Page:Tales of Bengal (Sita and Santa Chattopadhyay).djvu/89

Rh for their village. Mother had some respect for our newfangled ideas about matrimony and so had no scruples in sending me.

We had been informed of two things; firstly that the girl's father was very poor, and secondly that she was very beautiful. Of the first we became quite sure as soon as we entered his house. The room into which we were ushered had for its furniture only two rough bedsteads of wood, covered with old shawls. The master of the house with two or three of his friends tried his best to make up for his poverty by his excessive politeness and humility. But she who would really compensate us for all our troubles, remained still behind the curtain. The old gentleman frequently absented himself; from that we guessed that the bride was still being dressed for the important ceremony.

To while away the time, we took some light refreshments. But I was already getting impatient. How long would this prelude last? Like every other young man of the time, I too held the opinion that it was not right to marry before being able to earn one's livelihood. But the report of the bride's beauty which had made me cast such theories to the four winds of heaven, still remained to be verified. No wonder I was impatient. My companions on the other hand were enjoying themselves immensely.

Suddenly I became aware of the advent of the womenfolk in the next room. Some faint tinkling of ornaments, the rustle of dresses and similar tell-tale sounds were heard. Just as the golden glow of the twilight had begun to draw a veil of enchantment over this old world of ours, the door opened and a young girl stepped into the room.

We had already had corroboration enough of our first information, I mean of her father's poverty; but the second was no less true. Perhaps she had borrowed some money Rh