38 
The Bengali Poem, Candi. 
I must, then, brave th’ ordeal—it must be ; 
I will drink poison if you binder me.” 
Deep in bis heart be knew her innocent, 
And from bis face the cloud of trouble went. 
With lightened heart be entered now the ball, 
And asked their presence at bis festival, 
And “Khullana,” be said, “shall cook for all.” 
Most of th’ invited guests seem pleased to come; 
Only Mlambar downward looks in gloom. 
“ The tenth—my father’s graddh is on that day ; 
How can I then eat flesh with you, I pray ? ” 
’T was an old wound that rankled in his breast— 
The sore seemed healed, but still the merchant guessed. 
“ I ask you not to eat our common fare, 
Eat rather what your Brahmans will prepare; 
But when the graddh is over, be my guest— 
Your simple presence is my one request.” 
“In Gaya’s shrine and Purl’s have I stood— 
I must not eat an alien gotra’s food.” 
Glancing askant in rage and wounded pride, 
In a rough voice the merchant thus replied: 
“ Shall one whose ancestors have dealt in salt 
Eor fifty generations without halt 
Boast of his family, self-deceived and blind ? 
He retails salt to every low-caste hind, 
And out of every penn’orth sold by weight 
Steals a full quarter,—shall this boaster prate ? ” 
Out spoke the merchant thus, with anger filled; 
Bam Kunda then, th’ attorney of the guild, 
Catching a signal in Yilambar’s eye, 
Put forth his hand and deftly made reply : 
“ ’T is all a caste affair,—then what’s amiss ? 
This one sells salt by caste, and potherbs this. 
You married a young girl, too young and-fair; 
She, keeping goats, has wandered,—who knows where ? 
A fish that’s lying stranded on the shore, 
Or gold or silver on a lonely moor,— 
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