Part 2

_Gopi._ Sir, he is one of the principal enemies of this Factory. The burning down of Polasapore would never have been proved, had Nobin no concern in the matter. That fool himself prepared the draft of the petition; and it was through his advice and intrigues that the Attorney so turned the mind of the Judge. Again, it was through his intrigues that our former Dewan was confined for two years. I forbade him, saying, “Babu Nobin, don’t act against our Saheb; and, especially as he has not burnt your house.” To which he replied, “I have enlisted myself in order to save the poor ryots. I shall think myself highly rewarded, if I can preserve one poor ryot from the tortures of the cruel Indigo Planters; and throwing this Dewan into prison, I shall have compensation for my garden.” That braggart is become like a Christian Missionary; and I cannot say what preparations he is making this time.

_Wood._ You are afraid. Did I not tell you at first, you are very ignorant? No work is to be done through you.

_Gopi._ Saheb, what signs of fear hast thou seen in me? When I have entered on this Indigo profession, I have thrown off all fear, shame, and honor; and the destroying of cows, of Brahmins, of women, and the burning down of houses are become my ornaments, and I now lie down in bed keeping the jail as my pillow (_thinking of it_).

_Wood._ I do not want words, but works.

SADHU RAY, _the_ AMIN, _and the two Servants enter, making salams_.

Why are this wicked fool’s hands bound with cords?

_Gopi._ My Lord, this Sadhu Churn is a head ryot; but through the enticement of Nobin Bose he has been led to engage in the destruction of Indigo.

_Sadhu._ My Lord, I do nothing unjust against your Indigo, nor am I doing now, neither have I power to do any thing wrong; willingly or unwillingly I have prepared the Indigo, and also I am ready to make it this time. But then, every thing has its probability and improbability; if you want to make powder of eight inches’ thickness to enter a pipe half-an-inch thick, will it not burst? I am a poor ryot, keep only one-and-a-half ploughs, have only twenty bigahs of land for cultivation; and now, if I am to give nine bigahs out of that for Indigo, that must occasion my death, but my Lord, what is that to you, it is only my death.

_Gopi._ The Saheb fears lest you keep him confined in the godown of your eldest Babu.

_Sadhu._ Now, Sir Dewanji, _what you say is striking a corpse_ (useless labor). What mite am I that I shall imprison the Saheb, the mighty and glorious.

_Gopi._ Sadhu, now away with your high flown language; it does not sound well on the tongue of a peasant; it is like a sweeper’s broom touching the body.

_Wood._ Now the rascal is become very wise.

_Amin._ That fool explains the laws and magistrate’s orders to the common people, and thus raises confusion. His brother draws the ploughshare, and he uses the high word _pratápsháli_ “glorious.”

_Gopi._ The child of the preparer of cow-dung balls is become a Court Naeb (deputy). My Lord, the establishment of schools in villages has increased the violence of the ryots.

_Wood._ I shall write to our Indigo Planters’ Association to make a petition to the Government for stopping the schools in villages; we shall fight to secure stopping the schools.

_Amin._ That fool wants to bring the case into Court.

_Wood._ (_To Sadhu_) You are very wicked. You have twenty bigahs, of which, if you employ nine bigahs for Indigo, why can’t you cultivate the other nine bigahs for rice.

_Gopi._ My Lord, the debt which is credited to him can be made use of for bringing the whole twenty bigahs within our own power.

_Sadhu._ (_To himself_) O oh! _the witness for the spirit-seller is the drunkard?_ (_Openly_) If the nine bigahs which are marked off for the cultivation of the Indigo were worked by the plough and kine of the Factory, then can I use the other nine bigahs for rice. The work which is to be done in the rice-field is only a fourth of that which is necessary in the Indigo-field, consequently if I am to remain engaged in these nine bigahs, the remaining eleven bigahs will be without cultivation.

_Wood._ You, dolt, are very wicked, you scoundrel (_háramjádá_); you must take the money in advance; you must cultivate the land; you are a very scoundrel (_kicks him_). You shall leave off every thing when you meet with Shamchand (_takes Shamchand from the wall._)

_Sadhu._ My Lord, _the hand is only blackened by killing a fly_, _i. e._, your beating me only injures you. I am too mean. We—

_Ray._ (_Angrily_) O my brother, you had better stop; let them take what they can; our very stomach is on the point of falling down from hunger. The whole day is passed, we have not yet been able either to bathe or to take our food.

_Amin._ O rascal, where is your Court now? (_Twists his ears_).

_Ray._ (_With violent panting_). I now die! My mother! my mother!

_Wood._ Beat that “bloody nigger,” (_beats with Shamchand, the leather strap_).

_Enter_ NOBIN MADHAB.

_Ray._ O thou Babu! I am dying! Give me some water. I am just dead!

_Nobin._ Saheb they have not bathed, neither have they taken the least food. The members of their family have not yet washed their faces. If you thus destroy your ryots by flogging them, who will prepare your Indigo? This Sadhu Churn prepared the produce of about four bigahs last year with the greatest trouble possible; and if with such severe beatings you make such cruel advances to them, that is only your loss. For this day give them leave, and to-morrow I myself shall bring them with me, and do as thou do’st bid me.

_Wood._ Attend to your own business. What concern have you with another’s affairs. Sadhu, give your opinion quickly, as it is my dinner time.

_Sadhu._ What is the use of waiting for my opinion? You have already marked off the four bigahs of the most productive land; and the Amin has, to-day, marked off the remaining part. The land is marked without my consent, the Indigo shall be prepared in the same way; and I also agree to prepare it without taking any advances.

_Wood._ Do you say my advances are all fictitious you cursed wretch, bastard and heretic, (_beats him_).

_Nobin._ (_Covers with his hand the back of Sadhu_). My Lord, this poor man has many to support in his family. Owing to the beating he has got, I think, he will be confined in bed for a month. Oh! What pains his family is suffering? Sir, you have also your family. Now, what sorrow would affect the mind of your wife if you were taken prisoner at your dinner-time?

_Wood._ Be silent thou fool, braggart, low fellow, cow-eater. Don’t think that this Magistrate is like that one of Amaranagara, that you can, for every word, lay complaints before him, and imprison the men of the Factory. The Magistrate of Indrabad is as death to you. You rascal, you must first give me a hand-note to state you have received the advance for sixty bigahs of land, or else I shall not let you go this day. I shall break your head with this Shamchand, you stupid. It is owing to your not taking advances, that I have not been able to force advances on ten other villages.

_Nobin._ (_With heavy sighs._) O my Mother Earth! separate yourself that I may enter into you. In my life I never suffered such an insult. O, oh!

_Gopi._ Babu Nobin, better go home, no use of making fuss.

_Nobin._ Sadhu, call on God, He is the only support of the helpless.

(_Nobin Madhab goes away._)

_Wood._ Thou slave of the slave. Take him to the Factory, Dewan, and give him the advance according to rule.

(_Wood goes away._)

_Gopi._ Sadhu, come along to the Factory. Does the Saheb forget his words?

Now _ashes have fallen on your ready-made rice_; the Yama[7] of Indigo has attacked you, and you have no safety.

Footnote 6:

An instrument made use of for breaking down buildings.

Footnote 7:

Yama is Death, the king of terror.

FIRST ACT—FOURTH SCENE. GOLUK CHUNDER BASU’S HALL.

_Enter_ SOIRINDRI _preparing a hair-string_.

_Soirindri._ I never did prepare such a piece of hair-string. The youngest Bou[8] is the most fortunate, since whatever I do in her name proves successful. The hair-string I have made, is the thinnest possible. According to the hair, the hair-string is made. Oh! how beautiful the hair is; it is like unto that of the Goddess Kali. The face is as the lotus, always smiling. People may say whatever they choose to one whom they do not like. I don’t attend to that. For my part, I feel pleasure when I see the face of the youngest Bou. I consider the youngest Bou in the same light, as I do Bipin. The youngest Bou loves me as her own mother.

SARALOTA _enters with a braid in her hand_.

_Saralota._ My sister, just see whether I have been able to make the under part of this braid? Is it not made?

_Soirindri._ (_Seeing the braid._) Yes, now it is well made. O! my sister, this part is made somewhat bad; the yellow does not look well after the red colour.

_Saralota._ I wove it by observing your braid.

_Soirindri._ Is the yellow after the red in that?

_Saralota._ No; in that the green is after the red. But because my green thread is finished, therefore I placed the yellow after that.

_Soirindri._ You were not able, I see, to wait for the market-day. I see, my sister, every thing is in haste with you. As it is said, “_Hurry is in Brindabun; but as soon as the desire rises, there is no more waiting._”[9]

_Saralota._ Oh! What fault have I committed for that? Can that be got in the market? At the last market-day, my mother-in-law sent for it; but that was not got.

_Soirindri._ When they write a letter this time to my husband’s brother, we shall send to ask for threads of various colours.

_Saralota._ Sister, how many days are there still remaining of this month?

_Soirindri._ (_Laughingly._) On the place where the pain is, the hand touches. As soon as his[10] College closes, he shall come home, therefore you are counting the days. Ah! my sister, your mind’s words are come out.

_Saralota._ I say truly, my sister; I never meant that.

_Soirindri._ How very good-natured our Bindu Madhab is? His words are honey. When we hear his letters read, they _rain like drops of nectar_. I never saw such love towards one’s brother as his; and also his brother shows the greatest affection for him. When he hears the name of Bindu Madhab, his heart overflows with joy, and it becomes, as it were, expanded. Also, as he is, so our Saralota is, (_pressing Saralota’s cheek_) Saralota is _as honesty itself_ (_Saralota_). Have I not brought with me my huká? I see, that as I cannot remain without it for a moment, that is the first thing which I have forgotten to bring along with me.

_Enter_ ADURI.

Aduri, will you just go and bring me some ashes of tobacco?

_Aduri._ Where shall I now seek for it?

_Soirindri._ It is stuck on the thatched roof of the cook-room, on the right side of the steps leading into the room.

_Aduri._ Then, let me bring the ladder from the threshing floor; else how can I reach to the roof?

_Saralota._ Very well.

_Soirindri._ Why can she not understand our mother-in-law’s word? Don’t you understand what steps are, and what Dain[11] signifies?

_Aduri._ Why shall I become a Dain; it is my fate. _As soon as a poor woman becomes old and her teeth fall out_ _she is immediately called a Dain._ I shall speak of this to our mistress; am I become so old as to be called a Dain?

_Soirindri._ (_Rising up._) Youngest Bou, sit down, I am coming; to-day we shall hear the Betal of Vidyeasagar.

(_Soirindri goes away._)

_Aduri._ That Sagar allows marriage to the widows; fie! fie! Are there not two parties to that? I am of the Ajah’s[12] party.

_Saralota._ Aduri, did your husband love you well?

_Aduri._ O young Haldarni, do not raise that word of sorrow now. Even up to this day, when his face comes before my mind’s eye, my heart, as it were, bursts with sorrow. He loved me very much. And he even wanted to give me a daughter-in-law. He even did not give me time to sleep. Whenever I felt drowsy, he said, “O my love, are you sleeping.”

_Saralota._ Did you call him by his name?

_Aduri._ Fie! fie! fie! The husband is one’s Lord. Is it proper to call him by his name?

_Saralota._ Then, how did you call him?

_Aduri._ I used to say, “O! do you hear me.”

_Enter_ SOIRINDRI _again_.

_Soirindri._ Who has irritated this fool again?

_Aduri._ She was inquiring after my husband, therefore I was speaking with her.

_Soirindri._ (_Laughing._) I never saw a greater fool than this our youngest Bou. While having so many subjects of talk, still you are exciting Aduri in order to hear from her about her husband.

_Enter_ REBOTI _and_ KHETROMANI.

Welcome, my dear sister, I have been sending for you for these many days; still I see, you don’t get time to come. O our youngest Bou, here take your Khetra; here she is come. She was troubling me for these days, saying, My sister Khetra, of the Ghose family, is come from her father-in-law’s house; then, why is she not yet coming to our house?

_Reboti._ Yes, such is your love towards us. Khetra, bow down before your aunt.

(_Khetromani bows down._)

_Soirindri._ Remain with your husband for life; wear vermillion even in your white hair; let your iron circlet[13] continue for ever, and the next time you go to your father-in-law’s house, take your new-born son with you.

_Aduri._ The young Haldarni speaks most fluently before me; but this young girl bowed down before her; and she spoke not a single word.

_Soirindri._ Oh! what of that. Aduri, just go and call our mother-in-law here.

(_Aduri goes out._)

The fool knows not what she says. For how many months is she[14] with child?

_Reboti._ Did I yet express that? The bad turn of my fortune (_broken forehead_) is such, that I yet cannot say whether that is actually the case or not? It is because that you are very familiar with us, that I tell it you: at the end of this month she will be in her fourth month.

_Saralota._ Khetra, why did you cut off the curls of your hair?

_Khetro._ The elder brother of my husband was much displeased at seeing the curls in my hair. Our mistress said, that curls agree best with prostitutes and women of rich families. I was so much ashamed at hearing his words, that from that very day I cut off my curls.

_Soirindri._ Youngest Bou, the shades of evening are spreading about; just go, my sister, and bring the clothes.

_Enter_ ADURI _again_.

_Saralota._ (_Standing up._) Aduri, come with me; let us go up, and bring down the clothes.

_Aduri._ Let young Haldar first come home, ha! ha! ha!

(_Ashamed, Saralota goes away._)

_Soirindri._ (_With anger, yet laughing._) Go thou unfortunate fool; at every word, you joke. Where is my mother-in-law?

_Enters_ SABITRI.

Yes, she is come.

_Sabitri._ Ghose Bou, art thou come, and hast thou brought your daughter with you? Yes, you have done well. Bipin was making noise, therefore, I sent him out and am come here.

_Reboti._ My mother, I bow down before you. Khetra, bow down before your grand-mother. (_Khetromani bows down._)

_Sabitri._ Be happy, be the mother of seven sons. (_Coughing aside._) My eldest Bou, just go into the room, I think my son is up. Oh! my son has no regular time for bathing, neither for taking food. My Nobin is become very weak by mere vain thoughts—(_aside_, “Aduri”) Oh! my daughter, go in soon, I think, he is asking for water.

_Soirindri._ (_Aside, to Aduri._) Aduri, calling for you.

_Aduri._ Calling for me, but asking for you.

_Soirindri._ Thou burnt-faced. Sister Ghose meet me another day.

(_Exit Soirindri._)

_Reboti._ O my mother, here is none else. Some great danger has fallen upon me, that Podi Moyrani came to our house yesterday.

_Sabitri._ Rama! Rama! Rama! who allows that nasty fool to enter his house? What is left of her virtue? She has only to write her name in the public notices.

_Reboti._ My mother, but what shall I do! My house is not an enclosed one. When our males go to take dinner outside, the house is no more a house; but you may call it a mart. That strumpet says (I do shrink at the thought), she says, that the young Saheb is become, as it were, mad at seeing Khetromani; and wants to see her in the Factory.

_Aduri._ Fye! fye! fye! bad smell of the onion! Can we go to the Saheb. Fye! fye! bad smell of the onion! I shall never be out any more alone. I can bear every other thing, but the smell of the onion I can never bear. Fye! fye! bad smell of the onion!

_Reboti._ But, my mother, is not the virtue of the poor actual virtue? That fool[15] says, he will give money, give grants of lands for the cultivation of rice; and also give some employment to our son-in-law. Fie! fie! to money. Is virtue something to be sold? Has it any price? What can I say? That fool was an agent of the Saheb, or else I would have broken her mouth with one kick. My daughter is become thunder-struck from yesterday; and now and then, she is starting with fear.

_Aduri._ Oh, the Beard! When he speaks, it is like a he-goat twisting about its mouth. For my part, I would never be able to go there as long as he does not leave off his onions and beard. Fie! fie! fie! the bad smell of the onion.

_Reboti._ Mother, again that unfortunate fool says, if you do not send her with me, I shall take her away by certain latyals.

_Sabitri._ What more is the Burmese (Mug) power? Can anyone take away a woman from a house in the British Dominion?

_Reboti._ O my Mother! Every violence can be committed in the ryot’s house. Taking away the women, they bring the men under their power. In giving advances for Indigo they can do this; only they cannot commit this before one’s eyes. Don’t you know, my mother, the other day, because certain parties did not agree to sign a fictitious receipt of advances, they broke down their house and took away by force the wife of one of the Babus.

_Sabitri._ What anarchy is this! Did you inform Sadhu of this?

_Reboti._ No, my mother. He is already become mad on account of the Indigo; again, if he hear this, will he keep quiet? Through excessive anger he will rather smite his head with the axe.

_Sabitri._ Very well, I shall make this known to Sadhu, through my husband; you need not say anything. What misfortune is this! The Indigo Planters can do anything. Then why do I hear it generally said, that the Sahebs are strict in dispensing justice. Again, my son Bindu Madhab speaks much in praise of them. Therefore I think that _these are not Sahebs_; no, _they are the dregs_, (_Chandál_) _of Sahebs_.

_Reboti._ Respecting another word which Moyrani has said, I think the eldest Babu has not heard of it—that a new order has been proclaimed, by which the wicked Sahebs, by opening a communication with the Magistrate, can throw any one into prison for six months; again, that they are making preparations for doing the same with the Babus.

_Sabitri._ (_Sighing deeply._) If this be in the mind of God it will be.

_Reboti._ Many other things she said, my mother; but I was not able to understand her. Is it the fact, that there is no appeal when once a person is imprisoned?

_Aduri._ I think, the wretch has aggravated this imprisoning.

_Sabitri._ Aduri, be silent a little, my child.

_Reboti._ Moreover, the wife of the Indigo Planter, in order to make her husband’s case strong (_pakka_), has sent a letter to the Magistrate, since it is said that the Magistrate hears her words most attentively.

_Aduri._ I saw the lady; she has no shame at all. When the Magistrate of the Zillah (whose name occasions great terror) goes riding about through the village, the lady also rides on horseback, with him.—The Bou riding about on a horse! Because the aunt of Kesi once laughed before the elder brother of her husband, all people ridiculed her; while this was the Magistrate of the Zillah.

_Sabitri._ I see, wretched woman, thou wilt occasion some great misfortune one day. Now it is evening, Ghose Bou, better go home. There is Durga.

_Reboti._ Now, I go my mother. I shall buy some oil from the shop; then there will be light in the house.

(_Exit Reboti and Khetromani._)

_Sabitri._ Can’t you remain without speaking something at every word.

_Enter_ SARALOTA _with clothes on her head_.

_Aduri._ Here, our washerwoman is come with her clothes.

_Sabitri._ Thou fool, why is she a washerwoman? _She is my Bou of gold, my Goddess of good Fortune_ (_patting her back_). Is there no one in my family excepting you to bring down the clothes? Can’t you, for one dunda[16] sit quiet in one place? Art thou born of such a mad woman? How did you tear off your cloth. I think you bruised yourself. Ah, her body is, as it were, a red lotus; and this one bruise has made the blood to come out with violence. Now, my daughter, I tell you, never move up and down the steps in the dark, in such a manner.

_Enter_ SOIRINDRI.

_Soirindri._ Now, our young Bou, let us go to the ghát.

_Sabitri._ Now, my daughters, while the evening light continues, you two together go and wash yourselves.

(_Exit all._)

Footnote 8:

This is a term which is applied to one’s son’s wife; but sometimes, though rarely, it means wife.

Footnote 9:

This is only a quotation, explaining, by an example, the eagerness of the mind when the desire in once excited.

Footnote 10:

This pronoun “his” refers to the husband of Saralota.

Footnote 11:

This is a Bengali term signifying sometimes _right_ and sometimes _a witch_.

Footnote 12:

The word Rajah is here pronounced in an odd form; and it has reference to those rajahs who were against widow marriage. As the word is pronounced by a woman of the lower class, it is spelt here incorrectly.

Footnote 13:

The iron circlet worn by a woman on her left hand, is the mark or sign of the husband being alive.

Footnote 14:

Referring to Khetromani.

Footnote 15:

Referring to Podi Moyrani (sweet-meat maker).

Footnote 16:

A dunda is equal to 24 English minutes.

SECOND ACT—FIRST SCENE. THE GODOWN OF BEGUNBARI FACTORY.

_Torapa and four other Ryots sitting._