Page:Tales of Bengal (Sita and Santa Chattopadhyay).djvu/24

Tales of Bengal with others and to give them a chance to unburden their sorrowful hearts?"

An expression of sublime sentiments which at once melted the heart of Kalo's mother, who said: "I am going to Calcutta to settle about her marriage, or why else should I, a country-woman, take the risks of a railway journey? The unfortunate girl has lost her father, and so her mother must go about entreating others. I have come to know of a probable bridegroom, but his people would not see the bride unless in Calcutta. Indeed it is only to the greatest of sinners that daughters are born!"

At this Kalo lifted her soft eyes and fixed them upon the old lady and her mother. Then once more she shrank within herself, and went on listening to the conversation. There was no pained look in her eyes, nor tears, nor did her heart respond to the cruel words of her mother in painful throbs, for such heartlessness was her daily food and her mind had long become dead to such insults. So nobody could have judged from her appearance that she herself was the object of these heartless words.

Tara-sundari turned towards her and asked, "What is your name, my child?"

The girl looked at her mother as if for instruction, and her mother said, "Tell her your name, what is the harm?"

The girl's face pleaded her own guilt in being born a daughter as she answered, "Kalidasi."

"Then, God help you!" said "Tara-didi "You are not likely to be married."

Binu made a dry face at this. "Ah, stop your nonsense, didi," she put in.

Tara-sundari resented such interference with her philanthropy and replied, "Why? Have I said anything wrong? Now look here (this to the widow), as soon as you reach Rh