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CHAPTER LII

Kamala's life in Nabinkali's house resembled that of a fish imprisoned in a shallow and muddy pond. Her only salvation lay in escape, but escape was out of the question so long as she had no obvious goal for flight. Her recent escapade had taught her how for- bidding the outside world appears by night, and she shrank from once more entrusting herself to the unknown.

In her own peculiar way Nabinkali was fond of Kamala but her affection took distasteful forms. She had come to the girl's rescue in the hour of need, but she made it hard for Kamala to feel correspond- ingly grateful, and Kamala infinitely preferred her menial duties to the boredom of the leisure hours which she was forced to spend in Nabinkali's society.

One morning the old lady summoned her to listen to the following tirade: "Look here, young lady, my husband is not very well to-day and he must have luchis instead of his usual food. All the same, you needn't use such a colossal quantity of ghi. You're a good cook, I admit, but I fail to understand what you do with all the ghi. That uriya Brahman was your superior there. He used ghi of course, but the taste of it was hardly noticeable in his cooking."

Kamala never answered back: after a scolding she

would go on quietly with her work as though she had 

heard nothing. On this particular morning, however, the thrust went home and Kamala continued to brood over the slight as she chopped up the vegetables. She had just arrived at the conclusion that the world is a

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