Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/407

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Zemindar of Radhanagar, a place not very far from Birsingha, had hypothecated his estate to Babu Rama Prasad Ray, son of the illustrious Ram Mohan Ray, on a loan of 50,000 rupees. After his death, his son had also taken from the same creditor another loan of 25,000 rupees. The debt thus amounted to 75,000 rupees. His son, Siva Narayan Chaudhuri went to Rama Prasad to make some arrangements for clearing the debt by instalments, and died quite suddenly of Apoplexy in the creditor's office. After this, his two sons came to Rama Prasad and implored mercy, but he was inexorable. At last, they with their mother and aunt earnestly solicited Vidyasagar for help. His tender heart was moved at their tears, and he promised to aid them. He tried in various places for the money, but Rama Prasad having previously prohibited other money-lenders, no one ventured to lend so much money. Rama Prasad was one of the best pleaders of the Sadar Adalat and he had an eager desire to grasp the mortgaged estate. Vidyasagar travelled for six months continually in diffierent places and spent nearly 2,000 rupees of his own to procure the loan. At last, with great difficulty, he borrowed 50,000 rupees of Babu Kali Das Ghosh, a relation of Raja Pratap Chandra Sinha, and a further sum of 50,000 rupees from another money-lender. But when this one lakh was offered to Rama Prasad, he refused to receive the money. Vidyasagar then placed the matter in the