noon," said she addressing Matangini, "you can do it better perhaps. If you will only show me how to turn this binuni,[1] I think I can do the rest." Matangini asked to be permitted to tie the braids for the day herself.
"I do not think I can do it well," she said, "but I will do what I can."
Matangini took her position behind the child and taking up the braids in her hands, began to untie them and form new ones.
"Aha!" said Champak, "I fear our sister will make only one of her Western country khompas. It is best as it is."
"If I succeed in tying a khompa as they do in our part of the country," returned Matangini, "this beautiful child will look twice more beautiful."
"No, no—you must not do it," rejoined Champak, "that is the way in which disreputable females dress their hair—it does not look seemly in good people's children."
"Oh fie!" interposed Tara, "Is beauty ever disdained because sometimes a bad woman is beautiful? At that rate, sister, you should have disfigured your own fine countenance long before this. No, no, because bad woman may have a fine knot of hair, that is no reason why a good woman should have none. Tie the knot as you please, sister," concluded she, addressing Matangini.
Champak replied not, but it was evident from the sullen looks she assumed that Tara's compliment had not been enough to make her forget
- ↑ Braided lock.
