| editor

“ The blood in my heart too, began to beat the same measure—"who's she? who's she? who's she?" In the depth of the night, in the still boat, my watch too, as though animated, pointing its hour-hand towards Monoramá began to sound with the same measured tick from above the shelf "who's she? who's she? who's she?"
Dakshiná Babu grew ashy pale, his voice became choked. I touched him and offered him a glass of water. Just at that time, the flame of the little kerosene lamp emitted a sudden glare and went out. ”

“ At that time of the year cranes came there from the north to feed on the churs of the river. But at the approach of evening, I could not continue in that belief. I imagined then that a great laugh had gathered itself, pervading the darkness, and it would burst forth on the lightest occasion, piercing the darkness. At last matters came to such a pass that after evening I dared not speak a word to Monoramá. ”

“ When gradually my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, the shadowy form of that weary-limbed, loose-skirted woman outlined in pale hues against the shadows of the trees stirred an irresistible sensation in my mind. ”

“ On the north, lay the lifeless, verdureless, trackless, wide expanse of churs stretching far, far, as the eye could reach and on the high banks to the south, the mango-groves of the villages, were trembling with folded hands, as it were, before the very mouth of that terrible ogress of a river;—the Padmá, in her sleep, was turning on her sides and the fissured banks were tumbling down into the waters. ”

“ She would laugh outright if I addressed words of love to her as my sweetheart in a spirit of gallantry. Choice phrases culled from noble poems and fond terms of endearment met with the same ignominious fate before her laughter, as Indra's elephant did before the current of the Ganges. She had a wonderful gift of laughing.
Four years ago, I had an attack of a serious disease. I had a malignant pustule on my upper lip and was in the very jaws of death. There was no hope of life. One day, the disease took such a bad turn, that the doctor gave up the case as hopeless. ”

“ Irregularities in nursing and administering medicine grew pretty frequent now.
Haran Doctor used to tell me often that it was better for those that were incurable to die, for in dragging their existence on they themselves enjoyed no ease and made others unhappy as well. The remark is unexceptionable as a general statement, still he had not acted well in starting the topic apropos of my wife. But doctors are so callous with regard to Life and Death that they are unable to gauge our feelings aright. ”

“ She—weak woman as she was—with the poor strength of a mortal creature fought incessantly and unweariedly with the hovering myrmidons of death. Asa mother covers the child at her breast with her protecting hands, she zealously guarded this my unworthy life with her whole love, heart, and care. ”

“ I cannot even now understand why the printed things that draw out floods of tears in the reading, excite laughter when we want to utter them. A speech can be contradicted or controverted but a laugh cannot be dealt with thus. ”

“ She was saying "Doctor, why do you swell up the druggist's bill by making me swallow useless drugs? When my life itself is a disease, why not prescribe such a medicine as will make a speedy end of it?" The doctor exclaimed "For shame, don't talk thus."
These words gave a sudden and violent shock to my heart. When the doctor was gone I went to my wife's room. I sat at her bedside and began to smooth her temples with my hands. She complained "It is very hot here. It is better that you should go out. ”

“ The doctor arrived just at this juncture.
He brought with him two phials of medicine from his dispensary. Producing them he said to my wife that the blue phial contained a liniment for external application and the contents of the second one were to be taken. He also cautioned her not to confuse the two, as the liniment was a deadly poison.
He cautioned me too and placed the phials on the table by the bed-side. Before departing he called for his daughter.
Monoramá pleaded, "Papa, mayn't I stay? Here is no female companion to look after the patient." ”

“ The doctor said with a smile that my wife was Lakshi herself. She had nursed others all her life and she could not suffer herself to be nursed by another.
The doctor was about to leave with his daughter when my wife said "Doctor, he has been long sitting in this close room. Would you please take him out for a walk?" The doctor asked me to come out with him so that we might take a stroll by the riverside.
I complied soon enough after raising a slight objection. The doctor again warned my wife about the two phials of medicine when he was on the point of starting. ”