Page:Tales of Bengal (S. B. Banerjea).djvu/219

Rh cobwebs hanging from the rafters, the kitchen utensils shining like mirrors. He sat down and burst into a flood of tears.

For several days he did not exchange a word with his accomplice, and dared not go to market lest his worst fears should be realised. Dread of personal consequences added new torture to unavailing remorse. Every moment he expected the red-pagried ministers of justice to appear and hale him to the scaffold. The position was clearly past bearing. So, too, thought Eatima, for she waylaid her son one afternoon and said: "Ramzán, I cannot stand this life any longer; let me go to my brother Mahmud Sardar, the cooly-catcher".

"Go," he replied sullenly, and the old woman gathered up her belongings in a bundle and departed, leaving him to face the dark future alone.

While brooding over his fate, he was startled by the sudden arrival of Sádhu. "Now I'm in for it," he thought and began to tremble violently while his features assumed an ashen hue. But Sádhu sat down by his side and said, "Ramzán, I've come about Maini".

"Then she's drowned!" gasped Ramzán. "By Allah the Highest, I swear that I did my best to save her."

"Hullo!" rejoined Sádhu with great surprise;