One day, after his return, he was told by his mother that Venu had called and that she had persuaded him to take his dinner at their house. This happened more than once. The mother said that it was because Venu missed his own mother, and the tears came into her eyes as she spoke about it.

One day Venu waited for Haralal to return and had a long talk with him.

‘Master Mashai!’ he said. ‘Father has become so cantankerous of late that I cannot live with him any longer. And, besides, I know that he is getting ready to marry again. Ratikanta is seeking a suitable match, and they are always conspiring about it. There used to be a time when my father would get anxious if I were absent from home even for a few hours. Now, if I am away for more than a week, he takes no notice—indeed he is greatly relieved. If this marriage takes place, I feel that I cannot live in the house any longer. You must show me a way out of this. I want to become independent.’

Haralal felt deeply pained, but he did not know how to help his former pupil. Venu said that he was determined to go to England and become a barrister. Somehow or other he must get the passage money out of his father: he could borrow it on a note of hand and his father would have to pay when the creditors filed a suit. With this borrowed money he would get away, and when he was in England his father was certain to remit his expenses.

‘But who is there,’ Haralal asked, ‘who would advance you the money?’

‘You!’ said Venu.

‘I!’ exclaimed Haralal in amazement.

‘Yes,’ said Venu, ‘I’ve seen the servant bringing heaps of money here in bags.’

‘The servant and the money belong to someone else.’

Haralal explained why the money came to his house at night, like birds to their nest, to be scattered next morning.

‘But can’t the Manager advance the sum?’ Venu asked.

‘He may do so,’ said Haralal, ‘if your father stands security.’

The discussion ended at this point.

X

One Friday night a carriage and pair stopped before Haralal’s lodging house. When Venu was announced Haralal was counting money in his bedroom, seated on the floor. Venu entered the room dressed in a strange manner. He had discarded his Bengali dress and was wearing a Parsee coat and trousers and had a cap on his head. Rings were prominent on almost all the fingers of both hands, and a thick gold chain was hanging round his neck; there was a gold-watch in his pocket, and diamond studs could be seen peeping from his shirt sleeves. Haralal at once asked him what was the matter and why he was wearing that dress.

‘My father’s marriage,’ said Venu, ‘comes off to-morrow. He tried hard to keep it from me, but I found it out. I asked him to allow me to go to our garden-house at Barrackpur for a few days, and he was only too glad to get rid of me so easily. I am going there, and I wish to God I had never to come back.’