t it drop； uncle；' she said to me constantly。 'What do you mean； you silly child；' I rebuked her；' how can we back out now； when everything has been settled？'
〃'Spread a rumour that I am dead；' she implored。 'Send me away somewhere。'
〃'What would happen to the young man then？' said I。' He is now in the seventh heaven of delight； expecting that his long cherished desire would be fulfilled to…morrow； and to…day you want me to send him the news of your death。 The result would be that to…morrow I should have to bear the news of his death to you； and the same evening your death would be reported to me。 Do you imagine； child； that I am capable of committing a girl…murder and a Brahmin…murder at my age？'
〃Eventually the happy marriage was celebrated at the auspicious moment； and I felt relieved of a burdensome duty which I owed to myself。 What happened afterwards you know best。〃
〃Couldn't you stop after having done us an irreparable injury？〃 burst out Hemanta after a short silence。 〃Why have you told the secret now？〃
With the utmost composure； Peari Sankar replied： 〃When I saw that all arrangements had been made for the wedding of your sister； I said to myself： 'Well； I have fouled the caste of one Brahmin； but that was only from a sense of duty。 Here； another Brahmin's caste is imperilled； and this time it is my plain duty to prevent it。' So I wrote to them saying that I was in a position to prove that you bad taken the daughter of a sudra to wife。〃
Controlling himself with a gigantic effort； Hemanta said： 〃What will become of this girl whom I shall abandon now？ Would you give her food and shelter？〃
〃I have done what was mine to do；〃 replied Peari Sankar calmly。 〃It is no part of my duty to look after the discarded wives of other people。 Anybody there？ Get a glass of cocoanut milk for Hemanta Babu with ice in it。 And some pan too。〃
Hemanta rose； and took his departure without waiting for this luxurious hospitality。
IV
It was the fifth night of the waning of the moonand the night was dark。 No birds were singing。 The lichi tree by the tank looked like a smudge of ink on a background a shade less deep。 The south wind was blindly roaming about in the darkness like a sleep…walker。 The stars in the sky with vigilant unblinking eyes were trying to penetrate the darkness； in their effort to fathom some profound mystery。
No light shone in the bedroom。 Hemanta was sitting on the side of the bed next the open window； gazing at the darkness in front of him。 Kusum lay on the floor； clasping her husband's feet with both her arms； and her face resting on them。 Time stood like an ocean hushed into stillness。 On the background of eternal night； Fate seemed to have painted this one single picture for all timeannihilation on every side； the judge in the centre of it； and the guilty one at his feet。
The sound of slippers was heard again。 Approaching the door； Harihar Mukerji said： 〃You have had enough time； I can't allow you more。 Turn the girl out of the house。〃
Kusum； as she heard this； embraced her husband's feet with all the ardour of a lifetime； covered them with kisses； and touching her forehead to them reverentially； withdrew herself。
Hemanta rose； and walking to the door； said： 〃Father； I won't forsake my wife。〃
〃What！〃 roared out Harihar； 〃would you lose your caste； sir？〃
〃I don't care for caste；〃 was Hemanta's calm reply。
〃Then you too I renounce。〃
THE CABULIWALLAH
（THE FRUITSELLER FROM CABUL）
My five years' old daughter Mini cannot live without chattering。 I really believe that in all her life she has not wasted a minute in silence。 Her mother is often vexed at this； and would stop her prattle； but I would not。 To see Mini quiet is unnatural； and I cannot bear it long。 And so my own talk with her is always lively。
One morning； for instance； when I was in the midst of the seventeenth chapter of my new novel； my little Mini stole into the room； and putting her hand into mine； said： 〃Father！ Ramdayal the door…keeper calls a crow a krow！ He doesn't know anything； does he？〃
Before I could explain to her the differences of language in this world； she was embarked on the full tide of another subject。 〃What do you think； Father？ Bhola says there is an elephant in the clouds； blowing water out of his trunk； and that is why it rains！〃
And then； darting off anew； while I sat still making ready some reply to this last saying； 〃Father！ what relation is Mother to you？〃
〃My dear little sister in the law！〃 I murmured involuntarily to myself； but with a grave face contrived to answer： 〃Go and play with Bhola； Mini！ I am busy！〃
The window of my room overlooks the road。 The child had seated herself at my feet near my table； and was playing softly； drumming on her knees。 I was hard at work on my seventeenth chapter； where Protrap Singh； the hero； had just caught Kanchanlata； the heroine； in his arms； and was about to escape with her by the third story window of the castle； when all of a sudden Mini left her play； and ran to the window； crying； 〃A Cabuliwallah！ a Cabuliwallah！〃 Sure enough in the street below was a Cabuliwallah； passing slowly along。 He wore the loose soiled clothing of his people； with a tall turban； there was a bag on his back； and he carried boxes of grapes in his hand。
I cannot tell what were my daughter's feelings at the sight of this man； but she began to call him loudly。 〃Ah！〃 I thought； 〃he will come in； and my seventeenth chapter will never be finished！〃 At which exact moment the Cabuliwallah turned； and looked up at the child。 When she saw this； overcome by terror； she fled to her mother's protection； and disappeared。 She had a blind belief that inside the bag； which the big man carried； there were perhaps two or three other children like herself。 The pedlar meanwhile entered my doorway； and greeted me with a smiling face。
So precarious was the position of my hero and my heroine； that my first impulse was to stop and buy something； since the man had been called。 I made some small purchases； and a conversation began about Abdurrahman； the Russians； she English； and the Frontier Policy。
As he was about to leave； he asked： 〃And where is the little girl； sir？〃
And I； thinking that Mini must get rid of her false fear； had her brought out。
She stood by my chair； and looked at the Cabuliwallah and his bag。 He offered her nuts and raisins； but she would not be tempted； and only clung the closer to me； with all her doubts increased。
This was their first meeting。
One morning； however； not many days later； as I was leaving the house； I was startled to find Mini； seated on a bench near the door； laughing and talking； with the great Cabuliwallah at her feet。 In all her life； it appeared； my small daughter had never found so patient a listener； save her father。 And already the corner of her little sari was stuffed with almonds and raisins； the gift of her visitor； 〃Why did you give her those？〃 I said； and taking out an eight…anna bit； I handed it to him。 The man accepted the money without demur； and slipped it into his pocket。
Alas； on my return an hour later； I found the unfortunate coin had made twice its own worth of trouble！ For the Cabuliwallah had given it to Mini； and her mother catching sight of the bright round object； had pounced on the child with： 〃Where did you get that eight…anna bit？ 〃
〃The Cabuliwallah gave it me；〃 said Mini cheerfully。
〃The Cabuliwallah gave it you！〃 cried her mother much shocked。 〃Oh；
Mini！ how could you take it from him？〃
I； entering at the moment； saved her from impending disaster； and proceeded to make my own inquiries。
It was not the first or second time； I found； that the two had met。 The Cabuliwallah had overcome the child's first terror by a judicious bribery of nuts and almonds； and the two were now great friends。
They had many quaint jokes； which afforded them much amusement。 Seated in front of him； looking down on his gigantic frame in all her tiny dignity； Mini would ripple her face with laughter； and begin： 〃O Cabuliwallah； Cabuliwallah； what have you got in your bag？〃
And he would reply； in the nasal accents of the mountaineer： 〃An elephant！〃 Not much cause for merriment； perhaps； but how they both enjoyed the witticism！ And for me； this child's talk with a grown…up man had always in it something strangely fascinating。
Then the Cabuliwallah； not to be behindhand； would take his turn： 〃Well； little one； and when are you going to the father…in…law's house？〃
Now most small Bengali maidens have heard long ago about the father…in…law's house； but we； being a little new…fangled； had kept these things from our child； and Mini at this question must have been a trifle bewildered。 But she would not show it； and with ready tact replied： 〃Are you going there？〃
Amongst men of the Cabuliwallah's class； however； it is well known that the words father…in…law's house have a double meaning。 It is a euphemism for jail； the place where we are well cared for； at no expense to ourselves。 In this sense would the sturdy pedlar take my daughter's question。 〃Ah；〃 he would say； shaking his fist at an invisible policeman； 〃I will thrash my father…in…law！〃 Hearing this； and picturing the poor discomfited relative； Mini would go off into peals of laughter； in which her formidable friend would join。
These were autumn mornings； the very time of year when kings of old went forth to conquest； and I； never stirring from my little corner in Calcutta； would let my mind wander over the whole world。 At the very name of another country； my heart would go out to it； and at the sight of a foreigner in the streets； I would fall to weaving a network of dreams； the mountains； the glens； and the forests of his distant home； with his cottage in its setting； and the free and independent life of far…away wilds。 Perhaps the scenes of travel conjure themselves up before me； and pass and repass in my imagination all the more vividly； because I lead such a vegetable existence； that a call to travel would fall upon me like a thunderbolt。 In the presence of this Cabuliwallah； I was immediately transported to the foot of arid mountain peaks； with narrow little defiles twisting in and out amongst thei