royed yourself before this time."

Suicide! this disastrous word struck heavily on the ear of Kunda;
shuddering, she sat down. During the night she had frequently
contemplated this step, and these words from Hira's mouth seemed to
confirm her purpose.

Hira continued: "Now hear what my troubles are. I also loved a man
more than my own life. He was not my husband, but why should I hide my
sin from my mistress? it is better to confess it plainly."

These shameless words did not enter Kunda's ear; in it the word
"suicide" was repeating itself, as though a demon kept whispering,
"Would it not be better for you to destroy yourself than to endure
this misery?"

Hira continued: "He was not my husband, but I loved him better than
the best husband. I knew he did not love me; he loved another sinner,
a hundred times less attractive than I." At this point, Hira cast a
sharp, angry glance from under her eyelids at Kunda, then went on:
"Knowing this, I did not run after him, but one day we were both
wicked."

Beginning thus, Hira briefly related the terrible history. She
mentioned no name, neither that of Debendra nor that of Kunda. She
said nothing from which it could be inferred whom she had loved, or
who was beloved by him. At length, after speaking of the abuse she had
received, she said--

"Now what do you suppose I did?"

"What did you do?"

"I went to a _Kabiraj_. He has all sorts of poisons by which life can
be destroyed."

In low tones Kunda said, "After that?"

"I intended to kill myself. I bought some poison, but afterwards I
thought, 'Why should I die for another?' so I have kept the poison in
a box."

Hira brought from the corner of the room a box in which she kept the
treasures received as rewards from her employers, and also what she
got by less fair means. Opening it, she showed the poison to Kunda,
who eyed it as a cat does cream. Then Hira, leaving the box open as
though from absence of mind, began to console Kunda. At this moment,
suddenly, in the early dawn, sounds of happiness and rejoicing were
heard in the household. Hira darted forth in astonishment. The
ill-fated Kunda Nandini seized the opportunity to steal the poison
from the box.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE CATASTROPHE.

Hira could not at first understand the cause of the joyous sounds she
heard. She saw in one of the large rooms all the women of the house,
the boys and the girls surrounding some one and making a great noise.
Of t