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176 saw him and said smiling : " Well, Gossain, it comes to this then that one Child does not trust another ? " Mahendra said, " Was Bhavananda Thakur worthy of trust ? " Nabinananda turned her eyes as she said, " But did Kalyani touch him or unfasten the tiger-skin from his breast ?" He caught hold of Kalyani's hand and pre- vented her from doing it any longer. " What of that ? " Mahendra asked. " Well, you may suspect me, but how could you sus- pect Kalyani ? " asked Nabinananda. Mahendra was confounded at this and said : " Why, how does it appear that I suspect her ? " " Then why have you followed me at my heels to the zenana ? " " Oh ! I came because I wanted to have a word with Kalyani." " Then you may go now, I too have got something to say to Kalyani. You just go away and let me have my say first. It is your own house, you may always come and go. It is with difficulty that I have come once." " Mahendra looked very foolish. He could not understand anything. These were not words that a guilty man could speak. Kalyani too behaved curiously. She did not fly away or get afraid nor did she look ashamed like an unfaithful wife ; — on the contrary she smiled softly. And, indeed, Kalyani, who so easily took poison for him, — could she be unfaithful ? Mahendra was turning all this, in her mind when the wretch of a Santi,