Page:Tales of Bengal (Sita and Santa Chattopadhyay).djvu/110

Tales of Bengal grandfather consented to the match. After the bride had been formally seen and chosen, he came to me and said with a smile, "My dear, you think that your beauty stands unrivalled, so you do not condescend even to look at this old fellow. As I am quite tired of your imperiousness, I am bringing home a greater beauty than even you."

I laughed at his words, but somehow I felt a little uneasy in my mind. Was she really more beautiful? Well, let her come, then I shall be able to judge.

The wedding itself was to be a very simple affair, as the bride's father was a poor man. But the prepartions that were being made for the reception of the bride in our house were meant to make up for all want of magnificence in the wedding. A great feast was to be given in our house; then all the family, together with an enormous number of friends, relations and guests, was to go out to a villa, situated on the banks of the Ganges, and spend a festive week there. Ample provisions had been made for entertaining the guests with dance, music, and theatrical performances.

The day of the home-coming of the bride arrived. The festal clamour in our house was great enough to be almost deafening. A band had struck up near the outer gate, and all the children had assembled there to listen to the music. My mother and my eldest sister-in-law were busy taking counsel together over the proper management of the various rites and ceremonies. Nobody seemed to have any time to spare, and those who really did the least went about with the most anxious faces.

But what was I doing all this time? You would laugh, if you knew. I was in my own room, taking out all the pretty saris I had, trying on every one of them to find out which suited me most. I was determined not to own defeat to another woman. At last I decided upon a silk whose colour was that of the clear autumnal sky, and Rh