Page:Tales of Bengal (S. B. Banerjea).djvu/112

76 another in Barabazar, letting at Rs. 3,000. Just calculate what this property must be worth. If I doubted Gopál's solvency, do you suppose I would have lent him Rs. 20,000 on his note of hand?"

Shám Babu was quite reassured. He came to the conclusion that Rámanáth had attempted to injure his own brother, and returned home with a firm resolve to disregard such scandalous talk in future.

About three months afterwards he met Rámanáth Babu quite casually in Harrison Road and, in the course of conversation, the latter asked whether he had called in his loan to Gopál.

"I have done nothing of the kind," was the curt reply. "My brother-in-law tells me that he is quite solvent."

"It was just like him to say so—the selfish fellow! I am sorry to say that my brother has lost heavily by speculating in jute and is, in fact, a ruined man. If you don't believe me, ask Hari Babu again and you will see what tune he sings. Perhaps you don't know that he has called in his loan of Rs. 20,000?"

"That is certainly strange," replied Shám Babu with tears in his voice. "He never breathed a word of any such intention to me."

"Hari Babu is your brother-in-law," continued Rámanáth, "but Gopál is my own brother. Is it likely that I would injure his reputation gratuitously?