Footnote 66: Kartika is taken to be the most lovely in appearance among the gods—the symbol of male beauty. He is the son of Siva and Doorgah. Footnote 67: Here, the reference is to the last of the three days in which the goddess Doorgah is worshipped; and the last day is taken to be one of great pain, because on that day she is to take her departure from her parents to go to her husband Siva. Footnote 68: Thickly prepared signifies many coverings of the bed placed one above another. Footnote 69: It is one of the names of Doorgah. The term signifies “full of rice,” or the Goddess of Plenty. ----- ---------- FIFTH ACT—FOURTH SCENE. THE HALL IN THE HOUSE OF GOLUK CHUNDER BASU. ------- _Sabitri sitting with the dead body of Nobin on her lap._ _Sabitri._ Let my dear child sleep; my dear keeps my heart at rest. When I see the sweet face, I remember that other face[70] (_kisses_). My child is sleeping most soundly (_rubs the hand over the head of the corpse_). Ah! what have the musquitoes done? What shall I do for the heat? I must not lie down without letting the curtains fall (_rubs the hand on the breast of the body_) Ah! Can the mother suffer this, to see the bugs bite the child and let drops of blood come out. No one is here to prepare the bed of the child; how shall I let it lie down. I have no one for me; but all are gone with my husband. (_Weeps_). Oh unfortunate creature that I am! I am crying with my child here (_observing the face of Nobin_). The child of the sorrowful woman is now making deala[71] (_kissing the mouth_). No, my dear, I have forgotten all distress in seeing thee; I am not weeping (_placing the pap on its mouth_); my dear, suckle the pap, my dear, suckle it; I entreated the bad woman so much, even fell at her feet, still she did not bring my husband for once; he would have gone after settling about the milk of the child. This stupid person has such a friendship with Yama, that if she had written a letter, he would have immediately given him leave (_seeing the rope in her hand_). The husband never gets salvation if on his death the widow still wears ornaments; although I wept with such loud cries, still they made me wear the shanka.[72] I have burnt it by the lamp, still it is in my hands (_cuts off the rope with her teeth_). For a widow to wear ornaments it does not look good and is not tolerable. On my hands there has arisen a blister (_cries_). Whoever has stopped my wearing the shanka, let her shanka be taken off within three days[73] (_snaps the joints of her fingers on the ground_). Let