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Rh notice of his entrance. Her face was still partly covered with her cloth, her back was turned towards her husband and the work of strewing the floor with little boxes of cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, almonds, went on bravely progressing. After waiting for a few moments in silence, Mathur observed, "What is the matter now? Some storm brewing I suppose?"

Champak answered not, but went on strewing the floor with kautas after kautas.

"Aha, I see it," said Mathur, "now tell me for what offence I have to pay the penalty.”

But still Champak did not reply. She now began to gather up the kautas as if she had found what she sought, and having replaced them in the box and locked them up she turned towards the door to go out.

"That won't do, my life!" said Mathur as he arrested her progress by catching her by the arm, "this cursed ghomta has no business here" and he pushed back the cloth from her face.

"Why do you detain me?" asked Champak, casting on him a look of high displeasure.

"Tell me, my life, what have I done that you wear this look?"

"Let me go," she said, though of course no entreaty was needed to obtain her release as her husband held her arm by a light and loving grasp, and she could have had her pleasure if only she were so minded, "Let me go, I have business."

"You have business, my lily-face? What can this business be?" enquired Mathur, laughing.