Stories of Bengalee Life/The Lady from Benares/Chapter 3
III
Girindra Nath was unusually late coming home that evening. When he saw the Benares lady, he exclaimed—"It was so stupid of me! I forgot all about sending a porter to fetch you, madam. Since you have given us the pleasure of your company for two days, extend it another day. I haven't got to go to office to-morrow and I shall see you off myself."
Maloti smelt of wine directly she came to her husband. "Things are looking bad"—she crossly said. "You will get worse and worse at Tari Ghat when you earn more money."
Girindra in caressing tones, said—
"Dear, oh dear!—Do you imagine there is Kellner there? Oh, no—it is a very small station—-quite out of the way. Once there, I will purify myself by a dip in the Ganges and give up these sorts of things ek dum."
"Aren't you going to office to-morrow?"
"No, I have finished my work here and made over charge. The day after to-morrow I will give a dinner to my friends to celebrate my lift and all arrangements for it must be made to-morrow."
Girindra Nath then sat down to his supper. It was such an improvement over his ordinary evening fare that he enquired of his wife how it was so. When told that it was the work of the Benares lady, he said—"A thought strikes me. Do you think, if we asked her, she would stay over till the day after to-morrow and help you to cook the dinner?"
"You had better ask her yourself"—said Maloti, greatly pleased.
"But I shouldn't go and speak to her in this condition—should I?"
"You silly!"—said Maloti in a tone of soft rebuke. "Didn't you speak to her as you came in just now."
"Did I?"—gasped Girindra. Then in a moment his recollection seemed to revive—and he kept on saying—"Yes I did—of course I did."
Maloti communicated her husband's request to the Benares lady, who cheerfully assented.