Indira and Other Stories/Radharani/Chapter 4
IV.
One or two years after this, a gentleman made his appearance at Radharani's poor-house. He was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. He was of grave but kindly appearance, and seemed to be in comfortable circumstances. He stood for some time in the gateway of the Rukmini Kumar Prasad and finally asked the attendants whose residence it was. He was told that it was not a private dwelling, but an asylum for the poor and indigent. He was also informed of the name it bore. He asked if he might visit the institution.
"Why," they replied, "should not such an one as you enter a building which is open to all the poor and miserable of the land?"
The stranger made a careful inspection of the asylum, and returning to the entrance, said,
"I have carefully examined all the arrangements for the comfort of the poor and sick, and am greatly pleased. To whose generosity do we owe this institution? Is his name Rukmini Kumar?"
The attendants replied, "No, sir, this institution has been founded by our mistress, Srimati Radharani Dasi."
"Why, then," asked the stranger, "is it called the Rukmini Kumar Benefaction?"
The attendants said that they did not know.
"Who then is this Rukmini Kumar?"
"No one of whom we know."
"Where is the residence of the generous foundress?"
The attendants pointed out a handsome mansion hard by.
"Can you tell me," said the stranger, "is the lady married or a widow?"
"She is neither married nor a widow. She comes of great people. All her relatives are dead. There is no one to give her in marriage."
"Does the lady ever admit male visitors to an interview? Do not be offended at my question. Let me tell you that many Hindu ladies now go into mixed society like Englishwomen. That is why I ask."
"Indeed," the attendants indignantly replied, "our lady has no such foreign manners. She never shows herself to males, even if they be friends of the family."
The stranger walked thoughtfully away towards the heiress's residence and entered its hospitable gate.