Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/107

68 robbery. Satrughna now forgave the robber, and dismissed him. He then returned home with the up-countryman, whom he had saved from the hands of the robber. He fed the wayfarer with kind care, and then let him go on his way.

Satrughna had once a painful, carbuncle, which required surgical operation. The surgeon in attendance was ready with chloroform for his inhalation to induce his insensibilty. But the patient very composedly said to the doctor:—'you need not apply chloroform; you may operate upon me, and take it for granted that I am insensible.' The surgeon threw aside the phial of chloroform and applied lancet. At the first attempt, the instrument broke in two, so tough was the patient's skin. The operation was carried through with a second instrument, and the patient bore it with perfect composure.

Such was Satrughna Bhattacharya, the father of the fair girl, Dinamayi, who was married to Isvar Chandra. But we have digressed too long, and it is now proper, that we should resume the thread of our narrative.

At the age of fifteen, Isvar Chandra entered the Rhetoric class. Premchand Tarkavagis was the teacher of this class. He was equally erudite in grammar, language, and rhetoric, and taught the three subjects equally well. Most of his pupils attained great proficiency in Sanskrit. Of all the Students of this class, Isvar Chandra was the