Page:Durgesa Nandini.djvu/125

 and anon longed to kiss your cheeks? Why are your eyes swollen? Ah! where that side-glance? Wherefore is this wound in your forehead? Who has drawn the blood there?

All this has but one answer: Bimala is a widow now. She was waiting for Osman.

Osman was a person of whom the Pathans might justly be proud. He had entered war as a profession and accordingly did not hesitate to do any thing which promised to bring martial success. But when the exigencies of war were at an end, he never allowed the least unnecessary outrage to be committed on the vanquished. Had not Katlu Khan himself reduced Bimala and Tilottama to that pass, they would never have been captives through Osman's hands. It was through his kindness that Bimala succeeded in seeing her husband before his death. When afterwards Osman came to learn that she was the wife of Virendra Singha, his kind heart at once melted. He was the nephew of Katlu Khan; and had leave to go everywhere in tho inner apartments. This has already been seen. But the threshold of Kutlu's seraglio none could cross—not even his own sons—not even Osman. But he was the right hand of Katlu. It was owing to his strength of arms that Katlu Khan had advanced so far as the shores of the Amodara. Consequently the inmates obeyed Osman even as they did Katlu himself; and it was for this that none hindered Bimala from seeing her husband that morning before his execution.

Two days after this, she gave her remaining ornaments to the maid-servant appointed to serve her. "What's your will, Madam," asked the woman.

"Pray, do you go to Osman, as you did yesterday," said Bimala. "Tell him that I beg him to see me once more.