He was forever
preaching: "Abandon idol-worship, give choice in marriage, give women
education; why do you keep them shut up in a cage? let women come
out." There was a special cause for this liberality on the subject of
women, inasmuch as in his own house there was no woman. Up to this
time he had not married. Surja Mukhi had made great efforts to get him
married, but as his mother's story was known in Govindpur, no
respectable _Kaystha_ consented to give him his daughter. Many a
common, disreputable _Kaystha_ girl he might have had; but Surja
Mukhi, regarding Tara Charan as a brother, would not give her consent,
since she did not choose to call such a girl sister-in-law. While she
was seeking for a respectable _Kaystha_ girl, Nagendra's letter came,
describing Kunda Nandini's gifts and beauty. She resolved to give her
to Tara Charan in marriage.

[Footnote 3: A religious periodical published in Calcutta.]

CHAPTER V.

OH! LOTUS-EYED, WHO ART THOU?

Kunda arrived safely with Nagendra at Govindpur. At the sight of
Nagendra's dwelling she became speechless with wonder, for she had
never seen one so grand. There were three divisions without and three
within. Each division was a large city. The outer _mahal_ (division)
was entered by an iron gate, and was surrounded on all sides by a
handsome lofty iron railing. From the gate a broad, red, well-metalled
path extended, on each side of which were beds of fresh grass that
would have formed a paradise for cows. In the midst of each plat was
a circle of shrubs, all blooming with variously coloured flowers. In
front rose the lofty demi-upper-roomed _boita khana_ (reception-hall),
approached by a broad flight of steps, the verandah of which was
supported by massive fluted pillars. The floor of the lower part of
this house was of marble. Above the parapet, in its centre, an
enormous clay lion, with dependent mane, hung out its red tongue. This
was Nagendra's _boita khana_. To left and right of the grass plats
stood a row of one-storied buildings, containing on one side the
_daftar khana_ (accountant's office) and _kacheri_ (court-house); on
the other the storehouse, treasury, and servants' dwellings. On both
sides of the gate were the doorkeepers' lodges. This first _mahal_ was
named the _kacheri bari_ (house of business); the next to it was the
_puja mahal_ (division for worship). The large hall of worship formed
one side of the _puja mahal_; on the other three sides