Page:Tales of Bengal (Sita and Santa Chattopadhyay).djvu/118

Tales of Bengal presented it to the singer. But somehow the handkerchief remained in his own hands. Need I tell you who it was? People grieve over lost property, but the joy I felt at losing that handkerchief still remains unparalleled in my life. How long I had been gazing at that appropriator of other's goods I cannot now tell, I only came back to myself as the singing began again.

The party broke up the next day. The guests and relations departed to their homes, and we too came back to our usual residence.

But one marriage seemed to have reminded the whole family about the urgency of another. Everybody became quite energetic all of a sudden to arrange a good match for me. Professional matchmakers went in and out all the day long. As I had arranged a match for myself, I felt disgusted at their presence. I did not know anything about that secret bridegroom of mine, who he was, where he lived or what he lived or what he did, but somehow a a conviction had sprung up in my heart that to him and to none but him would I be given in marriage. My knowledge amounted to this alone, that his name was Manindra, and this much too I had to wrest from Kamalini at the expense of a whole day's teasing.

One evening I was seated before the window of my room and a single star was shining above the large neem tree which stood in front. Suddenly my sister-in-law rushed laughing into the room and cried out, "I have brought a piece of great good news. What are you going to give me as a reward? You need not remain staring at the skies any longer, a time is coming when the earth will have sufficient attraction for you."

I understood quite well what she meant, but as she was many years my senior I did not give any answer to her repartee, and she went off laughing. A feeling of mingled Rh