But the Haldars of Khirpai, a respectable body, accompanied with some advocates of widow marriage, called upon Vidyasagar, and entreated him most earnestly to prevent the alliance. The father of the widow marriage movement was so moved by their urgent entreaties, that he promised to them that he would not allow the marriage to be consummated, and told them that they might take away with them the bride and bridegroom, who had been already brought to Birsingha for the alliance. The Haldars were satisfied at the word given by the truthful Vidyasagar, and they went their way. But in the dead of the very night, his second brother, Dinabandhu, and third brother, Sambhu Chandra, with the help of some other villagers, celebrated the marriage, without the knowledge of their eldest brother. Early in the next morning, as he was sitting in his verandah smoking his hookah, he heard a conch sounded.[1] The sound took him by surprise, but he could make neither head nor tail of it. At this moment, Gopinath Sinha, a respectable co-villager made his appearance. Vidyasagar asked him the cause of the sounding of the shell. The visitor replied—’You are not aware? Muchiram's marriage has been consummated.' At the news, his face was flushed
- ↑ The sounding of a conch indicates the conclusion of the performance of the rites of marriage or some such ceremonial or festival.
