"
"Remember that, then; if you go to office, the _Bou_ will beat you."
How long this sort of conversation would have continued does not
appear, for at that moment a maid-servant entered, rubbing her sleepy
eyes, and gave a letter to Kamal Mani. Kamal saw it was from Surja
Mukhi; she read it twice through, then sat silent and dejected. This
was the letter:
"Dearest,--Since you returned to Calcutta you have forgotten me; else
why have I had only one letter from you? Do you not know that I always
long for news of you? You ask for news of Kunda. You will be delighted
to hear that she is found. Besides that, I have another piece of good
news for you. My husband is about to be married to Kunda. I have
arranged this marriage. Widow-marriage is allowed in the Shastras, so
what fault can be found with it? The wedding will take place in a
couple of days; but you will not be able to attend, otherwise I would
have invited you. Come, if you can, in time for the ceremony of _Phul
Saja_.[13] I have a great desire to see you."
[Footnote 13: _Phul Saja_. On the day following the wedding, the
bride's father sends flowers and sweetmeats to the friends.]
Kamal could not understand the meaning of this letter.
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