Page:Tales of Bengal (Sita and Santa Chattopadhyay).djvu/107

Rh It looks like a chain of golden jasmines. Such a thing, too, you have left uncared for in this old box! You do neglect your things, I must say that. I have a good mind to run away with it, but I know mother would give me a good slap if I took away such a costly thing. Do you know, ever since I lost that ugly old brooch of mine mother does not let me touch a single thing. So Lakshmi will have to be content with tinsel ornaments this evening. But I must hurry, else I shall be late for the party."

My granddaughter danced out of the room, with the red sari. I remained seated on the floor, in front of the open box. Somehow I felt a great disinclination to get up.

Do not scorn it because it is an old woman's life history. I too was young once. And do you know, my beautiful lady readers, that I too had a time when people's eyes clung only to me, even if I stood among a thousand pretty girls?

I was born in an ancient aristocratic family. Looked at from the outside, we wanted nothing. We had unbounded wealth, a great ancestral house, retainers and servants innumerable. I was born after four brothers, so the usual want of notice and care which a girl gets as her birth portion never fell to my lot. For a long time I enjoyed all the wealth of affection which an only baby among a family of grown-ups had a right to expect. When my little nephews and nieces made their appearances I assumed the role of aunt with due dignity and importance.

My grandmother had named me Vidyut (Lightning). Many people give the name "Lotus eyed" to their blind children, but everybody with one accord declared that I had fully justified my name. You may be sure that I was quite conscious of the fact. I was as proud as anything of my Rh