THE ELDER SISTER
I
Having described at length the misdeeds of an unfortunate woman's wicked, tyrannical husband, Tara, the woman's neighbour in the village, very shortly declared her verdict: "Fire be to such a husband’s mouth."
At this Joygopal Babu's wife felt much hurt; it did not become womankind to wish, in any circumstances whatever, a worse species of fire than that of a cigar in a husband's mouth.
When, therefore, she mildly disapproved the verdict, hard-hearted Tara cried with redoubled vehemence: "'Twere better to be a widow seven births over than the wife of such a husband," and saying this she broke up the meeting and left.
Sasi said within himself: "I can't imagine any offence in a husband that could so harden the heart against him." Even as she turned the matter over in her mind, all the tenderness of her loving soul gushed forth towards her own husband now abroad.
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