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150 send them word. Approving of this decision, the young man's friends enjoyed a final smoke and went their way home.

The next day news came that Ghosh Mahashoi had with much difficulty raised his offer to two thousand five hundred rupees. If they were content with that, well; otherwise negotiations must cease. Bijai Mitra sent an answer saying that money was a matter of small value; a good connexion much more to be desired. And his desire for connexion with Ghosh Mahashoi was such that he agreed to let the dowry stand at two thousand and five hundred rupees. And now the day might be fixed upon.

There was no difficulty in satisfying Binod; but when he heard of the thousand rupees' worth of ornaments he began to grumble—"What sort of ornaments can one obtain for a thousand rupees, Bou Didi? The bracelets I had made for you cost over two hundred and fifty rupees. You can't get a decent set of ornaments for a thousand rupees."

"Of course you can't. They will serve the present purpose and you can change them afterwards when you have saved the money."

Binod meditated for a while, then said—"See, sister-in-law, let us manage this way. Tell those people not to have the ornaments made, but to