g and pointing to him significantly, and village boys called
him ill-natured nicknames in the street. His irritation was increased
by recourse to the brandy bottle, and he vented it on his luckless
wife. She suffered so terribly that, one morning, Nagendra found
her hanging from a rafter in his cowshed. This suicide was the last
straw. Nagendra saved himself from prosecution for murder by a heavy
bribe, and got leave from the police to burn his wife's body. But
so universally was he execrated that not a man in the village would
help him to take her body to the burning-ghat. In dire despair
he humbled himself so far as to implore Ramda's assistance. The
magnanimous Brahman forgot his wrongs and cheerfully consented to
bear a hand. Others followed his example, and thus Nagendra was
able to fulfil the rites prescribed by religion. The lesson was not
altogether lost on him. The scales fell from his eyes; he dismissed
the rascally servant, who had led him from the path of duty, and
foreswore his brandy bottle.

CHAPTER XII

A Rift in the Lute.

Nalini Chandra Basu worked hard for the B.L. degree, not to fill his
pockets by juggling with other people's interests, but in order to
help the poor, who are so often victims of moneyed oppression. After
securing the coveted distinction, he was enrolled as a pleader of the
Calcutta High Court and began to practise there, making it a rule to
accept no fees from an impoverished client. But two years of constant
attendance at Court convinced Nalini that Calcutta had far too many
lawyers already. He therefore removed to Ghoria, knowing that he
would find plenty of wrongs to redress there. About a month after his
arrival, a Zemindar of Kadampur, named Debendra Chandra Mitra, sued
one of his ryots for ejectment in the local Munsiff's Court. Nalini
espoused the defendant's cause and showed so stout a fight that the
case was dismissed with costs. Debendra Babu was deeply offended with
the young pleader, and determined to do him a bad turn if possible.

About a week later Nalini got a telegram from Benares announcing his
mother's death. He promptly donned the customary Kacha (mourning-cloth)
and hurried home, only to find his brother, Jadunath Babu, already
in possession of the sad news; and they went to Benares to comfort
their stricken father.

After the customary month of mourning Jadu Babu made preparations
for celebrating the sradh on a grand scale, by giving presents to
disti