Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/80

68 to the winds?—Merely for a handful of silver;—merely from the belief that the handful of silver would be imperilled if he displeased the power that be. Time was when half-educated Deputy Magistrates used to accept bribes from those litigating in their Courts.—They were not very much to blame, poor devils, for they knew no better. But Nagendra Babu, one of the most brilliant products of the University—has he not swerved from the strict path of justice, allured by an increment of fifty rupees a month to his salary? Was this not accepting bribe in a sense? What had he to plead in extenuation of his transgression?—Nothing, nothing whatever.

Such were the thoughts in which Nagendra Babu indulged. When he could bear them no longer, he decided to go out for a stroll. Taking his chudder and his stick, he left the house and walked about only such streets as were dark and unfrequented. He dreaded a chance meeting with any of his acquaintances.

He retired to rest at the usual hour, but had little or no sleep. The next day was a holiday—so he decided to go out on tour in the mofussil. The servants were busy making preparations for the journey. Nagendra Babu sat in his bedroom, with a book in his hand though scarcely reading it, when Charusila entered.