Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/186

174 After some further haggling the old man threw down four more pice. Then looking carefully all round he said in a low voice to the boatman—"If any one asks you what has brought you here, say—'Our Thakur has come hither to arrange a wedding.'" Then the old man ascended slowly to the road and made his way at the same pace to his destination. People entering the village shops, stood for a moment gazing curiously at the unknown figure, and then went about their business.

The old man was named Sitanath Mukerji. He lived at Nobogram. Sitting down early in the morning to write, one knows not what Fate has in store. No one in Nobogram ever uttered the old man's name until after breaking his fast. His character for miserliness was widely known.

At Motigunj lived the father-in-law of SitaNath's son. Five years earlier the daughter of Hrishikesh Banerji had been married to Sriman Annada Charan, the youngest son of Sitanath Mukerji. After a time the daughter-in-law having reason to expect an infant was taken to her father's house. She gave birth to a daughter and left this