Page:The Wreck.djvu/273

THE WRECK

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Tulsi. "Oh, yes, he's a Brahman, a Chaturjye."

Tulsi was afraid that his mistress might detect him if he lingered to converse with Kamala so at this point he left her abruptly.

Kamala went straight to Nabinkali and informed her that she had finished her work and wished to go and bathe at the Dasaswamedh Ghat.

Nabinkali, "That would be most inconvenient. My husband is ill and one can't foresee what he may re- quire. Why do you want to go off there to-day in particular?"

"1 have just heard that a relation of mine whom I want very much to meet is in Benares."

Nabbinkali. "No, thank you ! I'm not so green as all that! Who was your informant? Tulsi, I suppose? We must get rid of that boy. Now you must under- stand, young lady, so long as you're in my house you're not to go off alone to bathe or to hunt up rela- tives in the city. It can't be done and I won't allow it."

The porter was directed to send Tulsi about his business without a moment's notice, and never to al- low him to show his face in the house again, while the other servants received strict orders against hold- ing any communication with Kamala.

Kamala had exercised patience so long as she had no positive information about Nalinaksha, but her spirit now began to chafe. She could not bear to remain another moment under a stranger's roof while her husband lived in the same city. Her capacity for work progressively declined and Nabinkali did not fail to comment on her shortcomings.

"Look here, young lady," she said, "I don't like the way you're behaving. Have you taken the sulks? You're at liberty to fast yourself if you like but you needn't try to starve us to death. The stuff you cook nowadays isn't fit to eat."

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