In his old age Rajballabh formed a sudden resolve to marry a certain widow of his acquaintance, and nothing would alter his determination. His invariable answer to protests was : "My present wife is not my true consort, for she does not share my faith ; it would be positively wrong to abstain from marrying a woman who, in conduct and religion, in heart and mind, will be one with me."
In spite of a general chorus of disapproval Rajballabh insisted on marrying the widow according to Hindu rites.
Nalinaksha's mother prepared to leave her husband and migrate to Benares. Nalinaksha was then in private practice at Rangpur. He at once threw up his practice and announced to his mother his intention of accompanying her to the holy city.
"My son," said the old lady with tears in her eyes, "our ideas are at variance. Why should you put yourself to unnecessary discomfort."
"There will be no variance," replied Nalinaksha, who felt keenly the stigma cast on his mother by his father's betrayal and had determined to make her happiness his prime object. He accompanied her to Benares accordingly. At an early opportunity she inquired if he did not intend to marry.
Nalinaksha was in a quandary : "Why should I, mother ?" he asked. "I'm very well as I am."
The mother's intuition divined the cause of his hesitation. In cutting himself off from his former circle he had renounced much, but he was not prepared to go the length of marrying outside the Brahmo connection.
Anxious not to stand in his way, she replied, "My dear boy, you can't take a vow of celibacy on my account. Marry whomsoever you please ; you need not fear opposition from me."
Nalinaksha thought the matter over for a day or two, then announced his decision.
"Mother," he said, "I'm going to present you with a daughter-in-law after your own heart, a dutiful little girl with whom you will never find yourself out of harmony and whose conduct will never cause you a pang"; and he departed for Bengal in search of a bride.
As to what happened after that, accounts were divergent. One story was that he made a secret expedition to some country place and married an orphan girl who died immediately afterwards ; but other chroniclers cast doubts on this version. Personally, Akshay believed that he had been on the point of marrying, but had changed his mind at the eleventh hour.
However that might be, Akshay was of opinion that Nalinaksha's mother would raise no objectons to the proposed match, in fact she would be delighted if he married the girl of his heart, and so charming a bride as Hemamalini would be far to seek. Moreover Hem's lovable disposition would inevitably impel her to treat her mother-in-law with respect that was her due and to avoid carefully any cause of offence. With very short acquaintance with Hem wold convince Nalinaksha that she possessed the ncessary qualifications.
Akshay's advice accordingly was to introduce the young people to each other as early as possible.
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