Podi. Let them attack thy mother and sister, thou degenerate fool. Leave off thy mother's breast, go to the house of Death; go to Colmighata, to the grave.[1]
Cowherd. I have also sent orders to prepare a pair of weeding knives.
Enter a LATYAL or CLUB-MAN
Oh! the Latyal of the Indigo Factory!
(The Cowherd flies off swiftly
Latyal. Thou, Oh lotus-faced, hast made the tooth-powder[2] very dear.
Podi. (Seeing the silver chain round the waist of the Latyal) Your chain is very grand.
Club-man. Don't you know, my dear, wherefrom comes the clothing of the bailiff and the dress of the nautch girl?
Podi. I wanted a black calf from you a long while ago, but yet you did not give it me. My brother, I shall not ask from thee any more.
Club-man. Dear lotus-faced, don't be angry with me. To-morrow, we shall go to plunder the place called Shamanagara; and if I can get a black calf, I shall immediately keep that in your cow-house. When I shall return with my fish, I shall pass by your shop.
(Exit the Club-man
Podi. The Planter Sahebs do nothing but rob. If the ryots be loaded in a less degree with exactions they can preserve their lives; and you can get your Indigo. The Munshies of Shamanagara entreated most earnestly to get ten portions of land free. "The Thief never hears the instructions of Religion." The wretched elder Saheb remained quiet having burnt his wretched tongue.
38