Nil Darpan; or, The Indigo Planting Mirror, A Drama.: Translated from the Bengali by a Native. — John Shaqi
Nil Darpan; or, The Indigo Planting Mirror, A Drama.: Translated from the Bengali by a Native.Mitra, Dinabandhu
History
Nil Darpan; or, The Indigo Planting Mirror, A Drama.: Translated from the Bengali by a Native.
Mitra, Dinabandhu
Indigo industry -- India -- Bengal -- Drama
Ah! I can within five days establish a school for these boys, if
only the tyranny of the Indigo be once stopped. The Inspector of
this part of the country is a very good man. How very good a man
becomes, if only learning be acquired. He is young; but in his
conversation he has the experience of years. He has a great desire
that a school be established in this country. I am also not
unwilling to give money for this purpose; the large Bungalow which
I have, can be a good place for a school; moreover, what is more
happy than to have the boys of one’s own country to read and
write, and study in his own house, this is the true success of
wealth and of labour. Bindu Madhab brought the Inspector with him,
and it is his desire, that all with one mind try to establish the
school. But observing the unfortunate state of the country, he was
obliged to keep his design to himself; how very mild, quiet,
good-natured, and wise is he become now! Wisdom in younger years
is as beautiful as the fruits in a small plant. In reading of the
sorrow which my brother has expressed in his letter even the hard
stone is melted and the heart of the Indigo Planter would become
soft. I cannot now rise up to go home, I do not see any means; I
was not able to bring one of the five to my side, and I cannot
find where they are taken away.[26] I think Torapa will never
speak a lie. It shall be a great loss to us, if the other four
give evidence; especially as I was not able to make the least
preparation; and again the Magistrate is a great friend of Mr.
Wood.
_Enter a Ryot, two Peadas or Bailiffs of the Police, and a Taidgir
of the Indigo Factory._
_Ryot._ My elder Babu, preserve my two children; there is no one
else to feed them. Last year, I gave eight carts’ load of Indigo,
and I did not get a single pice for that, and also I am bound, as
with cords, for the remainder. Again, they will take me to
Andarabad.
_Guard._ The advance-money of the Indigo and the marking nut of
the washer-man, as soon as they come in contact, become mostly
joined. You villain come; you must first go to the Dewanji; your
elder Babu also shall come to this.
_Ryot._ Come, I don’t fear this. I would rather have my body rot
in the Jail than any more prepare the Indigo of that white man. My
God! my God! none looks on the poor (_weeps_). My elder Babu, give
my children food; they brought me to the field; and I was not able
to see them once.
(_Exit all, except Nobin Madhab._)
_Nobin._ What injustice! These two children will die without food
in the same way as the new-born young of the hare suffer when the
hare is in the hand of the savage hunters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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