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102 intercept and plunder the English provisions wherever I should ﬁnd them; I could take to pillage wherever I should come across English goods on their way. If I could do this even, I should have helped the Nawab considerably. Victory in open ﬁght is only a common way of destroying the enemy. To harass the enemy in the rear and to bring about a scarcity of provisions are the chief ways. I will do that as far as possible.”

“Why should I do all this?” be ﬁnally asked himself.

“Yes, I must do it, there are various reasons for it. In the ﬁrst place, the English have been the ruin of Chandrashekhar; secondly, Shaibalini is dead; thirdly they kept me in durance; fourthly, they have done similar injury to others and are likely to do it over again; lastly, if I could render this service, the Nawab might reward me with a few big districts for my trouble. Therefore, I must do it,” was the ﬁnal conclusion.

By currying favour with the ministers he managed to procure an interview with the Nawab What passed between him and the latter, did not transpire. The interview over, he started for home.

On Protap’s return after a prolonged absence, Rupasi was relieved of a terrible anxiety, but she was grieved at the news of Shaibalini’s death. Sundari came to see him as soon as she heard of his return. She was extremely pained at the news of Shaibalini’s demise and said, “The inevitable has come to pass, but Shaibalini’s troubles are now over. How can I persuade myself to believe that after all death has not been better for her than life?”

After his meeting with Rupasi and Sundari, Protap again left home. Soon the whole country-side rang with the news that all the clubmen and bandits from Katwa