent from home even
for a few hours. Now, if I am away for more than
a week, he takes no notice,—indeed he is greatly relieved.
If this marriage takes place, I feel that I
cannot live in the house any longer. You must show
me a way out of this. I want to become independent."
Haralal felt deeply pained, but he did not know
how to help his former pupil. Venu said that he
was determined to go to England and become a barrister.
Somehow or other he must get the passage
money out of his father: he could borrow it on a
note of hand and his father would have to pay when
the creditors filed a suit. With this borrowed money
he would get away, and when he was in England his
father was certain to remit his expenses.
"But who is there," Haralal asked, "who would
advance you the money?"
"You!" said Venu.
"I!" exclaimed Haralal in amazement.
"Yes," said Venu, "I've seen the servant bringing
heaps of money here in bags."
"The servant and the money belong to someone
else."
[Pg 83]
Haralal explained why the money came to his
house at night, like birds to their nest, to be scattered
next morning.
"But can't the Manager advance the sum?" Venu
asked.
"He may do so," said Haralal, "if your father
stands security."
The discussion ended at this point.
X
One Friday night a carriage and pair stopped
before Haralal's lodging house. When Venu was
announced Haralal was counting money in his bedroom,
seated on the floor. Venu entered the room
dressed in a strange manner. He had discarded his
Bengali dress and was wearing a Parsee coat and
trousers and had a cap on his head. Rings were
prominent on almost all the fingers of both hands,
and a thick gold chain was hanging round his neck:
there was a gold-watch in his pocket, and diamond
studs could be seen peeping from his shirt sleeves.
Haralal at once asked him what was the matter and
why he was wearing that dress.
"My father's marriage," said Venu, "comes off
to-morrow. He tried hard to keep it from me, but
I found it out. I asked him to allow me to go to
our garden-house at Barrackpur for a few days, and
[Pg 84]
he was only too glad to get rid of me so easily. I
am going there, and I wish to God I had never to
come back."
Haralal looked pointedly at the rings on his fingers.
Venu explained that they had belonged to his mother.
Haralal then asked him if he had already had his
dinner. He answered, "Yes, haven't you had
yours?"
"No," said Haralal, "I cannot leave this room
until I have all the money safely locked up in this
iron chest."
"Go and take your dinner," said Venu, "while I
keep guard here: your mother will be waiting for
you."
For a moment Haralal hesitated, and then he went
out and had his dinner. In a short time he came
back with his mother and the three of them sat among
the bags of money talking together. When it was
about midnight, Venu took out his watch and looked
at it and jumped up saying that he would miss his
train. Then he asked Haralal to keep all his rings
and his watch and chain until he asked for them
again. Haralal put them all together in a leather
bag and laid it in the iron safe. Venu went out.
The canvas bags containing the currency notes had
already been placed in the safe: only the loose coins
[Pg 85]
remained to be counted over and put away with the
rest.
XI
Haralal lay down on the floor of the same room,
with the key under his pillow, and went to sleep. He
dreamt that Venu's mother was loudly reproaching
him from behind the curtain. Her words were indistinct,
but rays of different colours from the jewels
on her body kept piercing the curtain like needles and
violently vibrating. Haralal struggled to call
Venu, but his voice seemed to forsake him. At last,
with a noise, the curtain fell down. Haralal started
up from his sleep and found darkness piled up round
about him. A sudden gust of wind had flung open
the window and put out the light. Haralal's whole
body was wet with perspiration. He relighted the
lamp and saw, by the clock, that it was four in the
morning. There was no time to sleep again; for he
had to get ready to start.
After Haralal had washed his face and hands his
mother called from her own room,—"Baba, why
are you up so soon?"
It was the habit of Haralal to see his mother's face
the first thing in the morning in order to bring a
blessing upon the day. His mother said to him:
[Pg 86]
"I was dreaming that you were going out to bring
back a bride for yourself." Haralal went to his
own bedroom and began to take out the bags containing
the silver and the currency notes.
Suddenly his heart stopped beating. Three of the
bags appeared to be empty. He knocked them
against the iron safe, but this only proved his fear
to be true. He opened them and shook them with
all his might. Two letters from Venu dropped out
from one of the bags. One was addressed to his
father and one to Haralal.
Haralal tore open his own letter and began reading.
The words seemed to run into one another.
He trimmed the lamp, but felt as if he could not
understand what he read. Yet the purport of the
letter was clear. Venu had taken three thousand
rupees, in currency notes, and had started for
England. The steamer was to sail before day-break
that very morning. The letter ended with the
words: "I am explaining everything in a letter to
my father. He will pay off the debt; and then,
again, my mother's ornaments, which I have left in
your care, will more than cover the amount I have
taken."
Haralal locked up his room and hired a carriage
and went with all haste to the jetty. But he did not
know even the name of the steamer which Venu had
[Pg 87]
taken. He ran the whole length of the wharves
from Prinsep's Ghat to Metiaburuj. He found
that two steamers had started on their voyage to
England early that morning. It was impossible for
him to know which of them carried Venu, or how to
reach him.
When Haralal got home, the sun was strong and
the whole of Calcutta was awake. Everything before
his eyes seemed blurred. He felt as if he were
pushing against a fearful obstacle which was bodiless
and without pity. His mother came on the
verandah to ask him anxiously where he had gone.
With a dry laugh he said to her,—"To bring home
a bride for myself," and then he fainted away.
On opening his eyes after a while, Haralal asked
his mother to leave him. Entering his room he
shut the door from the inside while his mother remained
seated on the floor of the verandah in the
fierce glare of the sun. She kept calling to him fitfully,
almost mechanically,—"Baba, Baba!"
The servant came from the Manager's office and
knocked at the door, saying that they would miss the
train if they did not start out at once. Haralal
called from inside, "It will not be possible for me
to start this morning."
"Then where are we to go, Sir?"
"I will tell you later on."
[Pg 88]
The servant went downstairs with a gesture of
impatience.
Suddenly Haralal thought of the ornaments which
Venu had left behind. Up till now he had completely
forgotten about them, but with the thought
came instant relief. He took the leather bag containing
them, and also Venu's letter to his father,
and left the house.
Before he reached Adharlal's house he could hear
the bands playing for the wedding, yet on entering
he could feel that there had been some disturbance.
Haralal was told that there had been a theft the
night before and one or two servants were suspected.
Adhar Babu was sitting in the upper verandah
flushed with anger and Ratikanta was smoking his
hookah. Haralal said to Adhar Babu, "I have
something private to tell you." Adharlal flared up,
"I have no time now!" He was afraid that
Haralal had come to borrow money or to ask his
help. Ratikanta suggested that if there was any
delicacy in making the request in his presence he
would leave the place. Adharlal told him angrily to
sit where he was. Then Haralal handed over the
bag which Venu had left behind. Adharlal asked
what was inside it and Haralal opened it and gave
the contents into his hands.
Then Adhar Babu said with a sneer: "It's a
[Pg 89]
paying business that you two have started—you
and your former pupil! You were certain that the
stolen property would be traced, and so you come
along with it to me to claim a reward!"
Haralal presented the letter which Venu had
written to his father. This only made Adharlal all
the more furious.
"What's all this?" he shouted, "I'll call for the
police! My son has not yet come of age,—and
you have smuggled him out of the country! I'll bet
my soul you've lent him a few hundred rupees, and
then taken a note of hand for three thousand! But
I am not going to be bound by this!"
"I never advanced him any money at all," said
Haralal.
"Then how did he find it?" said Adharlal, "Do
you mean to tell me he broke open your safe and
stole it?"
Haralal stood silent.
Ratikanta sarcastically remarked: "I don't
believe this fellow ever set hands on as much as three
thousand rupees in his life."
When Haralal left the house he seemed to have
lost the power of dreading anything, or even of being
anxious. His mind seemed to refuse to work.
Directly he entered the lane he saw a carriage waiting
before his own lodging. For a moment he felt
[Pg 90]
certain that it was Venu's. It was impossible to
believe that his calamity could be so hopelessly final.
Haralal went up quickly, but found an English
assistant from the firm sitting inside the carriage.
The man came out when he saw Haralal and took
him by the hand and asked him: "Why didn't you
go out by train this morning?" The servant had
told the Manager his suspicions and he had sent this
man to find out.
Haralal answered: "Notes to the amount of
three thousand rupees are missing."
The man asked how that could have happened.
Haralal remained silent.
The man said to Haralal: "Let us go upstairs
together and see where you keep your money."
They went up to the room and counted the money
and made a thorough search of the house.
When the mother saw this she could not contain
herself any longer. She came out before the
stranger and said: "Baba, what has happened?"
He answered in broken Hindustani that some money
had been stolen.
"Stolen!" the mother cried, "Why! How
could it be stolen? Who could do such a dastardly
thing?" Haralal said to her: "Mother, don't
say a word."
The man collected the remainder of the money and
[Pg 91]
told Haralal to come with him to the Manager.
The mother barred the way and said:
"Sir, where are you taking my son? I have
brought him up, starving and straining to do honest
work. My son would never touch money belonging
to others."
The Englishman, not knowing Bengali, said,
"Achcha! Achcha!" Haralal told his mother
not to be anxious; he would explain it all to the
Manager and soon be back again. The mother entreated
him, with a distressed voice,