This ordinary poem of mine is not heaven; neither has it a staircase
of a million steps. Its flavour is faint and the steps are few. These
few tasteless chapters are the staircase. If among my readers there is
one of the _Malini's_ disposition, I warn him that without climbing
these steps he will not arrive at the pith of the story.
Surja Mukhi's father's house was in Konnagar. Her father was a
_Kaystha_ of good position. He was cashier in some house at Calcutta.
Surja Mukhi was his only child. In her infancy a _Kaystha_ widow named
Srimati lived in her father's house as a servant, and looked after
Surja Mukhi. Srimati had one child named Tara Charan, of the same age
as Surja Mukhi. With him Surja Mukhi had played, and on account of
this childish association she felt towards him the affection of a
sister.
Srimati was a beautiful woman, and therefore soon fell into trouble. A
wealthy man of the village, of evil character, having cast his eyes
upon her, she forsook the house of Surja Mukhi's father. Whither she
went no one exactly knew, but she did not return. Tara Charan,
forsaken by his mother, remained in the house of Surja Mukhi's father,
who was a very kind-hearted man, and brought up this deserted boy as
his own child; not keeping him in slavery as an unpaid servant, but
having him taught to read and write.
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