Jogendra was not impressed by Nalinaksha's lecture and by the actions of Akshay he understood Akshay was so prejudiced against Ramesh that he tried to make everybody believe that he was the first one to see through Ramesh. Jogendra said that he didn't care for Nalinaksha and he would not help Akshay in making any efforts in the manner of diverting the attention of his father and sister towards Nalinaksha.
Annada Babu was in the habit of constantly swallowing nostrums prescribed by physicians of both the western and the indigenous schools of medicine. Now, however, he had lost all inclination for drugs. His health was affected but he never made any allusions to his bodily ailments. While her father had fallen asleep in his chair from utter weariness, Hemamalini to her dismay found that Jogendra had brought Nalinaksha home with him ! She was on the point of taking refuge in another room when Jogendra interposed.
"Hem !" he called to her, "I've brought Nalinaksha Babu. Let me introduce him to you."
Hem stood still in confusion while Nalinaksha approached and bowed without raising his eyes to her face.
Meanwhile Annada Babu had awakened and called for his daughter. Hem re-entered the room and announced in a whisper that "Nalinaksha Babu" was there.
Jogendra ushered in his guest and Annada Babu bustled forward to greet him.
"We are indeed fortunate !" he exclaimed, "in having a visit from you. Hem, dear, don't run away ; sit down here. Nalinaksha Babu, this is my daughter Hem. She and I were to hear your address the other day and enjoyed it greatly. There was one thing you said-about never loosing what we have once gained and incomplete gain being really a loss-that struck me as a very profound truth. Don't you agree, Hem ? The real test comes when a thing passes out of our possession. Then we know whether it was truly our own or not. I have a request to make of you, Nalin Babu. If you could drop in now and then for a talk we should consider it a great favor. We don't go out much. You may be certain of finding my daughter and myself in this room at whatever hour you call."
Meanwhile Jogendra excused himself and departed as he was not in the habit of sitting still for long in one place.
Nalinaksha threw one glance at Hemamalini's self-conscious face before he came with a reply :
"You mustn't imagine me a solemn prig because I used a lot of long words on the lecture-platform. It was only because the students insisted that I consented to lecture at all-I never could withstand importunate people-but I think I have successfully deterred them from asking for a repetition of the dose ! The lads make no secret of the fact the that most of my address was incomprehensible to them."
When Nalin Babu was at the point of leaving Annada Babu asked him where he was residing. Nalinaksha laughed.
"I can't say that I'm living in any particular place at the moment. I have a great many acquaintances and they drag me about with them. I like it well enough, but one requires a little peace and quiet now and then, so Jogen Babu has taken rooms for me in the house next to this. This lane of yours is certainly a restful place."
Annada Babu was hugely gratified at this announcement, but if he had happened to glance at his daughter he would have noticed a momentary spasm of pain pass over her countenance. The next-door house was the one in which Ramesh had lived.
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