ANNADA BABU was too hospitably inclined to let Akshay depart as soon as he had taken the pill and Akshay on his part showed no disposition to hurry away. He kept glancing disapprovingly at Ramesh out of the corner of his eye. Ramesh was not particularly observant but he could not fail to notice Akshay’s disapproving looks and they disturbed his equanimity.
Hemnalini had been gloating over the prospect of the trip to Jubbulpore, the time for which was now fast approaching, and she had decided to take the opportunity of Ramesh’s next visit to discuss with him her plans for the holidays; they were to prepare in consultation a list of books to take with them for reading in their hours of leisure. It had accordingly been arranged that Ramesh should make his call an early one, for if he delayed his arrival till tea-time Akshay or some chance visitor might drop in and spoil their tête-à-tête.
But as it happened Ramesh had been later than usual in arriving, and when he had come he wore a preoccupied air. Hemnalini’s spirits were correspondingly damped. She found an opportunity to remark to him in an undertone, “You were very late to-day, weren’t you?”
Ramesh’s mind appeared to be elsewhere.
“Yes, I’m afraid I was,” he replied after a moment’s pause.
Now Hemnalini had made a special point of being ready in good time. She had dressed her hair and changed her clothes early in the afternoon and had then sat down to wait with her eyes on the clock.
For a long time she had consoled herself with the thought that Ramesh’s watch might be slow and that he would turn up at any minute. When that theory became untenable she had settled down into the window-seat with her needlework, controlling her impatience as best she could. On the top of it all, Ramesh, when he did arrive, wore an abstracted air and made no attempt to explain his tardiness. He appeared to have completely forgotten his promise to come early.
The tea-hour was a trying ordeal to Hemnalini that day. When it was at last over she made a special effort to pierce Ramesh’s abstraction. On a table set against the wall some books were laid out and she lifted these and made as if to take them out of the room. Her movement aroused Ramesh from his stupor, and he was at her side in an instant. “Where are you taking them to?” he asked. “Wasn’t it to-day we were going to choose the books to take with us?”
Hemnalini’s lips were quivering and it was with difficulty that she restrained the tears that welled up in her eyes.
“Never mind,” she said in a tremulous voice, “we can’t do it now.” She hurried upstairs and flung the books on the floor of her bedroom.
Her flight deepened Ramesh’s despondency.
“You don’t seem to be very well to-day, Ramesh Babu,” remarked Akshay, laughing in his sleeve.
Ramesh muttered something that no one could catch. Annada Babu, however, had pricked up his ears at Akshay’s allusion to Ramesh’s state of health.
“That’s just what I said myself when I saw him,” he remarked.
“People like Ramesh Babu,” Akshay went on with his tongue in his cheek, “consider it infra dig to devote any attention to their health. They live in the regions of the intellect and if they suffer from indigestion they think it vulgar to investigate the cause.”
Annada Babu commenced laboriously to demonstrate that good digestion is as essential to a philosopher as to any one else. Ramesh sat between the two, enduring tortures in silence.
“My advice to you, Ramesh Babu,” concluded Akshay, “is to take one of Annada Babu’s pills and to go to bed early.”
“I have something to say to Annada Babu,” retorted Ramesh, “and I’m waiting for an opportunity.”
Akshay rose from his chair.
“Well hang it all, you might have told me that a little sooner. Ramesh Babu sits on a thing for hours and then flings it at one’s head when it’s too late.” And he took leave of his host.
Gazing fixedly at the toes of his boots Ramesh began:
“Annada Babu, I feel extremely fortunate to have been given the run of your house and in being treated like one of the family; I can’t tell you how much it has meant to me.”
“That’s all right,” replied Annada Babu. “You’re our Jogen’s friend, and it’s quite natural that we should treat you as though you were his brother.”
Ramesh had, as it were, stood up to dance, yet was at a loss for the next step.
To smooth the way for him Annada Babu went on, “In fact, it’s we who are lucky in having a lad of your stamp as a son of the house, Ramesh.”
But even that did not give Ramesh a lead.
“You see,” Annada Babu continued, “the gossips have begun to couple your name with Hemnalini’s. When a girl reaches the marriageable age, they say, she ought to be very careful in her choice of companions. I tell them, ‘I’ve absolute trust in Ramesh; he’s not a man who would ever let us down.’”
Ramesh. “Annada Babu, you know all about me; if you think me a suitable husband for Hemnalini, then—”
Annada. “Say no more. The fact is, my own mind was practically made up; it was only because you were still in mourning that I made no definite proposal. Now there’s no point in putting it off any longer, lad. People are talking and we want to stop that sort of thing as soon as possible. Don’t you agree?” Ramesh. “Just as you think. Your daughter, of course, has the first say in the matter.”
Annada. “Quite true; but I fancy I know what her decision would be. Anyhow we’ll talk it over tomorrow morning and make definite arrangements.” Ramesh. “I’m afraid I’ve kept you up very late. I had better leave you now.”
Annada. “Just a minute. I think, you know, it would be as well to have the wedding before we go to - Jubbulpore.”
Ramesh. “That’s quite soon now.”
Annada. “Yes, only ten days. You could be married next Sunday; that would leave us two or three days in which to prepare for the journey. You see, Ramesh, it isn’t that I want to hurry you, but I have to think of my health.”
Ramesh assented to this. He gulped down one of Annada Babu’s pills and departed.