Page:Rabindranath Tagore - A Biographical Study.djvu/81

 ," which is in reality the sealing of the covenant, passes between the two. But when the revelation comes and Kanti is able to look on the bent and veiled head of his bride, he sees it is not the girl of the ducklings at all. It is in fact her elder sister.

At this moment when he and the bride are seated together after the lifting of the bridal veil, and he tries to reconcile himself to the situation and bear without resentment the gaieties of the bridal chamber, there is a stir among the guests, and the bride starts up from his side with a cry of alarm. A pet leveret runs across the floor, followed by the girl of the ducklings, who catches it and presses it to her cheek as she caresses it.

"That's the mad girl," the people whisper to each other, and the servants try to take her from the room. She pays no heed, however, and sits herself down before the bridal pair, scanning them with childlike ciuiosity. Thereupon Kanti asks her her name: she does not answer, only rocks her body to and fro, while some of the guests break out into laughter. Another question, in which he asks after her ducklings, is again without effect, save that the