Page:The Slave Girl of Agra.djvu/36

 many are the offers which come to me from far and nigh. But it would break a mother's heart to part with the only child that the Most High has bestowed on us. No, my lord, I cannot see Hemlata part and live."

"Enough, enough, my wife. Hemlata is as dear to me as to thee. She shall be my heiress, and the proudest suitor in the land will be happy to come and stay at Debipur and rule her estate for her when we are gone."

"Hast thou seen thy ward, young Noren, lately?"

"Yes, I see him pretty often. But why dost thou ask?"

"A handsome boy, is he not, my lord? My woman's eyes have seldom seen so bright a face and so noble a demeanour."

"Ay, ay, the boy has a pretty face enough, and thinks no end of himself. But he is a morose lad, full of silly ideas which designing men have put into his head."

"Make some allowance for his birth and position, my husband. If he is a proud boy, has he not reason to be proud? And will not a proper pride become him when he fills the place his grandfather held before?"

"Ha! Ha! Ha! that spoilt lad will never be what his grandfather was! His grandfather was a man, and I say it though he did me little good."

"Trust me, husband, for in this a woman is always the best judge, Noren will hold his head as high as any Chief of Birnagar ever did."

"I see but poor signs of future greatness in him," said Nobo Kumar again, with a laugh.

"I tell thee again, trust a woman's eyes to judge