At　first　Pramathanath　felt　flattered　at　the　special　respect　thus　shown　to　him。　When；　however；　the　train　went　on；　the　dull　rays　of　the　setting　sun；　at　the　west　of　the　fields；　now　ploughed　up　and　stripped　of　green；　seemed　in　his　eyes　to　spread　a　glow　of　shame　over　the　whole　country。　Sitting　near　the　window　of　his　lonely　compartment；　he　seemed　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　down…cast　eyes　of　his　Motherland；　hidden　behind　the　trees。　As　Pramathanath　sat　there；　lost　in　reverie；　burning　tears　flowed　down　his　cheeks；　and　his　heart　burst　with　indignation。
  He　now　remembered　the　story　of　a　donkey　who　was　drawing　the　chariot　of　an　idol　along　the　street。　The　wayfarers　bowed　down　to　the　idol；　and　touched　the　dusty　ground　with　their　foreheads。　The　foolish　donkey　imagined　that　all　this　reverence　was　being　shown　to　him。　〃The　only　difference；〃　said　Pramathanath　to　himself；　〃　between　the　donkey　and　myself　is　this：　I　understand　to…day　that　the　respect　I　receive　is　not　given　to　me　but　to　the　burden　on　my　back。〃
  Arriving　home；　Pramathanath　called　together　all　the　children　of　the　household；　and　lighting　a　big　bonfire；　threw　all　his　European　clothes　into　it　one　by　one。　The　children　danced　round　and　round　it；　and　the　higher　the　flames　shot　up；　the　greater　was　their　merriment。　After　that；　Pramathanath　gave　up　his　sip　of　tea　and　bits　of　toast　in　Anglo…Indian　houses；　and　once　again　sat　inaccessible　within　the　castle　of　his　house；　while　his　insulted　friends　went　about　from　the　door　of　one　Englishman　to　that　of　another；　bending　their　turbaned　heads　as　before。
  By　an　irony　of　fate；　poor　Nabendu　Sekhar　married　the　second　daughter　of　this　house。　His　sisters…in…law　were　well　educated　and　handsome。　Nabendu　considered　he　had　made　a　lucky　bargain。　But　he　lost　no　time　in　trying　to　impress　on　the　family　that　it　was　a　rare　bargain　on　their　side　also。　As　if　by　mistake；　he　would　often　hand　to　his　sisters…in…law　sundry　letters　that　his　late　father　had　received　from　Europeans。　And　when　the　cherry　lips　of　those　young　ladies　smiled　sarcastically；　and　the　point　of　a　shining　dagger　peeped　out　of　its　sheath　of　red　velvet；　the　unfortunate　man　saw　his　folly；　and　regretted　it。
  Labanyalekha；　the　eldest　sister；　surpassed　the　rest　in　beauty　and　cleverness。　Finding　an　auspicious　day；　she　put　on　the　mantel…shelf　of　Nabendu's　bedroom　two　pairs　of　English　boots；　daubed　with　vermilion；　and　arranged　flowers；　sandal…paste；　incense　and　a　couple　of　burning　candles　before　them　in　true　ceremonial　fashion。　When　Nabendu　came　in；　the　two　sisters…in…law　stood　on　either　side　of　him；　and　said　with　mock　solemnity：　〃Bow　down　to　your　gods；　and　may　you　prosper　through　their　blessings。〃
  The　third　sister　Kiranlekha　spent　many　days　in　embroidering　with　red　silk　one　hundred　common　English　names　such　as　Jones；　Smith；　Brown；　Thomson；　etc。；　on　a　chadar。　When　it　was　ready；　she　presented　this　namavoli　（A　namavoli　is　a　sheet　of　cloth　printed　all　over　with　the　names　of　Hindu　gods　and　goddesses　and　worn　by　pious　Hindus　when　engaged　in　devotional　exercises。）　to　Nabendu　Sekhar　with　great　ceremony。
  The　fourth；　Sasankalekha；　of　tender　age　and　therefore　of　no　account；　said：　〃　I　will　make　you　a　string　of　beads；　brother；　with　which　to　tell　the　names　of　your　gods…the　sahibs。〃　Her　sisters　reproved　her；　saying：　〃Run　away；　you　saucy　girl。〃
  Feelings　of　shame　and　irritation　assailed　by　turns　the　mind　of　Nabendu　Sekhar。　Still　he　could　not　forego　the　company　of　his　sisters…in…law；　especially　as　the　eldest　one　was　beautiful。　Her　honey　was　no　less　than　her　gall；　and　Nabendu's　mind　tasted　at　once　the　sweetness　of　the　one　and　the　bitterness　of　the　other。　The　butterfly；　with　its　bruised　wings；　buzzes　round　the　flower　in　blind　fury；　unable　to　depart。
  The　society　of　his　sisters…in…Law　so　much　infatuated　him　that　at　last　Nabendu　began　to　disavow　his　craving　for　European　favours。　When　he　went　to　salaam　the　Burra　Sahib；　he　used　to　pretend　that　he　was　going　to　listen　to　a　speech　by　Mr。　Surendranath　Banerjea。　When　he　went　to　the　railway　station　to　pay　respects　to　the　Chota　Sahib；　returning　from　Darjeeling；　he　would　tell　his　sisters…in…law　that　he　expected　his　youngest　uncle。
  It　was　a　sore　trial　to　the　unhappy　man　placed　between　the　cross…fires　of　his　Sahibs　and　his　sisters…in…law。　The　sisters…in…law；　however；　secretly　vowed　that　they　would　not　rest　till　the　Sahibs　had　been　put　to　rout。
  About　this　time　it　was　rumoured　that　Nabendu's　name　would　be　included　in　the　forthcoming　list　of　Birthday　honours；　and　that　he　would　mount　the　first　step　of　the　ladder　to　Paradise　by　becoming　a　Rai　Bahadur。　The　poor　fellow　had　not　the　courage　to　break　the　joyful　news　to　his　sisters…in…law。　One　evening；　however；　when　the　autumn　moon　was　flooding　the　earth　with　its　mischievous　beams；　Nabendu's　heart　was　so　full　that　he　could　not　contain　himself　any　longer；　and　he　told　his　wife。　The　next　day；　Mrs。　Nabendu　betook　herself　to　her　eldest　sister's　house　in　a　palanquin；　and　in　a　voice　choked　with　tears　bewailed　her　lot。
  〃He　isn't　going　to　grow　a　tail；〃　said　Labanya；　〃by　becoming　a　Rai　Bahadur；　is　he？　Why　should　you　feel　so　very　humiliated？　〃
  〃Oh；　no；　sister　dear；〃　replied　Arunlekha；　〃I　am　prepared　to　be　anythingbut　not　a　Rai…Baha…durni。''　The　fact　was　that　in　her　circle　of　acquaintances　there　was　one　Bhutnath　Babu；　who　was　a　Rai　Bahadur；　and　that　explained　her　intense　aversion　to　that　title。
  Labanya　said　to　her　sister　in　soothing　tones：　〃　Don't　be　upset　about　it；　dear；　I　will　see　what　I　can　do　to　prevent　it〃
  Babu　Nilratan；　the　husband　of　Labanya；　was　a　pleader　at　Buxar。　When　the　autumn　was　over；　Nabendu　received　an　invitation　from　Labanya　to　pay　them　a　visit；　and　he　started　for　Buxar　greatly　pleased。
  The　early　winter　of　the　western　province　endowed　Labanyalekha　with　new　health　and　beauty；　and　brought　a　glowing　colour　to　her　pale　cheeks；　She　looked　like　the　flower…laden　kasa　reeds　on　a　clear　autumn　day；　growing　by　the　lonely　bank　of　a　rivulet。　To　Nabendu's　enchanted　eyes　she　appeared　like　a　malati　plant　in　full　blossom；　showering　dew…drops　brilliant　with　the　morning　light。
  Nabendu　had　never　felt　better　in　his　life。　The　exhilaration　of　his　own　health　and　the　genial　company　of　his　pretty　sister…in…law　made　him　think　himself　light　enough　to　tread　on　air。　The　Ganges　in　front　of　the　garden　seemed　to　him　to　be　flowing　ceaselessly　to　regions　unknown；　as　though　it　gave　shape　to　his　own　wild　fantasies。
  As　he　returned　in　the　early　morning　from　his　walk　on　the　bank　of　the　river；　the　mellow　rays　of　the　winter　sun　gave　his　whole　frame　that　pleasing　sensation　of　warmth　which　lovers　feel　in　each　other's　arms。　Coming　home；　he　would　now　and　then　find　his　sister…in…Law　amusing　herself　by　cooking　some　dishes。　He　would　offer　his　help；　and　display　his　want　of　skill　and　ignorance　at　every　step。　But　Nabendu　did　not　appear　to　be　at　all　anxious　to　improve　himself　by　practice　and　attention。　On　the　contrary　he　thoroughly　enjoyed　the　rebukes　he　received　from　his　sister…in…law。　He　was　at　great　pains　to　prove　every　day　that　he　was　inefficient　and　helpless　as　a　new…born　babe　in　mixing　spices；　handling　the　saucepan；　and　regulating　the　heat　so　as　to　prevent　things　getting　burnt…and　he　was　duly　rewarded　with　pitiful　smiles　and　scoldings。
  In　the　middle　of　the　day　he　ate　a　great　deal　of　the　good　food　set　before　him；　incited　by　his　keen　appetite　and　the　coaxing　of　his　sister…in…law。　Later　on；　he　would　sit　down　to　a　game　of　cardsat　which　he　betrayed　the　same　lack　of　ability。　He　would　cheat；　pry　into　his　adversary's　hand；　quarrelbut　never　did　he　win　a　single　rubber；　and　worse　still；　he　would　not　acknowledge　defeat。　This　brought　him　abuse　every　day；　and　still　he　remained　incorrigible。
  There　was；　however；　one　matter　in　which　his　reform　was　complete。　For　the　time　at　least；　he　had　forgotten　that　to　win　the　smiles　of　Sahibs　was　the　final　goal　of　life。　He　was　beginning　to　understand　how　happy　and　worthy　we　might　feel　by　winning　the　affection　and　esteem　of　those　near　and　dear　to　us。
  Besides；　Nabendu　was　now　moving　in　a　new　atmosphere。　Labanya's　husband；　Babu　Nilratan；　a　leader　of　the　bar；　was　reproached　by　many；　because　he　refused　to　pay　his　respects　to　European　officials。　To　all　such　reproaches　Nilratan　would　reply：　〃No；　thank　you；　if　they　are　not　polite　enough　to　return　my　call；　then　the　politeness　I　offer　them　is　a　loss　that　can　never　be　made　up　for。　The　sands　of　the　desert　may　be　very　white　and　shiny；　but　I　would　much　rather　sow　my　seeds　in　black　soil；　where　I　can　expect　a　return。〃
  And　Nabendu　began　to　adopt　similar　ideas；　all　regardless　of　the　future。　His　chance　of　Rai　Bahadurship　throve　on　the　soil　carefully　prepared　by　his　late　father　and　also　by　himself　in　days　gone　by；　nor　was　any　fresh　watering　required。　Had　he　not　at　great　expense　laid　out　a　splendid　race…course　in　a　town；　which　was　a　fashionable　resort　of　Europeans？
  When　the　time　of　Congress　drew　near；　Nilratan　received　a　request　from　head…quarters　to　collect　subscriptions。　Nabendu；　free　from　anxiety；　was　merrily　engaged　in　a　game　of　cards　with　his　sister…in。　law；　when　Nilratan　Babu　came　upon　him　with　a　subscription…book　in　his　hand；　and　said：　〃Your　signature；　please。〃
  》From　old　habit　Nabendu　looked　horrified。　Labanya；　assuming　an　air　of　great　concern　and　anxiety；　said：　〃Never　do　that。　It　would　ruin