lice. But Ram Harak had come to them privately and frightened them
into promising to tell the whole truth, by pointing out the awful
consequences of an innocent man's conviction. Their evidence was
not shaken by the Government Pleader's cross-examination, and it was
corroborated by a dome, who swore that Siraji had got some arsenic from
him a few days before her death, on the pretext that it was wanted in
order to poison some troublesome village dogs. After consulting with
the jury for a few minutes, the judge informed Nalini that his client
was acquitted, and Debendra Babu left the Court, as the newspapers say,
"without a stain on his character". Seeing Ram Harak standing near
the door with folded hands, he clasped the good old man to his bosom,
with many protestations of gratitude, and begged him to forgive the
injustice with which he had been treated.

When Ram Harak found himself alone with his master at the close of
this exciting day, he repeated the vile insinuations which Hiramani
had made regarding the daughter's character. Debendra Babu was highly
indignant and vowed that the scandal-monger should never cross his
threshold again. He then implored Ram Harak to trace his son-in-law,
authorising him to offer any reparation he might ask. The old man
smiled, and left the house, but returned a quarter of an hour later
with a Sanyasi (religious mendicant) who revealed himself as the
missing Pulin. Debendra Babu received him with warm embraces and many
entreaties for pardon; while Pulin said modestly that he alone was
to blame, for he ought not to have believed the aspersions cast on
his wife by Hiramani, which led him to quit the house in disgust. He
added that Ram Harak had found him telling his beads near a temple,
and persuaded him to wait close at hand until he had opened Debendra
Babu's eyes.

Meanwhile the whole house echoed with songs and laughter. Debendra
Babu rewarded Ram Harak's fidelity with a grant of rent-free land,
and publicly placed a magnificent turban on his head. He resolved to
celebrate his own escape from jail by feasting the neighbours. The
entire arrangements were left in the hands of the two Basus, who
managed matters so admirably that every one was more than satisfied
and Debendra Babu's fame was spread far and wide. When things
resumed their normal aspect, he held a confab with the brothers as
to the punishment which should be meted out to Hiramani, and it was
unanimously resolved to send