The Poison Tree

NAGENDRA'S JOURNEY BY BOAT.

Nagendra Natha Datta is about to travel by boat. It is the month _Joisto_ (May--June), the time of storms. His wife, Surja Mukhi, had adjured him, saying, "Be careful; if a storm arises be sure you fasten the boat to the shore. Do not remain in the boat." Nagendra had

consented to this, otherwise Surja Mukhi would not have permitted him to leave home; and unless he went to Calcutta his suits in the Courts would not prosper.

Nagendra Natha was a young man, about thirty years of age, a wealthy _zemindar_ (landholder) in Zillah Govindpur. He dwelt in a small village which we shall call Haripur. He was travelling in his own boat. The first day or two passed without obstacle. The river flowed smoothly on--leaped, danced, cried out, restless, unending, playful. On shore, herdsmen were grazing their oxen--one sitting under a tree singing, another smoking, some fighting, others eating. Inland, husbandmen were driving the plough, beating the oxen, lavishing abuse upon them, in which the owner shared. The wives of the husbandmen, bearing vessels of water, some carrying a torn quilt, or a dirty mat, wearing a silver amulet round the neck, a ring in the nose, bracelets of brass on the arm, with unwashed garments, their skins blacker than ink, their hair unkempt, formed a chattering crowd. Among them one beauty was rubbing her head with mud, another beating a child, a third speaking with a neighbour in abuse of some nameless person, a fourth beating clothes on a plank. Further on, ladies from respectable villages adorned the _gháts_ (landing-steps) with their appearance--the elders conversing, the middle-aged worshipping _Siva_, the younger covering their faces and plunging into the water; the boys and girls screaming, playing with mud, stealing the flowers offered in worship, swimming, throwing water over every one, sometimes stepping up to a lady, snatching away the image of _Siva_ from her, and running off with it. The Brahmans, good tranquil men, recited the praises of _Ganga_ (the sacred river Ganges ) and performed their worship, sometimes, as they wiped their streaming hair, casting glances at the

younger women.