She proceeded
to take counsel with Satish Babu, who sat in front of her nibbling at
the corners of a book. Kamal read the letter to him and said--
"Now, Satish Babu, tell me the meaning of this."
Satish understood the joke; he stood up ready to cover his mother with
kisses.
Then for some moments Kamal forgot Surja Mukhi; but presently she
returned to the letter, reflecting--
"This work is beyond Satish Babu, it needs the help of my minister;
will he never come in? Come, baby, we are very angry."
In due time Srish Chandra returned from office and changed his dress.
Kamal Mani attended to his wants and then threw herself on the couch
in a fume, the baby by her side. Srish Chandra, seeing the state of
things, smiled, and seated himself, with his huka, on a distant couch.
Invoking the _huka_ as a witness he said--
"O _huka_! thou hast cool water in thy belly but a fire in thy head,
be thou a witness. Let her who is angry with me talk to me, else I
will sit smoking for hours."
At this Kamal Mani sat up, and in gentle anger turning to him her blue
lotus eyes, said--
"It is no use speaking to you while you smoke; you will not attend."
Then she rose from the couch and took away the _huka_.
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