Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/204

192 village he was esteemed a learned man. His face was handsome and set off by fine hair. After the death of his wife he published a book of fragmentary poems entitled "Sorrowful Tears of a Broken Heart." Whenever the subject of marriage had been introduced, he had replied to it with great contempt. He was honoured amongst his friends as a faithful lover of his departed wife. There was no hope of its being possible to reconcile him to the proposed marriage. This is why Srinibash anticipated difficulties.

The old man replied—"Do all you can to persuade him into this marriage. Otherwise at my age I shall not be able to bear the loss of these jewels. I shall die of it. Tell him if he does not consent, he will be guilty of the sin of parricide."

Annada's four brothers seized hold of him and kept him in their midst. The whole day they plied him with persuasions, arguments, entreaty, anger, but nothing moved him. His relatives flattered his more intimate friends into using their influence in the same direction. The different arguments against a second marriage advanced by Annada, his friends discussed and demolished one by one as occasion served. And when, leaving aside the practical view of it, he referred to sentiment, they heaped up countless instances of desolate widowers contracting a second marriage.