Aduri. They began to see, standing under the tree. When this person (pointing to Torapa) flew away with him, we thought he was taken to the Factory. They began to tear themselves under the tree. I came to the house to call certain persons. Will our mistress remain alive when she sees this dead son? Do you stand here; let me call them here.
(Exit Aduri.)
Enter the Priest.
Priest. Oh God, hast thou killed such a man! Hast thou stopped the provision of so many men! We do not find any such symptom that our eldest Babu will sit up again.
Sadhu. God’s will. He can give life to a dead man.
Priest. On the third day, Bindu Babu, according to the Shastras, celebrated the offering of the funeral cake (pindadán) on the banks of the Ganges; it is only through the entreaties of his mother that preparations are being made for the monthly ceremony (shradh). It was determined that after the celebration of the ceremony, their dwelling place is to be removed; and I also heard that they will no more meet with that cruel Saheb; then why did he go there to-day?
Sadhu. Our eldest Babu has no fault, nor has he any want of judgment. Our madam and the eldest Bou forbad him many times. They said, “During the days we are to remain here, we will bathe with the water of the well, or Aduri will bring the water from the tank; we shall have no trouble.” The eldest Babu said “With a present of 50 Rupis, I shall fall at the Saheb’s feet, and thus stop the cultivation of the Indigo on the side of the tank, and shall speak nothing of the dispute in such a dangerous time.” With this intention our eldest Babu took me and Torap with him, and going there with tears in his eyes, said to the Saheb, “Saheb, I bring you a present of 50 Rupis; only for this year, stop the cultivation of the Indigo in this place: and if this be not granted, take the money, and delay that business only till the time when the ceremony is to be performed.” There is sin even in repeating the answer which the wretch gave, and the hairs of our body stood on an end. The rascal said, “Your father was hung in the jail of the Yabans[[52]] with thieves and robbers; therefore keep your money for the sacrifice of many bulls which are necessary for his ceremony.” Then placing his shoe on one of the eldest Babus knees, he said “This is the gift for your father’s ceremony.”
Priest. Narayan! Narayan.[[53]] (Placing his hand on his ears).
Sadhu. Instantly the eyes of the eldest Babu became red like blood, his whole body began to tremble, he bit his lips with his teeth and then remaining silent for a short time gave the Saheb a hard kick on the breast, so that he fell on the ground upside down like a bundle of bena (a certain grass). Kes Dali, who is now the jamadar of the Factory, and other ten surkiola immediately stood round him. The eldest Babu had once saved these from the hands of robbers; so they felt a little ashamed to raise their hand against him. Mr. Wood gave a blow to the jamadar, took the stick out of his hand and smote with it the head of the eldest Babu. The head was cracked, and he fell down senseless on the ground; I tried much, but was not able to go into that crowd. Torapa was observing this from a distance: and as soon as the men stood round the eldest Babu, he with violence rushed into this crowd like an obstinate buffalo, took him up, and flew off.
Torapa. I was told “to stand at a distance, lest they take me away by force.” The fools hate me very much; do I hide myself when there is a tumult? If I had gone a little before, I would have brought the Babu safe, and would have sacrificed two of those rascals in the Durgah of Borkat Bibi (the temple of Benediction). My whole body is shrunk on observing the head of the Babu; then, when shall I kill these? Oh! oh! the eldest Babu saved me so many times, but I was not able to save him once. (Beats his forehead and cries.)