Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/187

Rh world. This was now five or six months ago. Five years before, in gala dress and accompanied by a troop of musicians, Sitanath had conveyed the young bridegroom in a palanquin along this road. These memories gave his countenance a slightly saddened look.

It did not take long to reach Banerji's house. The reception-room was opened and Sitanath took a seat there. The marks of Basudhárâ made on the wall at the time of his son's wedding were visible. His son's father-in-law, Hrishi Kesh, had been at that period a very prosperous man. He had spent 3,000 Rupees on the marriage of his daughter. He was engaged in the grain exporting business. During the five years that had since elapsed, loss followed upon loss, until now he was not merely ruined but involved in debt. The marks on the wall of the reception-room, which had not once been white-washed since the wedding, though a common enough sight, indicated his embarrassed condition.

A servant lad mending the garden fence, cast sideway glances at Sitanath sitting in the reception-room. The latter htcaught [sic] sight of the caugboyboy [sic] and said—"Oh, you,—inform your master that Sitanath Mukerji of Nobogram has arrived."

The lad, not vouchsafing a word in reply to this injunction, looked silently at the new arrival.