Page:Tales of Bengal (Sita and Santa Chattopadhyay).djvu/32

Tales of Bengal Subarnalata was married in her paternal home without any hitch whatever.

When some days after her marriage she arrived with her husband at his house, the place was crowded with relatives and guests. The burning mid-day sun, combined with frequent weeping, made her veiled and lightly ornamented figure appear not as graceful as was expected. The bridegroom alighted from the carriage with a gloomy countenance. But when the mother-in-law went to bring in the new bride, she at once marked the dark colour of the arm she held. "Dada, " she cried out, "she looks terribly dark skinned! Didn't you say, she was beautiful and all that?"

The experienced Dada made a face like one dropped from the moon, and exclaimed, "Is that so! Then, no doubt we are cheated! At the time, she looked almost pink. If you do not believe me, ask Dhiresh; he was with us."

But the mother-in-law did not refer to Dhiresh. She lifted the bride's veil instead. This brought the emaciated face of Kalidasi to view.

"Holy mother!" she cried out, "It is that broomstick of a girl, that black owl, we met in the train! Ah, my fate! I try to do other people good and see the result! It is like being stabbed with one's own knife! What a shame, what a shame! In this age there is nothing called dharma! Oh what a fraud, what a shame!"

The mock Subarnalata fixed the dull eyes of Kalo upon her mother-in-law. The able negotiator, Kalo's husband's uncle, cursed her people to the best of his ability and said, "By my good name, if I don't avenge this trifling with me, I am a dog."

And Tara-sundari addressing her daughter-in-law, cried: "Do you hear, O daughter of a saint! Tell your Rh