Binodini

“ But Binodini would not stir. The languid midday breeze brought in the meaningless murmur of the cocoanut trees which fringed the garden wall. Mahendra's heart began to beat faster and faster, and Binodini's breath quickening in sympathy, stirred the hair over his forehead. Neither uttered a word. "Floating as we are on the eternal stream of creation," Mahendra was thinking, "what can it matter if one's boat momentarily touches a particular shore,—and even if it does matter, for how long after all can it matter—?" ”

“ After a while Asha would again get fidgetty and exclaim, "I must go now, dear. He'll be really annoyed. Do let me off."
"What if he does get a little angry?" Binodini would reply. "Love, without a little anger, loses its relish—like curry without the pepper!"
Of the pungency of the pepper Binodini had tasted in full measure—without the curry. Her blood was on fire. Sparks flashed from her eyes. So loving a husband, so happy a home! A home which might have been her kingdom, a husband who might have been the slave at her feet! ”

“ But to have dared to bring Mahendra to the village by writing letter after letter—this brazen openness was too much! The shameless hussy must be sent out of the village.
The next morning Binodini was sure that a reply from Vihari would come. But there was no letter. "What hold has Vihari on me?" Binodini began to ask herself. "Why am I here at his word? Why did I give him to understand that my whole life was his to command? The only need he has for me is to use me to save his beloved Asha. I am to have no wants, no claims of my own, not even a line of a letter—so mean, so contemptible am I!" ”

“ Without glancing this way or that Mahendra marched straight up to the door where Binodini was standing and said: "Binod, I'm not such a coward as to leave you alone here to be reviled by these villagers. I must and shall take you away with me. If afterwards you choose to forsake me, do so, I'll not seek to hold you. I swear by yourself that it shall always be exactly as you wish. If you take pity on me, that'll be life to me—if not I'll take myself off your path. Many a time in my life have I been false to my trust but do not mistrust me to-day. ”

“ Finding Binodini obdurate, Asha was struck with a brilliant idea. "Why don't you show yourself to my husband, my Eyesore?" said she. "Why d'you keep away from him?"
"For shame!" [1] replied Binodini, briefly but firmly.
"Why?" persisted Asha. "I've heard Mother say you're one of us."
"There's no such thing as kin or alien in this world," remarked Binodini sententiously. "'Tis the feeling which makes one kin, without it the nearest is but a stranger." ”

“ He could not bear the thought that his momentary silly outburst should have lost him the Binodini who had come forward to offer herself. "If Binodini cherishes a love for me in her heart, it will be well for her,” he thought, it will keep her steady. I can trust myself—my heart is Asha's—Binodini need fear nothing from me. But if she allows her fancy to wander off elsewhere it may be the ruin of her." The only way, Mahendra concluded, was for him, without committing himself, to get back Binodini's heart. ”

“ Of course I am not in love with her, but to say I do not love her is to put it very cruelly indeed. What woman would not feel hurt to hear such a thing! When can I get an opportunity of telling her my mind more tactfully, more delicately. It would be very wrong to leave poor Binodini with such a cruel impression."
Mahendra took out the three letters from his box and read them over again. That Binodini was in love with him he could not doubt. But why, then, had she so wildly rushed out after the retreating Vihari? ”

“ Binodini seemed on the point of coming out with a passionate reply but she restrained herself and said calmly, "You are right, Pishima, no one can know another. But does every one know oneself? Did your jealousy of your daughter-in-law never make you use me to draw your son's heart away from his wife;—can you deny it?"
"Wretched creature!" Rajlakshmi flared up, "you dare accuse a mother of doing this to her son, and your tongue doesn't drop off?"
"True, Pishima," Binodini continued unmoved, "we are a deceitful sex. ”

“ After reading out a little Binodini stopped for very shame and asked, "Pishima, need I go on?"
The affectionate eagerness in Rajlakshmi's face had in a moment frozen into a stony stare. After a short silence she said, "Let it be," and went away without taking back the letter. ”

“ The impossible becomes possible, the unbearable gets to be borne, else that night could never have been gone through in Mahendra's household. Mahendra after leaving Binodini, had written a letter that same night. ”

“ But think not that one who loves can for ever submit to disdain. If you do not want my letters, let them be. If you will not reply, this is the end.
Mahendra could no longer stay away. His righteous indignation impelled him homewards. Did Binodini think that it was to forget her that he had fled from home? He would show her by returning at once that she was arrogating too much to herself!
It was at this juncture that Vihari came to his rooms. Mahendra's inward elation was redoubled at the sight of him. Many an unspoken suspicion had hitherto made him jealous of Vihari. ”

“ Another aired her eloquence: "Well, well, how many are so fortunate as to get a letter? We have husbands and brothers, my dears, who have gone to their work in foreign parts, but the postman never favours us." And as the topic was pursued, the mischievous glances got keener, the sarcasm more and more pronounced.
Binodini had entreated Vihari at parting to write to her regularly, something, anything, just a line or two. It was hardly likely that Vihari would begin to do so the very next day, yet her desire was so insistent that she had not been able to help nursing a distant hope. ”

“ It is as well. The truth cannot always be told—but my heart understands you. When the devotee offers worship the reply comes not in words. Has my offering at least found a place at your feet?
Mahendra again made an attempt to reply. But he had not the skill to appear to be writing to Asha, the reply to Binodini would obtrude itself. He spent the greater part of the night in writing, and in tearing up what he had written; and when at last he did manage to finish a letter and put it into an envelope, something seemed to cut him like the lash of a whip when he had to write on it Asha's name. ”

“ Binney, with a dangerous gleam in his eye. "You are such a swell I suppose, that nobody else can expect to come near you."
"You wouldn't even belong to the same boat-club," said Lucius. "You ought to know that by this time. Third Trinity is only for Eton and Westminster men, the rest of the college belongs to First Trinity."
"I did know it," said Mr. Binney, "but I had forgotten it for the moment. You needn't take me up so sharp, Lucius. Is First Trinity a good boat club?" ”

“ Binney. "My father," said the wretched boy. "Lord Blathgowrie."
Lord Blathgowrie shook hands with Mr. Binney without visible embarrassment, and then, suddenly remembering a pressing engagement, went out to spread his extraordinary news.
"A lord!" said little Mr. Binney with great satisfaction. "Well, there are a good many lords I could buy up. However, that seems a nice young fellow. I wonder how he got on with his Virgil paper. I must ask him to-morrow."
Lucius groaned inwardly. "I shouldn't pal up to chaps like that, if I were you, father," he said. ”

“ Binney, a trifle confused. "No, I don't mind really, my boy, though I don't think there are many fathers who would take it like that."
"There aren't many fathers who would take their sons' boots," said Lucius. "By the way, father, talking about allowances, what allowance are you going to make me at Cambridge?"
"Ah, Cambridge!" echoed Mr. Binney, as if that ancient seat of learning had just been brought to his notice for the first time. "Yes, we must talk about Cambridge."
"I should like to have it settled before I go back to Eton for my last half, if you don't mind," said Lucius. ”

“ Binney. "I shall enter myself at Trinity. It is, I believe, the best college at Cambridge. You chose it yourself. And I have no intention of taking a house. I shall live in the college, and comport myself in the same way as the steady young men with whom I, and you, too, I hope, expect to associate."
"Oh, Lord!" groaned Lucius. "Are we to go about together as steady young men? Well, you can't get into Trinity, you know, that's one comfort. The entrance examination is over and you couldn't pass it if it wasn't." ”

“ Binoké rose, and stretching out his huge right arm towards the rising sun, turned his black eyes on “the boy” he so loved.
“Is it to the east we sail, Papu?”
“Ay, to the east, Binoké, far, far to the east, to a fair, fair land with green mountains and falling streams. And there awaits us my father and mother, and my brother, and Medora. And they will be well content with me, for never hast thou and Nobal been forgotten.” ”

“ When he was at school the idea of his father accompanying him to Cambridge as a freshman seemed so absurd that he was sometimes surprised to find that he was enjoying life much as usual, without being very much burdened by it. When he was at home and realised how very much in earnest Mr. Binney was, the dark fate that hung over him became less remote, and filled him with gloomy forebodings. But youth is elastic. It seemed almost out of the question that Mr. Binney would succeed in passing the entrance examination, while Lucius himself was already admitted a member of Trinity College. ”

“ Binney, immersed in his thoughts, had forgotten the occurrence of the afternoon, or he would not have rushed with such haste to his own destruction. "Bill into me, Lucius?" he exclaimed angrily. "What do you mean? You've got your own allowance, and a very handsome one it is. ”

“ Binney the Great Court was full of his late companions of the feast. "Save me, save me!" cried the poor little man, as he ran towards a group of them near the kitchen staircase. Piper was still a bête noir to a great many of the rowing men, although with his exception the feud between oarsmen and footballers was now quite healed. Mr. Binney ran through the astonished group, down the narrow passage leading into the Hostels. ”

“ How is it you have managed to come home for your holidays so early?"
"We don't have holidays at Cambridge, Martha," said Mr. Binney; "we call them vacations. And of course we can come away when we like—that is if the dons will let us."
"Well, it is a very agreeable surprise to see you, Peter," said Mrs. Higginbotham. "But how you have altered! Why, you have cut off your beautiful whiskers!"
"Yes," said Mr. Binney. "Fellows don't wear whiskers at Cambridge. It is considered old-fashioned. How do you like the change, Martha?" ”

“ Peter Binney are alone for a time in the bows of the steamer. Let us join them, and listen to their conversation.
"See what an interest the world takes in this historic contest," Mr. Binney is saying, waving his hand round towards the river dotted with craft all moving the same way, and the banks lined with a dense, holiday-making mass. "It makes you proud of being able to call yourself a 'Varsity man."
"Yes, indeed," answers his wife. "And to think of Lucius actually taking part in it! I feel as proud as anything of the dear boy." ”

“ Binney in a fervour of amended ambitions. What a grand thing it would be to have a friend like Mirrilees, a man whom most people turned round to look at if they passed him in the street, a man who had already rowed two years in the University boat and would probably row two years more before he left Cambridge, a man whose name was known all over England. Why, it was almost as good as knowing Muttlebury or Guy Nickalls. Lucius knew him, of course, lucky young beggar. ”

“ Binney, and made another dab at the Head boat. Then he turned round again. The little ball was within reach of him, and behind it was Lucius rowing more vigorously than ever. Mr. Binney was aware of the ball and the back, and nothing else in all the world.
He lost his head completely and turned round in his seat, half rising, pulling his right rudder line, and so crammed his boat right on to the high bank under the tow-path.
"Catch a crab, or you go down to-morrow," he shrieked to Lucius. ”

“ Binney's armchair.
"Oh, that you, M'Gee!" said Mr. Binney. "I'm pleased to see you. But you'll excuse me for being a little upset. I've just undergone a piece of monstrous impertinence from my Lord Blathgowrie, and I scarcely know how to contain my anger."
"Toch!" exclaimed M'Gee. "What for do ye want to mix yourself up with such trash? I've come to talk to you about the Union. Sit down, man, and listen."
M'Gee, like Mr. Binney, was a freshman, and like Mr. Binney again, had come up to Cambridge many years later than the average young man enters upon his University course. ”

“ He found Lucius engaged over a game of piquet with the ever-cheerful Dizzy. Lucius looked rather ashamed of himself when his father entered, but Dizzy was not at all put out.
"Ah, Mr. Binney," he exclaimed, "very pleased to see you. We are just unbending our great minds a little. All work and no play, you know, won't do at all." ”

“ Sweep over the wet leaves of the fast-falling year.'
Manmohan Ghose.
[33]
ORESTES
e in far lands did Justice call, cold queen
Among the dead, who after heat and haste
At length have leisure for her steadfast voice,
That gathers peace from the great deeps of hell.
She call'd me, saying: 'I heard a cry by night!
Go thou, and question not; within thy halls
My will awaits fulfilment. Lo, the dead
Cries out before me in the under-world.
Seek not to justify thyself: in me
Be strong, and I will show thee wise in time ”