Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/161

Rh her, a state visit of inspection becomes necessary. So in an hour indicated as auspicious, Bijai Mitra went with a number of his friends to visit the maiden. Ghosh Mahashoi welcomed them very graciously; but when the matter of dowry came to be discussed, he was unwilling to go beyond a thousand rupees. The friends of the young man could not restrain a smile at the absurdity of the proposal. They said—"Why, the father of a lad who had just passed the Entrance and was reading for the F.A. would demand as much as a thousand rupees, and what would he be worth? He would be lucky if he obtained a post at Rs. 15 a month."

The girl's friends replied—"Ah! that is quite a separate matter. He is being educated. He is a fish of the sea, to what size he would grow we do not know yet. Perhaps he may one day be a judge of the High Court. But for one who has already entered service, the prospects have become limited to a certain extent, you admit that, don't you?"

In this sort of discussion Ghosh Mahashoi rose gradually to two thousand rupees. The others said—"A thousand in ornaments and gifts to the value of another thousand; else we cannot entertain the proposal." To which Ghosh Mahashoi replied that he would consider the matter and