DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16242#0161
* MAKUNDA CHAKRAVARTI. 125
t
tain lecture to her,mate, spiced with such mild epith^tj as
" ^^StoCT ^^S,u with which many a careful house-
wife in modern as well as in ancient days has expressed
her kind regards for her pet slave called a husband. The
bridegroom, Dhanapati, too, has the benefit of a similar
lecture from his wife Lahana ( cousin of Khullona ) for
determining to m&rry again at this mature age; but a
kind word tarneth away wrath, and Dhanapati knows the
truth of the saying. He accosts Lahana in the politest
of terms, says that the new bride is only to relieve Ltihana
of her menial work, and gives her gold and money for
trinkets which have always such a magic effect in comfort-
ing and composing the female mind. The marriage
follows,—but the happy pair are»not allowed' to tastc-Hs
sweets. The King wishes to have a golden cage for a pet
bird, and Dhanapati is ordered to go to Eastern Bengal
where alone such things could > be manufactured. The
King's order is inviolable, and" Dhanapati leaves his
country (District Burdwau ) leaving his new wife Khul-
lona to the tender mercies of 'her fellow-wife Lahana.
»
For some time the two wives live in peace, but, as
often nappens in Hindu families, a woman servant
foments their jealousies and arouses their hatred towards
each other. Durbola, a character very powerfully drawn,
repairs to the elder wife Lahana, discourses un the beauty
of Khullona) and impresses on Lahana's mind that Dha-
napati is sure to neglect her on his return. Such
conversations arouse Lahana's jealousy, and after some
subterfuges and underhand means she has a letter forg-
. ed, purporting to come from Dhanapati, and directing
t
tain lecture to her,mate, spiced with such mild epith^tj as
" ^^StoCT ^^S,u with which many a careful house-
wife in modern as well as in ancient days has expressed
her kind regards for her pet slave called a husband. The
bridegroom, Dhanapati, too, has the benefit of a similar
lecture from his wife Lahana ( cousin of Khullona ) for
determining to m&rry again at this mature age; but a
kind word tarneth away wrath, and Dhanapati knows the
truth of the saying. He accosts Lahana in the politest
of terms, says that the new bride is only to relieve Ltihana
of her menial work, and gives her gold and money for
trinkets which have always such a magic effect in comfort-
ing and composing the female mind. The marriage
follows,—but the happy pair are»not allowed' to tastc-Hs
sweets. The King wishes to have a golden cage for a pet
bird, and Dhanapati is ordered to go to Eastern Bengal
where alone such things could > be manufactured. The
King's order is inviolable, and" Dhanapati leaves his
country (District Burdwau ) leaving his new wife Khul-
lona to the tender mercies of 'her fellow-wife Lahana.
»
For some time the two wives live in peace, but, as
often nappens in Hindu families, a woman servant
foments their jealousies and arouses their hatred towards
each other. Durbola, a character very powerfully drawn,
repairs to the elder wife Lahana, discourses un the beauty
of Khullona) and impresses on Lahana's mind that Dha-
napati is sure to neglect her on his return. Such
conversations arouse Lahana's jealousy, and after some
subterfuges and underhand means she has a letter forg-
. ed, purporting to come from Dhanapati, and directing