CHAPTER IX.
In the holy shrine.
The Adhicary hastened back to Nabokumar at day-break and found that he did never take his bed for the night.
"What is advisable now?" asked he.
"From this day forward" said Nabokumar "she shall be made and remain my lawful wife. If the act needs the renunciation of the world I am ready to do so for her sake. Who will give her hand away in marriage?"
The face of the man of the first-rate match-making abilities beamed up with joy.
"After so long, O Mother of the Creation, perhaps, my hapless daughter's star has risen" thought the Adhicary within himself.
"I shall bestow her upon you in the marriage ceremony" said he aloud. Then the Adhicary re-entered his bed-room. An old piece of cloth wrapped some ancient worm-eaten palm-leaves. Within it was preserved an astrological record of the stellar movements and positions. He drew up a chart, made minute calculations and then came out and said "Though the day is not auspicious enough for nuptials, yet there can be no harm in disposing of her hand in marriage. I shall hand her to you in the twilight moments and you shall have only to keep fasting the whole day. Do the sacred family rites at home. I have a place where I can hide you for a day only. If he happens to look in here in the course of day-light hours, he shall have no scent of you. After the marriage is over, you can, with your wife, leave the place next morning."
Nabokumar agreed to the proposal. Shastric observances were followed as far as practicable in the circumstances. On the border line between light and darkness did Nabokumar lead to the marriage altar the ascetic girl, nursed by the Kapalik. So far no news reached them of the Kapalik. The following morning, the trio prepared for the journey. It had been settled that the Adhicary would accompany them as far as the Midnapore high-road. Against departure, Kapalkundala went to make her last obeisance to the Goddess Kali. After she had devotedly bowed down her head, she took a trident leaf, whole and unbroken, from the flower basket and placing it at the feet of the idol, intently gazed down at it. The leaf dropped down. Kapalkundala was intensely religious. She was horror-struck to see the trident leaf slip away from the feet of the holy figure and so informed the Adhicary who was aggrieved to hear of it.
"Now there is no help for it." said he "You have been united in holy bonds so you must follow your husband to the funeral pyre if it is so needed. Go forth silently."
All of them moved noiselessly forward. The morning waxed hot when they arrived at the Midnapore high-road. Here the Adhicary bade farewell to the party whereupon Kapalkundala burst into a rain of tears. The only friend, she had in this wide world over, was taking his final leave. The Adhicary also felt a mist rising over his eyes. He brushed the tears from Kapalkundala's eyes and whispered into her ears "Mother, you know, through the grace of the Mother of the Universe, your son stands in no need of wealth. Both the high and low of the Hijli country-side bow their knees to the Goddess and send in their offerings. Give your husband what I have tied to your cloth-end and tell him to hire a palanquin for you and ever and always remember your son."
The Adhicary retired from the scene with streaming eyes. Kapalkundala, as well, went her way with her sight bedimmed with tears.