I shall be thankful if I can
only save my own property" (meaning her husband).
Formerly Nagendra had carefully looked after all his affairs.
One day some hundreds of his _ryots_ came to the _kacheri_, and with
joined palms stood at the door. "Give us justice," they said, "O your
highness; we cannot survive the tyranny of the _naib_ (a law officer)
and the _gomashta_. We are being robbed of everything. If you do not
save us, to whom shall we go?"
Nagendra gave orders to drive them away.
Formerly, when one of his _gomashtas_ had beaten a _ryot_ and taken a
rupee from him, Nagendra had cut ten rupees from the _gomashta's_ pay
and given it to the _ryot_.
Hara Deb Ghosal wrote to Nagendra: "What has happened to you? I
cannot imagine what you are doing. I receive no letters from you, or,
if I do, they contain but two or three lines without any meaning. Have
you taken offence with me? If so, why do you not tell me? Have you
lost your lawsuit? Then why not say so? If you do not tell me anything
else, at least give me news of your health."
Nagendra replied: "Do not be angry with me. I am going to
destruction."
Hara Deb was very wise. On reading this letter he thought to himself:
"What is this? Anxiety about money? A quarrel with some friend?
Debendra Datta? Nothing of the kind.
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