Kamala had with her the letter that Ramesh had written to Hemamalini. Next morning Sailaja had a private interview with her father and handed him the letter.
Uncle read it through very slowly ; then he replaced it in the envelope, and said to his daughter, "Well, what's to be done now ?"
"Umi has had a cold and a cough for some days now, dad," said Saila ; "I should like to call in Dr. Nalinaksha. One hears so much about him and his mother in Benares, but one never sees him."
The doctor came to see the patient, and Saila showed great keenness to see the doctor.
"Come along, Kamala," she cried. But Kamala, who in Nabinkali's house had hardly been able to control her eagerness to see him, was now too shy even to rise to her feet.
"Kamala, you villain," cried Saila, "I can't wast any more time over you ; there's nothing much wrong with Umi and the doctor won't be here long. I shan't see him at all if I stay here any longer trying to persuade you to come" ; and she fairly dragged Kamala as far as the door.
Nalinaksha sounded Umi's lungs thoroughly front and back, wrote out a prescription, and departed.
"You are in luck now, Kamala," said Saila, "in spite of all your misfortunes. You'll just have to wait patiently for a day or two now, dear. We're arranging things for you. Meanwhile we'll be constantly requiring the doctor for Umi, so you won't be done out of him altogether !"
One day Uncle went himself to the doctor, carefully choosing a time when Nalinaksha was not at home. A servant announced that his master was out. "Well," said Uncle, "your mistress is in. Tell her that I'm here, will you ? Just say that an old Brahman would like to see her."
He was duly ushered into Kshemankari's prsence and introduced himself as follows :
"One hears a great deal about you in Benares, mother, so I've come to acquire merit by seeing you. I have no other reason for intruding on you. A little granddaughter of mine is sick and I came for your son, but he is out. I felt that I couldn't but pay my respects to you before I go."
"Nalin will be back soon," said Kshemankari ; "won't you sit down and wait a little ? It's getting late ; let me offer you something to eat."
"I might have known," said Uncle, "that you couldn't send me away empty. Folks recognize me at sight as one who is fond of good eating, and they humor my little weakness."
Kshemankari was delighted to regale Uncle. "You must come and take your midday meal here to-morrow," she said. "I wasn't expecting you to-day, so I haven't much for you."
"Well, you mustn't forget the old man when the time comes," said Uncle. "I live quite near. Say the word and I'll take your servant with me and point out my house to him."
After a few visits of this description Uncle became a persona grata at Nalinaksha's house.
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