INDIRA AND OTHER STORIES
Radharani's mother dwelt. The girl turned to the stranger: "You must please come in and wait while we light a lamp and see whether these are silver rupees or not."
"No", said her companion. "I will wait outside. You go in and change your wet clothes, and then see about getting a light."
Radharani replied, "But I have got no change of clothes at all. My other sari has gone to the washerman. So, you see, I am accustomed to sitting in wet clothes. It does not do me any harm. I will wring out the skirt presently. Now, will you wait a moment while I strike a light?"
There was no oil in the house, so the girl was forced to take a handful of straw from the thatch. This she lighted with flint and steel. All this took some time. When she had procured a light, Radharani saw that she had indeed two rupees in her hand. She ran out, improvised torch in hand. She searched everywhere. The stranger was gone!
Radharani was in despair. She told the
58
