ke Debendra; but restraining herself she said,
"Ask again who has brought me to this condition: this is your doing.
You don't know me now, but once you took your pleasure of me. You
don't remember it, but one day you sang this song"--bursting forth
into a love-song.

In this manner reminding him of many things, she said: "On the day you
drove me out I became mad. I went to take poison. Then a thought of
delight came to me; instead of taking it myself, I would cause either
you or Kunda Nandini to do so. In that hope I hid my illness for a
time; it comes and goes; when it was on me I stayed at home, when well
I worked. Finally, having poisoned your Kunda, my trouble was soothed;
but after seeing her death my illness increased. Finding that I could
not hide it any longer, I left the place. Now I have no food. Who
gives food to a mad woman? Since then I have begged. When well I beg;
when the disease presses I stay under a tree. Hearing of your
approaching death, I have come to delight myself in seeing you. I give
you my blessing, that even hell may find no place for you."

Thus saying, the mad-woman uttered a loud laugh. Alarmed, Debendra
moved to the other side of the bed; then Hira danced out of the house,
singing the old love-song.

From that time Debendra's bed of death was full of thorns. He died
delirious, uttering words of the love-song.

After his death the night-watch heard with a beating heart the
familiar strain from the mad-woman in the garden.

The "Poison Tree" is finished. We trust it will yield nectar in many a
house.

* * * * *

GLOSSARY OF HINDU WORDS.

_Attar_. Commonly called in England _Otto_ of Roses.

_Bari_. The Hindu home.

_Bhagirati_. A river, branch of the Ganges.

_Boiragi_. A religious devotee.

_Boisnavi_. A female mendicant; a votary of Vishnu.

_Boroari_. A Hindu festival.

_Boita khana_. The sitting-room of the male members
of the household, and their guests.

_Bonti_. A fish knife.

_Bou_. The wife.

_Brahmachari_. A student of the Vedas.

_Brahman_. An officiating Hindu priest

_Brahmo Somaj_. The church of the Theistic sect or Brahmos.

_Dada Babu_. Elder brother.

_Dahuk_. A bird of the Crane species.

_Didi_. Elder sister.

_Duftur Khana_. Accountant's office.

_Durga_.