THE WRECK; re-visited 6

      Ramesh could not think of keeping the girl on any footing except wife; and he could not hand over her to any one else.He, however, decided not to live together as man and wife though he had smudged out the charming picture of this girl as his future companion of life and had painted it in such glowing tints  while love mixed with colours ! He finally decided to go Calcutta where he would be a mere noteless unit, and there he might discover some solution.

   He took a lodging at a cosiderable distance from his  former abode arranging a maid-servant to give Kamala suitable assistance and company during day time. Ramesh contrived to make Kamala sleep alone with some excuses and he himself sleeping alone on the balcony outside the bedroom. After much anxious thouhgt  he decided to send Kamala to a girls' boarding school as a temporary solution.Though she refused at the beginning she was convinced with the help of the headmistress of the school. While leaving her to the care of the headmistress and leaving the premises he hastened off sore at heart, but hurry as he might he could not forget the look on that lovely helpless little frightened face of the girl.

   Ramesh now intended to start practising as a pleader at the Alipore court, but he seemed to have completely lost energy.He contracted the habit of going for purposeless walks across the Hourah bridge or round college square, and he was contemplating a trip to Annada Babu's house. He, in fact,  had received a letter while at home asking him allay his friend Jogendra's anxiety to hear when Ramesh would be coming to Calcutta back, It is also made known to him that the young  friend of Annada Babu on whom he had cast his eyes as a possible son- in- law had returned to India, and was aleady engaged to a young lady of means. Ramesh doubted greatly whether after all that had occurred it would be right for him to renew his acquaintance with Hemamalini on the old footing.