Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/71

34 aspire to that, as he was getting a pay of only ten rupees a month, out of which he would have to pay a school-fee of five rupees every month, if he sent his son to the Hindu College. Thakurdas replied that he would somehow or other manage to defray his household expenses at five rupees. Thakurdas's mind was then full of aspirations, and was animated with the ardour of giving his son a decent education. He called to mind his little son's extraordinary talents, and, encouraged with the prospects of Isvar Chandra's future greatness, wholly lost sight of his pecuniary difficulties.

Although he had resolved to send his son immediately to the Hindu College, Thakurdas could not carry out the project for three succeeding months. These three months Isvar Chandra devoted in obtaining a little more preliminary instruction in a neighbouring vernacular pathsala under the tuition of a veteran teacher, Svarup Chandra Das, of whom Vidyasagar thus speaks in his autobiography:—The teacher of the pathsala, Svarup Chandra Das was perhaps more skilful in the art of teaching than my former teacher, Kalikanta'.

Isvar Chandra must have considered himself very fortunate in finding shelter with Babu Jagaddurlabh Singha, whose kindness of heart was equal to his means. Not only did he give the boy and his father shelter, but he provided them also with food and clothing, and treated them most kindly and affectionately. The female members of his