On hearing the reply of Hemamalini Jogendra's tone softened at once. "Hem, dear,you mustn't be angry with me. We know one another since we were children, and I'm quite aware how sensitive you are and how fond you are of dad." And he departed in quest of his father.
Annada Babu was sitting in his room. His conscience had been troubling him as he pictured Jogendra bullying his sister, and he had been on the point of rising to interrupt their conversation when Jogendra entered. He waited his son to begin.
"Dad, Hem has agreed to marry," Jogendra began. "Perhaps you think that I put a good deal of pressure on her to obtain her consent, but I didn't as a matter of fact . She won't object now to marry Akshay if only you tell her distinctly that she must do it."
"Am I to tell her ?"
"Yes ; you can hardly expect her to come of her own accord and say, 'Am I to marry Akshay ?' If you hesitate to speak to her yourself you can authorize me to communicate your orders to her."
"Certainly not !" exclaimed Annada Babu at once. "I'll say to her myself what there is to be said ; but why are you in such a hurry ? I think we should wait for a few days."
"No dad ; if we wait, something is sure to come in the way. We can't go on like this any longer."
None of the family could cope with Jogendra when he was in earnest ; he would never take his hand from the plough, and even Annada Babu went in inward fear of him.
"All right, I'll speak to her ," he said, with the idea of shelving the question.
"No time like the present, dad," said Jogendra ; "she's sitting there waiting for you. Try to get it settled to-day."
"Well, wait here, Jogen, and I'll see her alone."
"All right, you'll find me here when you come back."
Annada Babu found Hemamalini sitting alone in darkness in the room and she rose hurriedly from a chair. In a moment or two a tearful voice said, "The lamp went out, dad. Shall I tell the bearer to light it ?" but Annada knew full well that the lamp had not been extinguished accidentally.
"Never mind, dear," he said, "we don't need a light" ; and he groped his way to a chair beside his daughter's.
"You are not taking enough care of yourself, dad," said Hemamalini.
"And with good reason, dear. My health is alright, so it needs no care. It's you that ought to take care of yourself." He further added, "you know what is in my thoughts just as though you were my own mother ; and you've always done what I wanted without being told. If a father's wholehearted blessing is of any avail you will be happy all your days."
"Won't you keep me with you, dad ?" asked Hem.
"Of course I will."
Hemamalini pleadingly asked, "May I stay with you as long as Jogen remains unmarried anyway ? Who is going to look after you if I'm not there ?"
"Look after me ? Never mind that,dear. I'm not worth it."
"The room is very dark, dad ; I must fetch a light. We've been so upset the last few days that you haven't had the newspaper read to you, "she interrupted from the discussion," I shall read now to you."
Annada Babu got up . "All right, dear ; just wait a minute ; you'll read it to me when I come back," and he returned to Jogendra. What he intended to say was ; "I couldn't mention it to-day ; we had better wait till to-morrow" ; but when Jogendra burst out, Well, dad, what happened ? Did you speak to her about getting married ?" he hastened to reply, "Yes, I've spoken to her" ; he was afraid that otherwise Jogendra would renew the attack on Hemamalini.
"She consented of course ?"
"Yes, in a way."
"Well, I'll go and tell Akshay," cried Jogendra.
"No, no, don't say anything to Akshay yet !" said his father hurriedly. "We plan to go up-country till she is mentally unburdened from the disturbing thoughts of her marriage ; it'll be better to keep the things in abeyance till we return."
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