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CHAPTER XXXIU

Ramesh fully intended to despatch his business in Cal- cutta with all possible speed, and on no account to set foot in Kalutola.

He went back to his old quarters in Darjjipara, but his business occupied very little of his time each day and the remaining hours of the twenty-four dragged interminably. He cooud not face any of his former acquaintances and he even took precautions to avoid chance encounters in the street.

He found, however, that the return to his old haunts had unconsciously worked a change in him. Under wide horizons, in the unruffled peace of the country- side, the charm of Kamala's adolescent beauty had cast its spell over him, but here in the city the glamour had almost faded. In the Darjjipara house Ramesh tried to conjure up the girl's image to feast his rav- ished eyes on, but his imagination did not respond Ramesh vowed repeatedly that he would never again harbour a thought of Henmalini yet her memory rose vividly before him day and night. His rigid determi- nation to forget her became a potent ally to his memory of her.

Had Ramesh been at all capable of expedition he would have finished his business and returned long . before he actually did ; but with procrastination even ' the most trifling matters assumed alarming propor- tions. Even these, however, were disposed of in the end, and a day came when lie decided to leave for Allahabad on the morrow and to return thence to Ghazipur. The unbending self-control that he had exercised had gone completely unrewarded. It would

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