-servant entered, rubbing her sleepy
eyes, and gave a letter to Kamal Mani. Kamal saw it was from Surja
Mukhi; she read it twice through, then sat silent and dejected. This
was the letter:

"Dearest,--Since you returned to Calcutta you have forgotten me; else
why have I had only one letter from you? Do you not know that I always
long for news of you? You ask for news of Kunda. You will be delighted
to hear that she is found. Besides that, I have another piece of good
news for you. My husband is about to be married to Kunda. I have
arranged this marriage. Widow-marriage is allowed in the Shastras, so
what fault can be found with it? The wedding will take place in a
couple of days; but you will not be able to attend, otherwise I would
have invited you. Come, if you can, in time for the ceremony of _Phul
Saja_.[13] I have a great desire to see you."

[Footnote 13: _Phul Saja_. On the day following the wedding, the
bride's father sends flowers and sweetmeats to the friends.]

Kamal could not understand the meaning of this letter. She proceeded
to take counsel with Satish Babu, who sat in front of her nibbling at
the corners of a book. Kamal read the letter to him and said--

"Now, Satish Babu, tell me the meaning of this."

Satish understood the joke; he stood up ready to cover his mother with
kisses.

Then for some moments Kamal forgot Surja Mukhi; but presently she
returned to the letter, reflecting--

"This work is beyond Satish Babu, it needs the help of my minister;
will he never come in? Come, baby, we are very angry."

In due time Srish Chandra returned from office and changed his dress.
Kamal Mani attended to his wants and then threw herself on the couch
in a fume, the baby by her side. Srish Chandra, seeing the state of
things, smiled, and seated himself, with his huka, on a distant couch.
Invoking the _huka_ as a witness he said--

"O _huka_! thou hast cool water in thy belly but a fire in thy head,
be thou a witness. Let her who is angry with me talk to me, else I
will sit smoking for hours."

At this Kamal Mani sat up, and in gentle anger turning to him her blue
lotus eyes, said--

"It is no use speaking to you while you smoke; you will not attend."

Then she rose from the couch and took away the _huka_.

Kamal Mani's fit of sulking thus broken through, she gave Surja
Mukhi's letter to be read, by way of explanation saying--

"Tell me the meaning of this, or I shall cut your pay."

"Rather giv