Umesh made his presence felt by a cough standing at the door. He called her softly "Mother !"
Kamala went to the door, and scratching his head, Umesh announced, "Mother, Sidhu Babu's people have brought up a troupe of actors from Calcutta for their daughters wedding. No charge for admission is made at the entertainment. I shall be promptly return the next day early in the morning. What kind of flowers shall I bring ?"
"All right, you can go and see the performance. Never mind about any flowers. Wait, Umesh, take this five rupees and it'll come in handy for something."
Umesh took the money hesitantly and was about to go off, while kamala called him back, what will people say if they see you in these clothes at the performance ?"she asked.
"Here, take these and put them on." Kamala pulled out a couple of her own dresses suitable equally masculine and for feminine attire according to the method of folding. He fell at Kamala's feet in a clumsy obeisance, then picked up the dress and departed, contorting his face in a fruitless effort to suppress a broad grin. After his departure Kamala wiped a tear and took her stand by the window.
"Won't you show me your letter, Kamala dear ?" said Saila, entering the room. She herself had no secrets from Kamala, and this emboldened her to make the request.
"There it is, didi, read it," said Kamala, pointing to where the letter lay on the floor.
"She hasn't got over her temper yet," thought Saila in surprise, and she picked up the letter and read it through. It was certainly affectionate enough, but what a queer letter for a man to write to his wife! It was an extraordinary composition ! "Does your husband write novels, dear ?" she asked.
Dazed as she was, Kamala winced at the word "husband." "I don't know," she replied.
"Well, are you going to the bungalow to-day ?"
Kamala merely nodded in reply.
"I could have spent the day with you there, but you know, dear, I have to be present at the reception to the bride at Narsingh Babu's house ; so mother had better go with you instead."
"Oh, no, your mother mustn't trouble to go !" cried Kamala ; "servants are there."
Saila smiled. "Well, perhaps after all you needn't be nervous when you have a stout retainer like Umesh."
Umi was scratching busily something on a paper while Saila tore her away from her literary pursuits she set up a shrill protest, which only subsided when Kamala interposed ; "Come with me and I'll give you something pretty."
Kamala then carried her off to her room, seated her on the bed, and played with her till she had forgotten her troubles. When she demanded the promised gift Kamala produced from her box a pair of golden bracelets. They were the finest toys that Umi had ever seen and she was enchanted with them. When "auntie" put them on her wrists she swung her arms aloft to admire the effect, then danced off proudly to show them to her mother.
Saila at once pulled the bracelets off to return them to the owner. "What on earth are you thinking of, Kamala ?" she cried. "What made you put them on her ?"
"I made a present of them to Umi," said Kamala, coming closer ; Umi's shrieks of lamentation at the outrage were piercing the heavens.
"Are you mad ?" ejaculated Saila.
"Didi,I dare you to return them to me ! You can have them cut up and made in to a necklace for her."
"I swear I never saw any one to beat you !" and Saila put her arm around Kamala's neck.
"I must say good-bye to you to-day, didi," Kamala went on, I've been very happy here, I never was so happy in my life," and the tears came in a flood.
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