In this manner three years passed after the marriage; then Kunda Nandini became a widow.  Tara Charan died of fever.  Surja Mukhi took Kunda to live with her, and selling the house she had given to Tara Charan, gave the proceeds in Government paper to Kunda.

The reader is no doubt much displeased, but in fact the tale is only begun.  Of the poison tree the seed only has thus far been sown.

CHAPTER VII.

HARIDASI BOISNAVI.

The widow Kunda Nandini passed some time in Nagendra’s house.  One afternoon the whole household of ladies were sitting together in the other division of the house, all occupied according to their tastes in the simple employment of village women.  All ages were there, from the youngest girl to the grey-haired woman.  One was binding another’s hair, the other suffering it to be bound; one submitting to have her white hairs extracted, another extracting them by the aid of a grain of rice; one beauty sewing together shreds of cloth into a quilt for her boy, another suckling her child; one lovely being dressing the plaits of her hair; another beating her child, who now cried aloud, now quietly sobbed, by turns.  Here one is sewing carpet-work, another leaning over it in admiring examination.  There one of artistic taste, thinking of some one’s marriage, is drawing a design on the wooden seats to be used by the bridal pair.  One learned lady is reading Dasu Rai’s poetry.  An old woman is delighting the ears of her neighbours with complaints of her son; a humorous young one, in a voice half bursting with laughter, relates in the ears of her companions whose husbands are absent some jocose story of her husband’s, to beguile the pain of separation.  Some are reproaching the Grihini (house-mistress), some the Korta (master), some the neighbours; some reciting their own praises.  She who may have received a gentle scolding in the morning from Surja Mukhi on account of her stupidity, is bringing forward many examples of her remarkable acuteness of understanding.  She in whose cooking the flavours can never be depended upon, is dilating at great length upon her proficiency in the art.  She whose husband is proverbial in the village for his ignorance, is astounding her companions by her praises of his superhuman learning.  She whose children are dark and repulsive-looking, is pluming herself on having given birth to jewels of beauty.  Surja Mukhi was not of the company.  She was a little proud, and did not sit much with these people; if she came amongst them her presence was a restraint upon the enjoyment of the rest.  All feared her somewhat, and were reserved towards her.  Kunda Nandini associated with them; she was amongst them now, teaching a little boy his letters at his mother’s request.  During the lesson the pupil’s eyes were fixed upon the sweetmeat in another child’s hand, consequently his progress was not great.  At this moment there appeared amongst them a Boisnavi (female mendicant), exclaiming, “Jai Radhika!"[4] (Victory to Radhika).