Page:The Wreck.djvu/7

Rh might object to taking anything here," he observed, in allusion to the fact that Annada Babu was a Brahmo and Ramesh's father an orthodox Hindu.

Braja Mohan Babu, Ramesh's father, greeted his son with the remark, "You must come home with me by the morning train to-morrow."

Ramesh scratched his head. "Is there any special urgency?" he asked.

"Nothing in particular," said Braja Mohan.

Ramesh loolred inquiringly at his father, wondering why in these circumstances he was in such a hurry, but Braja Mohan did not think it necessary to satisfy his son's curiosity.

In the evening, when his father had gone out to visit his Calcutta friends, Ramesh sat down to write him a letter; but after he had written the traditional form of address to an honoured parent, "To thy revered lotus foot," his pen refused its task, although he told himself repeatedly that he was bound to Hemnalini by an unspoken vow and that it would be wrong to conceal this tacit engagement any longer from his father. He composed various drafts in various styles, but finally he tore them all up.

Braja Mohan went peacefully to sleep after supper. Ramesh ascended to the roof and prowled disconsolately up and down like some spirit of night with his eyes fixed on his neighbour's house. At nine o'clock Akshay made his belated exit, and at half-past nine the street door was locked. At ten the light in Annada Babu's sitting-room went out, and by half-past ten the whole house was buried in slumber.

Ramesh had to leave Calcutta early on the following morning. Braja Mohan Babu took care to give him no opportunity of missing the train.