Page:Works of Tagore from the Modern Review, 1909-24 Segment 1.pdf/102

482 the Hanji dates from the advent of the holiday making tourists. The tourists have taken advantage of the cupidity and poverty of the Hanji and thus created a race of demoralised people in Kashmir. These tourists are responsible for the moral corruption of the Hanji and it is these tourists that return to the plains of India to defame the entire people of Kashmir. I do not believe in the superior or inferior morals of any nation. There are certain sets of loose people in every country who have no great sense of honour and morality. Therefore it is a mistake to stigmatise the whole race for the sins of the few. Even among Hanjis I am sure there must be saintly men and women.

The morals of the Hanjis can be improved by those who come in contact with them. I complained to some Hanjis about their greediness and general morals. They held poverty responsible for everything.

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maid-servant, named Pyari, had been newly appointed in the house of Girish Basu, the Naib of the Zamindars. She was yet in her teens, and of good morals. Ere she had been long in the house, she approached the mistress one day and besought her with tears to be saved from the insidious addresses of the master. The mistress said, "Go hence, dear one, thrive by other means; you come of good parents, it won't suit you to stay here any longer." With this she gave her some money in secret and let her go.

But it was not very easy to get away. She ran short of pocket and had not money enough to travel far. So Pyari found shelter with Harihar Bhattacharyya of the same village. The more considerate among the youngsters of the house said, "Father, why wilfully provoke dangers?" "When misfortune itself craves shelter, it can not be shaken off," rejoined Harihar.

Girish Basu came, prostrated himself before the Bhattacharyya in utter humility, and said, "Sir, why have you taken over my maid-servant? I am in a fix without her." In reply Harihar spoke a few sharp and unpleasant truths. He was an honourable man, frank and outspoken. It was quite foreign to him to speak circuitously for fear or favour. The Naib mentally likened him to a new-fledged ant, and taking the dust of his feet in a solemn, reverential manner, wended his way. Erelong there was a sudden influx of the police in the Bhattacharyya's house. A pair of ear-rings belonging to the Naib's consort was discovered lying beneath the pillow of the Brahmin's wife. The servant-maid Pyari was hauled up as the thief and sent to jail. Bhattacharyya Mahashay, by virtue of his reputation, got off scot-free from the charge of receiving stolen property. The Naib came again, took the dust of the Brahmin's feet, and departed. The Brahmin regretfully thought that it was he who had brought peril on the poor servant-girl by giving shelter to her. A great anguish, like a sharp javelin, stuck to his mind. The young folks of the house counselled their old father again that they should rather sell off all their lands and migrate to Calcutta, for there might be more dangers in store for them. Harihar said, "Whatever betide, I will in no wise quit my ancestral homestead; misfortunes may come anywhere if ordained by Fate."

Meanwhile, the Naib's constant efforts to highly enhance the rent made the tenants refractory. Harihar had nothing to do with the landlord as all his lands were Brahmottar (freehold tenures). The Naib apprised the Zamindar that it was Harihar who had stirred up the tenants by his artful machinations. The Zamindar ordered that the offender should be brought to book by all