(Exit Priest.)
Sadhu. Just see and place your hand on her nose. The body is become stiffer than that of a dead body.
Saralota. (Speaking slowly to Reboti, after placing the hand on the nose.) Her breathing is full, but the fire coming out of the head is so very intense that my throat, as it were, burns.
Sadhu. Has the Gomastah (head clerk) fallen into the hands of the Sahebs while he is gone to bring the physician? Let me go to the lodging-house of that physician.
(Exit Sadhu.)
Soirindri. Ah! Ah, my Lord! that mother for whose abstinence from food thou hast grieved so much; that mother, for whose weakness thou hadst served her feet; that mother, who for some days was, by no means, able to sleep without placing thee in her lap, that very same dear mother is now lying senseless before thee, and thou art not seeing her once (seeing Sabitri). As the cow losing her young one wanders about with loud cries, then being bit by a serpent falls down dead on the field; so the mother is lying senseless on the ground being grieved for her dear son. My Lord open thine eyes once more; call thy maid-servant[[55]] once more with thy sweet voice and thus satisfy her ears once. The sun of happiness has set at noon for me; what shall my Bipin do? (With tears in her eyes falls upon the breast of Nobin Madhab.)
Saralota. Ye who an here take hold of our sister.
Soirindri. (Rising up). I became an orphan while very young; it is for this death-like Indigo that my father was taken to the Factory, and he returned no more. That place became to him the residence of Yama (Death). My poor mother took me to the house of my maternal uncle, and there through grief for her husband, she bade adieu to the world. My uncles preserved me; I remained like a flower accidently let fall from the hand of the gardener. My Lord took me up with love and increased my honour. I forgot the sorrow for my parents, and in the life of my husband my parents were, as it were, revived (deep sigh). All my griefs are rising up anew in my mind. Ah! If I be deprived of that husband who keeps every thing under the shade of his protection, I shall again become the same helpless orphan.
Nobin’s Aunt. (Raising her with the hands). What fear my daughter? Why become so full of anxiety? A letter is sent to Bindu Madhab to bring a doctor. He will be cured when the doctor comes. (Falls down upon the ground.)
Soirindri. My aunt-in-law, while I was a girl I made a celebration of a certain religious observance; and placing my hands on the Alpana[[56]] (the white-washing prepared for the festival) prayed for these blessings: that my husband be like Rama, my mother-in-law like Kousalya, my father-in-law like Dasaratha, my brother-in-law like Lakshman. My aunt! God gave me more than I prayed for. My husband is as Raghunath (Rama) brave and a provider of his dependants; my mother-in-law is as Kousalya, having a sweet speech and an earnest love for her sons’ wives; my father-in-law is always happy in saying Badhumata, Badhumata,[[57]] and is the brightener of the ten sides.[[58]] Bindu Madhab, who surpasses the autumnal moon in purity, is dearer to me than was Lakshman-deva to Sita-devi. My aunt, all has taken place according to my desire; only there is one in which I find some disagreement—I am still alive. Rama is making preparations for going to the forests, but there is no preparation for Sita’s going with him.[him.][[59]] Ah! he was so much grieved on the abstinence of his father; again, he took the cacha for the celebration of his funeral ceremony; but before that was done he is preparing to go up to heaven (to die.) (Looking on his face with a steady sight) Ah! his lips are dry. Oh! my friends and companions, call my Bipin at once from the school; I shall once more (with weeping eyes) through his hands pour a little water of the Ganges into his dry mouth. (Places her mouth on that of his.)