Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/147

Rh and to discover a nameless person from amongst their midst was entirely hopeless."

"They did find me out, however, and gave me so much trouble that I had to pay down two hundred rupees to free myself from their clutches."

"So, this has been your reward for making friends with us! I am so sorry."

A silence followed. The lady then asked—

"When does your husband come home?"

"At nightfall."

Clouds began to gather in the sky. The sunlight faded away. Looking outside, the Benares lady softly said—"I hope it is not going to rain."

"What does it matter?"—said Maloti.

"I must be off to-day."

"What! To-day?"

The lips of the lady betrayed a momentary smile. "You silly girl,"—she said—"your husband suspects me to be a robber and you desire that I should be your guest? I must return by the two-thirty train to-day. Many belonging to our nunnery are going on a pilgrimage to Puri. We all start to-morrow."

"Would you be away long?"

"Why do you ask? Would we meet again when I return?"—said the lady, her eyes dimmed with tears.