Bimala. "Return! Am I not going away for good? We three will live like man and wives in another country."
Diggaja's mouth filled with a laugh. He said,
"But shall I leave all these articles behind?"
Bimala. "Doubtless you have no end of them!"
Diggaja. "At any rate, the brazen utensils?"
Bimala. "Never fear; I'll buy you all those."
The Brahmin was rather sad; but what could he choose but consent, without running the certain risk of having his love to the women called in question. Making the best of a bad bargain, he said,
"Khungiputi?"[1]
"The fellow sure has cart-loads of them!" thought Bimala. "Make haste," said she.
Vidyadiggaja had two books in all, to wit,—a Sanskrita Grammar, and a treatise on Hindu Law. Taking up the grammar, he said, "What have I to do with this any more? I carry it on my fingers' ends." He then took the other book in his Khungi, and uttering 'Durga-Sri-Hari,'[2] sallied out with Bimala and Ashmani.
"Go on," said Ashmani. "I'll overtake you afterwards."
Saying this, Ashmani entered the house. Bimala and Gajapati went out. They left the castle-gate, unperceived in the darkness. After having advanced a little, Diggaja said,
"How's this? Ashmani is not come?"
- ↑ A Khungi is a kind of case composed of matted date leaves; it contains the puti or MS.
- ↑ Just before setting out on a journey, Hindus utter this word, to render it auspicious. The word is compounded of दुर्गा, श्री and हरि. Durga is the personification of power, Sri is the consort of Vishnu, and Hari is Vishnu himself.
