Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/109

Rh "The Doctor's sons? Which Doctor?"

"Hara Govind,"—replied the Daroga impatiently.—"Hara Govind, who else?—The man who eats the salt of the Government and is faithless to it."

"I am afraid I don't know their names,"—the Head Constable ventured to reply.

"Will you get me their names quickly?"

"Yes, I will. What's the matter with them?"

"Oh, don't stand there bandying words with me. Go."

The Head Constable disappeared. The Daroga then paced the verandah of the thana like a tiger in fury and began to murmur.—

"What!—He dares insult the Daroga himself? Get his servant to kick me out of the house? What does Hara Govind fancy himself to be, I wonder! I will get both his sons arrested before they are an hour older—yes, I will. But that won't satisfy me at all. I will crush the Doctor under my heels—see if I don't. I will get up a case against him—a very serious criminal charge—take my word for it. What shall it be? Yes—he receives stolen property. Thieves come to his house at night and dispose of their booty to him at half price and quarter price. I will search his house and discover heaps of stolen property. I know how it is done—nothing easier. But—but—would the Deputy Magistrate believe