Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/209

Rh On the day following your departure for Calcutta, I arrived in the course of business at the village of Chandbari. I first paid my respects to your friend Babu Bhudharnath Chatterji. He is a very nice gentleman. He gave me the most cordial welcome, to the extent that I am staying as a guest in his house.

When my arrival was known, some gentlemen from the village came to see me, and one of them, an elderly person, took me aside and said, "Young gentleman, I hear that you are prepared to marry this Bhudhar Chatterji's daughter."

I replied politely that it was not I, but my honoured father who cherished that desire. At this the gentleman was taken aback. He evidently thought I was making fun of him. So I explained. Whereupon the gentleman said—"That would be ruin. You must not let your father do this. The caste of the girl is not known. She is a foundling. Thirteen or fourteen years ago when the great Varuni Festival was held at Triveni, there was an immense assemblage of people. Having gone there with his family to bathe in the Ganges, Chatterji picked up this little girl. She was then about two years old. Being himself childless, Chatterji brought up the girl as his daughter. Many times arrangements were made to marry her; but lest some good Kulin should incur loss