Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/164

152 devoid of ornaments, so he was obliged to supply some. Then he had to give the cash also. In the end the cost amounted to three thousand rupees. The marriage was carried out with great pomp. The bride's name was Sarat Kumari.

 

Binod's sister-in-law said to the mother of the newly-made bride—"It will take time to make the ornaments, so we cannot send the bride home to you in less than a fortnight."

The mother answered—"That will be all right. You are quite near, and I will send a palanquin now and then to bring her over for a few hours; this will suffice for the time." A young lady who was standing by remarked—"Nowadays, brides don't weep as they did formerly when going to the mother-in-law's house. In a couple of days they become chums with their husbands."

A week passed after the wedding, yet Binod said no word of going to Calcutta. Jesting relatives began to wink, and say—"One bunch before