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Srikanta Indra. As he went out of the court-yard, Indra shouted, 'What decency or religion could you expect of a Hindu woman who has left her home to live with a Musalman? You can go to the devil; I won't have anything more to do with you. I have washed my hands of your affairs once for all, rascally cheats that you are!' and he hurried swiftly across the stretch of jungle.

When we had taken our seats in the canoe, Indra began to row in silence, and at times he wiped his eyes with his hands. I could see that he was crying, and asked no questions.

We returned past the cremation-ground and were following the way we had gone on the first day, but no fear entered my mind this time. I was so bewildered and distracted that the thought of how I should enter our house at that hour of the night or what fate awaited me later never occurred to me.

When we arrived at the landing-ghat the night was almost over. As I got down from the canoe, Indra said, 'Go home, Srikanta; you are unlucky. Whenever I have brought you with me some beastly trouble or other has arisen. I won't ever call you to help me in anything again: and don't you ever come near me again. Go!' He pushed the canoe back into the deep water and disappeared out of sight. Surprised and pained, I stood in silence on the deserted bank of the river.