Gobardhan covered a slate with mysterious calculations and, after poring over them for ten or fifteen minutes, he looked up with the remark:—­“Your luck is really atrocious and has been so for more than three months.”

“Quite true, but what I want to know is—­how long is this going to last?”

“I am afraid that you may expect one misfortune after another; I can’t quite see the end of your evil destiny.”

“Goodness gracious! what shall I do?  Are there no means of conjuring it away?”

“Certainly, the Shastras prescribe certain Grahasanti (propitiation of planets) processes, which will enable you to counteract the influence of malign stars.”

The cunning bait was swallowed by Debendra Babu, who asked:  “How much would these ceremonies cost?”

After thinking out the maximum amount he could decently demand, the astrologer said:  “About one hundred rupees.”

“Oh, that’s far too much,” was the reply.  “Do you want to ruin me?  Can’t you do it for less?”

“Not a pice less.  I could perform a jog (sacrifice) for as little as ten rupees; but such maimed rites are quite contrary to the Shastras.”

“Will you guarantee definite results for Rs. 100?” asked Debendra Babu anxiously.

“I promise nothing; if you have faith in my ceremonies, you must pay me my own price; if not—­I leave you to Fate.”

“I have implicit faith in you,” groaned Debendra Babu, who was now terribly alarmed, “and will pay you Rs. 100 to-morrow, but please don’t delay; the matter is very pressing.”

Gobardhan agreed to the proposal; but seeing that his client was loth to go and evidently had something on his mind, he remarked:—­

“When a wise man consults a physician, he always discloses his symptoms.  You must be quite frank and tell me how your affairs have been progressing lately, in order that I may address my incantations to the proper quarter.  Be sure that I will divulge nothing.”

Thus encouraged Debendra Babu revealed his relations with Siraji, confessed that he had bribed Abdullah to administer a powerful drug to her, and expatiated on the very awkward predicament in which her sudden death had placed him.

Gobardhan listened with breathless attention and then remarked:  “You have acted rightly in telling me the whole truth.  I will perform a homa (burnt sacrifice) and verily believe that it will have the desired effect.  Let me have Rs. 200 and I will set about it at once.”

Debendra Babu groaned inwardly at the thought of so heavy an expenditure; but after all, the prospect of escaping deadly peril was well worth Rs. 200.  So he returned home and thence despatched the amount in currency notes to Gobardhan.

The astrologer spent about Rs. 5 on ghi (clarified butter), rice, and plantains for his homa sacrifice, and completed it in three days.  Then he called on the police Sub-Inspector, who received him cordially.  After the usual compliments had been, exchanged, Grobardhan asked how his host was faring.