HURDWAR. 
203 
tants of the adjacent lands. A lakh of rupees* would 
scarcely be its worth.” 
11 ‘ Then,” said Vanadosini, “ put that aside forme, I 
will call my father to pay you for it.” A laugh hurst 
from the lips of the unpolished stranger, hut the in- 
dignant girl stopped not to listen to his words. She 
hastened to the bamboo grove, where her father was 
reclining in the shade, smoking his hooka, and throw- 
ing herself into his arms, she employed all that win- 
ning grace of soft entreaty which she had so often 
known to be irresistible ; but finding more difficulty 
than she had anticipated, she related to her fond parent 
the manner in which she had been induced to pur- 
chase the chaplet without his previous sanction. 
Purwatti gently chid her for suffering the words of a 
stranger to move her, and then, rising, bid her return 
to the shop, while he called his banker to disburse the 
amount to the merchant. Vanadosini, twining her 
lambent arms round her father’s neck, bestowed upon 
him a kiss of fond affection and gratitude, which he 
told her fully repaid him the price of the chaplet. As 
she retraced her steps to the cottage with exulting 
heart, she could not help lamenting that the merchant 
had not learnt manners as well as her father. With 
affected coolness and admiration — it was the first time 
she had ever affected what she did not feel — she told 
the merchant to seat himself, her father would bring 
him the price of the trinket immediately. She could 
* Ten thousand pounds. 
