Nalinaksha ; a practice at Rangpur ; Kamala's doubts were completely at rest. Kamala got confirmed again that Dr.Nalinaksha was a Brahman, a Chaturjye, as per the information provided by Tulsi.
Kamla went straight to Nabinkali and informed her that she had finished and wished to go and bathe at the Dasaswamedh Ghat.
"That would be most inconvenient. My husband is ill and one can't foresee what he may require. Why do you want to go off there to-day in particular," questioned Nabinkali.
"I've just heard that a relation of mine whom I want very much to meet is in Benares."
Nabinkali could understand that it was Tulsi who was the informant of this news and she immediately directed a porter to dismiss Tulsi without a moments notice and never to allow him to show his face in the house again.
Kamala had exercised patience so long as she had no positive information about Nalinaksha, but her spirit now began to chafe. She could not bear to remain another moment under a stranger's roof while her husband lived in the same city. Her capacity for work progressively declined and Nabinkali did not fail to comment on her shortcomings.
"Look here, young lady," she said, "I don't like the way you're behaving. Have you taken the sulks ? You're at liberty to fast yourself if you like, but you needn't try starve us to death. The stuff you cook nowadays isn't fit to eat."
"I can't work for you any longer," replied Kamala. "I can't stand it. Please let me go."
"Oh, indeed ?" snarled Nabinkali. "That comes of doing people a good turn these days ! To think that, just to make room for you, I turned away that good old Brahman who had worked for us so long, and now he has gone, goodness knows where. You call yourself a true Brahman ! Think you've only to come along and say, 'Please let me go !' Wait till you try to run away and see if the police don't hear about it. My son's a magistrate and many a man has gone to the gallows at a word from him. You needn't try any of your games with me. Perhaps you've heard about Gada ? He cheeked his master and we taught him a lesson ; he is in jail to this day ! You can't play fast and loose with us !"
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