Nilmani's head was the largest part of him. It seemed as if the Creator
had blown through a slender stick a big bubble at its top. The doctors
feared sometimes that the child might be as frail and as quickly
evanescent as a bubble. For a long time he could neither speak nor
walk. Looking at his sad grave face, you might think that his parents
had unburdened all the sad weight of their advanced years upon the head
of this little child.
With his sister's care and nursing, Nilmani passed the period of
danger, and arrived at his sixth year.
In the month of Kartik, on the _bhaiphoto_[26] day, Sasi had dressed
Nilmani up as a little Babu, in coat and _chadar_ and red-bordered
_dhoti_, and was giving him the 'brother's mark,' when her outspoken
neighbour Tara came in and, for one reason or another, began a quarrel.
[26] Lit. the 'brother's mark.' A beautiful and touching ceremony in
which a Hindu sister makes a mark of sandalwood paste on the forehead
of her brother and utters a formula, 'putting the barrier in Yama's
doorway' (figurative for wishing long life). On these occasions, the
sisters entertain their brothers and make them presents of clothes,
etc.
''Tis no use,' cried she, 'giving the "brother's mark" with so
much show and ruining the brother in secret.'
At this Sasi was thunderstruck with astonishment, rage, and pain. Tara
repeated the rumour that Sasi and her husband had conspired together
to put the minor Nilmani's property up for sale for arrears of rent,
and to purchase it in the name of her husband's cousin. When Sasi heard
this, she uttered a curse that those who could spread such a foul
lie might be stricken with leprosy in the mouth. And then she went
weeping to her husband, and told him of the gossip. Joygopal said:
'Nobody can be trusted in these days. Upen is my aunt's son, and I
felt quite safe in leaving him in charge of the property. He could not
have allowed the _taluk_ Hasilpur to fall into arrears and purchase it
himself in secret, if I had had the least inkling about it.'
'Won't you sue then?' asked Sasi in astonishment.
'Sue one's cousin!' said Joygopal. 'Besides, it would be useless,
a simple waste of money.'
It was Sasi's supreme duty to trust her husband's word, but Sasi could
not. At last her happy home, the domesticity of her love seemed
hateful to her. That home life which had once seemed her supreme
refuge was nothing more than a cruel snare of self-interest, which had
surrounded them, brother and sister, on all sides. She was a woman,
single-handed, and she knew not how she could save the helpless
Nilmani. The more she thought, the more her heart filled with terror,
loathing, and an infinite love for her imperilled little brother. She
thought that, if she only knew how, she would appear before the _Lat
Saheb_,[27] nay, write to the Maharani herself, to save her brother's
property. The Maharani would surely not allow Nilmani's _taluk_[28]
of Hasilpur, with an income of seven hundred and fifty-eight rupees a
year, to be sold.
[27] The Viceroy.
[28] Land.
When Sasi was thus thinking of bringing her husband's cousin to book
by appealing to the Maharani herself, Nilmani was suddenly seized with
fever and convulsions.
Joygopal called in the village doctor. When Sasi asked for a better
doctor, Joygopal said: 'Why, Matilal isn't a bad sort.'
Sasi fell at his feet, and charged him with an oath on her own head;
whereupon Joygopal said: 'Well, I shall send for the doctor from
town.'
Sasi lay with Nilmani in her lap, nor would Nilmani let her out of his
sight for a minute; he clung to her lest by some pretence she should
escape; even while he slept he would not loosen his hold of her dress.
Thus the whole day passed, and Joygopal came after nightfall to say
that the doctor was not at home; he had gone to see a patient at a
distance. He added that he himself had to leave that very day on
account of a lawsuit, and that he had told Matilal, who would regularly
call to see the patient.
At night Nilmani wandered in his sleep. As soon as the morning dawned,
Sasi, without the least scruple, took a boat with her sick brother, and
went straight to the doctor's house. The doctor was at home--he had not
left the town. He quickly found lodgings for her, and having installed
her under the care of an elderly widow, undertook the treatment of
the boy.
The next day Joygopal arrived. Blazing with fury, he ordered his wife
to return home with him at once.
'Even if you cut me to pieces, I won't return,' replied his wife.
'You all want to kill my Nilmani, who has no father, no mother, none
other than me, but I will save him.'
'Then you remain here, and don't come back to my house,' cried
Joygopal indignantly.