Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/356

 320 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap, — and regret the sad tale of the miseries endured | 1 by Khullana in his absence. Being now convinced. of her husband’s affection, Khullang willingly | forgave the wickedness of the co-wife and gave — free expression to the sweetness of her own feeling, _ while Dhanapati bitterly repented having left her in the care of so dangerous a woman as Lahana. Next day Khullang§ was asked by Dhanapati to provide a banquet for some friends whom he had invited; and Lahana’s anger knew no bounds at being thus passed over in her own house. The in- vited guests thoroughly enjoyed the viands prepar- ed for them by Khullana, and lavished praise on her skilful cooking. This further wounded the feelings of Lahana, who had eaten nothing the whole day. In the evening, however, Khullana went to her and The 5 fell at her feet, asking forgiveness for any unknown ecome ] এ friendly offence she might have given her, and matters were ee mended by this kindly act. The The poets here introduce an episode describing ঘা (০ 5770 09161000109 01 07০ father of Dhanapati, in clansmen. which all his caste-men were invited to his house ; there a dispute arose as to which of them should receive precedence as the head-Kulin in that assemb- ly. Dhanapati himself assigned the preference to Chand the merchant, but at this, the argument wax- ed so hot that many of the host’s clansmen for- sook him. At this stage some wicked men present in the meeting, who wanted to lower Dhanapati in the estimation of all, seemed to cast a slur on the honour of his family by their insinuations against Khullana’s character, as she had been, for a period, deprived of the protection of Zenana-life,