As soon as Nalinaksha left Kshemankari she called for "Haridasi", "put these flowers in water, dear," said Kshemankari, "arrange them in the rooms." She picked out one rose and pushed the rest of the bunch across to Kamala.
Kamala put some of the flowers in a bowl and set it on Nalinaksha's desk. Others she put in a mug and placed them on a table in his bedroom.Then she opened a wardrobe, laid the rest of the flowers on his sandals, and bending her head, prostrated herself before them. Tears came to her eyes as she did so at the thought that these were all that she had in the world and that soon she would no longer be able even to worship his feet.
Suddenly Kamala was startled by the sound of footsteps approaching the door. She hurriedly shut the door of the wardrobe and turned round to see ; Nalinaksha ! Flight was out of the question, and in her dismay she wished she could have melted into the shades of the oncoming night. When Nalinaksha perceived Kamala he left the room abruptly.
Kamala at once seized the opportunity to make her own exit and Nalinaksha returned. Curious to know what the girl had been doing there and why she, on his appearance, had so hurriedly shut the door of the wardrobe, he opened it and saw his sandals covered with freshly plucked flowers. He closed the door again and crossed to the window. As he gazed out the sky, darkness fell and swallowed up the last rays of the dying sun.
Now that Hemamalini had consented to marry Nalinaksha she endeavored to persuade herself that she was very fortunate ; she kept repeating over and over again : "I am no longer bound by my old engagement ; I am now perfectly free and no longer subject to eternal regrets for the past." She began to experience the joy of complete renunciation. She savored the peace that follows on the final close of one chapter in a human life.
After her father went to bed Hemamalini took out her diary and sat up late recording her impressions :
"I had severed all human ties, and was dead to the world. I could never have believed that God would deliver me and endow me with fresh life. I now prostrate myself before His feet and prepare myself to enter on new paths of duty. Fortune has granted me a boon far above my deserts. May Heaven lend me strength to cleave to it all my days. I am assured that he with whose life my unworthy life is to be linked will make my existence a full and rich one. My only prayer is that I in turn may bring the same measure of fullness and richness into his life."
On the following afternoon Annada Babu and Hemamalini were preparing to start for Nalinaksha's house when a carriage drove up and one of Nalinaksha's servants alighted the carriage and announced that his mistress had arrived. Annada Babu hastened to meet kshemankari as she alighted from the carriage and greeted her with words, "We are indeed fortunate."
"I came to give your daughter my blessings," said the old lady as she entered. Annada Babu ushered her into the sitting-room, and leading her to a sofa, requested her to wait while he called Hemamalini. As soon as Hemamalini heard of Kshemankari's arrival she hastened to make obeisance to her.
"May your days be happy and long !" said Kshemankari. "Just hold out your hands, dear," and she fastened a pair of massive golden bracelets on Hemamalini's wrists ; the great bangles hung loosely on the girl's wasted arms.
Hemamalini again prostrated herself before Kshemankari, who took her face between her two hands and kissed on the forehead. The blessing and the affection with which it was bestowed filled Hemamalini's cup of happiness to the brim.
"Now, sir," said kshemankari to Annada Babu, addressing him by the title given to the father of a son's wife, "you must both come to breakfast with me to-morrow."
Next morning, delighted at the Hemamalini's engagement with Nalinaksha, Annada Babu sat with his daughter taking tea in their garden and felt restored pristine freshness to his countenance. He was obsessed with the idea that it was already time prepare for the promised visit to Kshemankari's house.
In the meantime a carriage with luggage on the roof drove up to the front gate and stopped there.
"There's Jogen!" exclaimed Hemamalini, and hurried towards the gate. It was indeed Jogendra who stepped out ; he wore a very cheerful expression and greeted his sister with utmost cordiality.
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