Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/47

Rh be followed everywhere." The Anglo-Indian papers greatly sympathised with Subodh and wanted to know why the Government could not protect its loyal subjects from outrage at the hands of seditionists.

A week elapsed. Subodh sent in his application to Shillong praying to be provided with a Deputy Collectorship. He mentioned that he had been boycotted not only in social matters but professionally also and had thus been deprived of the means of his livelihood.

A fortnight passed—no news from Shillong. Subodh began to get a little nervous about it. The Government, he thought, was not to be hoodwinked,—no Deputy Collectorship for him—and his chances at the bar gone for ever too.

Sunday came round. Subodh finished his cup of tea sweetened with goor and abandoned himself to his hooka and vain regrets. He was thinking of the worldly wisdom contained in the fable of the dog and the shadow, when suddenly Jagat made his appearance with a smile on his lips and a newspaper in his hand. Subodh was astonished to see him throw prudence to the winds and come in this open manner.

"Hallo, Jagat,—is that the Bengalee?"

"No, it is the Englishman."