red for Siva Prasad
_Brahmachari_.

The person addressed felt certain that this must be a case of
investigation into a murder, and that therefore it would not be well
to give a truthful answer. He replied, "Sir, I am but a child; I do
not know as much as that."

Nagendra perceived that unless he could meet with an educated man he
would learn nothing. There were many in the village, therefore
Nagendra went to a house of superior class. It proved to be that of
Ram Kristo Rai, who, noticing the arrival of a strange gentleman,
requested him to sit down. Nagendra, inquiring for Siva Prasad
_Brahmachari_, was informed that he had left the place.

Much dejected, Nagendra asked, "Where is he gone?"

"That I do not know; he never remains long in one place."

"Does any one know when he will return?" asked Nagendra.

"I have some business with him, therefore I also made that inquiry,
but no one can tell me."

"How long is it since he left?"

"About a month."

"Could any one show me the house of Haro Mani _Boisnavi_, of this
village?"

"Haro Mani's house stood by the roadside; but it exists no longer, it
has been destroyed by fire."

Nagendra pressed his forehead. In a weak voice he asked, "Where is
Haro Mani?"

"No one can say. Since the night her house was burned she has fled
somewhere. Some even say that she herself set fire to it."

In a broken voice Nagendra asked, "Did any other woman live in her
house?"

"No. In the month _Sraban_ a stranger, falling sick, stayed in her
house. She was placed there by the _Brahmachari_. I heard her name was
Surja Mukhi. She was ill of consumption; I attended her, had almost
cured her. Now--"

Breathing hard, Nagendra repeated, "Now?"

"In the destruction of Haro Mani's house the woman was burnt."

Nagendra fell from his chair, striking his head severely. The blow
stunned him. The doctor attended to his needs.

Who would live in a world so full of sorrow? The poison tree grows in
every one's court. Who would love? to have one's heart torn in pieces.
Oh, Creator! why hast Thou not made this a happy world? Thou hadst the
power if Thou hadst wished to make it a world of joy! Why is there so
much sorrow in it?

When, at evening, Nagendra Natha left Madhupur in his palanquin, he
said to himself--

"Now I have lost all. What is lost--happiness? that was lost on the
day when Surja Mukhi left home. Then what is lost now--hope? So long
as hope remains to man all is not lost