Then a playful scuffle ensued; Kamal pretended to strike her husband, who in return pulled down her hair; whereupon she threw away his ink.  Then they exchanged angry kisses.  Satish Babu was delighted at this performance; he knew that kisses were his special property, so when he saw them scattered in this lavish manner he stood up, supporting himself by his mother’s dress, to claim his royal share, crowing joyously.  How sweetly that laugh fell on the ears of Kamal Mani!  She took him in her lap, and showered kisses upon him.  Srish Chandra followed her example.  Then Satish Babu, having received his dues, got down and made for his father’s brightly coloured pencil, which soon found its way into his mouth.

In the battle between the Kurus and Pandus there was a great struggle between Bhagadatta and Arjuna.  In this fight, Bhagadatta being invincible, and Arjuna vulnerable, the latter called Krishna to his aid, who, receiving the charge of Bhagadatta on his breast, blunted the force of the weapons.[7] In like manner, Satish Chandra having received these attacks on his face, peace was restored.  But their peace and war was like the dropping of clouds, fitful.

[Footnote 7:  An illustration drawn from the Mahabharat.]

Then Srish asked, “Must you really go to Govindpur?  What am I to do alone?”

“Do you think I can go alone?” answered his wife.  “We must both go.  Arrange matters in the morning when you go to business, and come home quickly.  If you are long, Satish and I will sit crying for you.”

“I cannot go,” replied Srish.  “This is the season for buying linseed.  You must go without me.”

“Come, Satish,” was Kamal’s reply; “we two will go and weep.”

At the sound of his mother’s voice Satish ceased to gnaw the pencil, and raised another shout of joyous laughter.  So Kamal’s cry did not come off this time; in place of it the kissing performance was gone through as before.

At its close Kamal said, “Now what are your orders?”

Srish repeated that she must go without him, as he could not leave; whereupon she sat down sulking.  Srish went behind her and began to mark her forehead with the ink from his pen.

Then with a laugh she embraced him, saying, “Oh, dearer than life, how I love you!”

He was obliged to return the embrace, when the ink transferred itself from her face to his.

The quarrel thus ended, Kamal said, “If you really will not go, then make arrangements for me.”

“When will you come back?”

“Need you ask?” said Kamal; “if you don’t go, can I stay there long?”

Srish Chandra sent Kamal Mani to Govindpur, but it is certain that Srish Chandra’s employers did not do much in linseed at that time.  The other clerks have privately informed us that this was the fault of Srish Chandra, who did not give his mind to it, but sat at home in meditation.