onger, he made an excuse that
his house was in need of repair, and sent Kunda Nandini to Nagendra's
house. When the repairs of the house were completed, Kunda Nandini
returned home. A few days after, Debendra, with some of his friends,
called upon Tara Charan, and jeered him for his false boasting. Driven
thus, as it were, into a corner, Tara Charan persuaded Kunda Nandini
to dress in suitable style, and brought her forth to converse with
Debendra Babu. How could she do so? She remained standing veiled
before him for a few seconds, then fled weeping. But Debendra was
enchanted with her youthful grace and beauty. He never forgot it.

Soon after that, some kind of festival was held in Debendra's house,
and a little girl was sent thence to Kunda to invite her attendance.
But Surja Mukhi hearing of this, forbade her to accept the invitation,
and she did not go. Later, Debendra again going to Tara Charan's
house, had an interview with Kunda. Surja Mukhi hearing of this
through others, gave to Tara Charan such a scolding, that from that
time Debendra's visits were stopped.

In this manner three years passed after the marriage; then Kunda
Nandini became a widow. Tara Charan died of fever. Surja Mukhi took
Kunda to live with her, and selling the house she had given to Tara
Charan, gave the proceeds in Government paper to Kunda.

The reader is no doubt much displeased, but in fact the tale is only
begun. Of the poison tree the seed only has thus far been sown.

CHAPTER VII.

HARIDASI BOISNAVI.

The widow Kunda Nandini passed some time in Nagendra's house. One
afternoon the whole household of ladies were sitting together in the
other division of the house, all occupied according to their tastes in
the simple employment of village women. All ages were there, from the
youngest girl to the grey-haired woman. One was binding another's hair,
the other suffering it to be bound; one submitting to have her white
hairs extracted, another extracting them by the aid of a grain of rice;
one beauty sewing together shreds of cloth into a quilt for her boy,
another suckling her child; one lovely being dressing the plaits of her
hair; another beating her child, who now cried aloud, now quietly
sobbed, by turns. Here one is sewing carpet-work, another leaning over
it in admiring examination. There one of artistic taste, thinking of
some one's marriage, is drawing a design on the wooden seats to be used
by the bridal pair. One learn