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
(_Ray Churn is bound by the two Servants._)
_Reboti._ Oh! What is this? Why do they bind him? What ruin! What
ruin! (_to Sadhu_) Why do you stand looking on? Go to the house of
the Babus, and call the eldest Babu here.
_Amin._ (_To Sadhu._) Where shalt thou go now? You are also to go
with me. To take advances is not the business of Ray. We shall
have much to bear with if we are to make signature by cross marks.
And because you know how to read and to write, therefore you must
go and make the signatures in the Factory Account-book.
_Sadhu._ Sir, do you call this giving advances for Indigo; would
it not be better to call it the _cramming down_ Indigo?[5] Oh! my
Ill-fortune, you are still with me. That very blow through fear of
which I fled, I have to bear again. This land was as the Kingdom
of Rama before Indigo was established; but the ignorant fool is
become a beggar, and famine has come upon the land.
_Amin._ (_To himself observing Khetromani._) This young woman is
not bad-looking; if our younger Saheb can get her, he will, with
his whole heart, take her. But while I was unable to succeed in
getting a peshkar’s (overseer’s) post by giving him my own sister,
what can I expect from getting him this woman; but still she is
very beautiful; I will try.
_Reboti._ Khetra, go into the room.
(_Khetromani goes away._)
_Amin._ Now, Sadhu, if you want to come in a proper manner, come
with me to the Factory.
(_Going forward._)
_Reboti._ Oh Amin! have you no wife nor children? Have you kept
only the plough and this beating (_márpit_)? Did he not want to
drink a little water? By this time he ought to take a second meal,
how can he then, without taking any food, go to the Saheb’s house
which is at such a distance. I ask for the Saheb’s grace; just let
him have some food; and then take him away. Oh! he is so very much
troubled for his wife and his children. Oh! he is shedding tears,
his face is become dry. What are you doing? To what a burnt-up
land am I come? Destruction has come upon me both in life and
money. Oh! Oh! Oh! I am gone both in life and money. (_Weeps._)
_Amin._ Oh, stupid woman! Now stop your grunting. If you want to
give water, bring it soon; else I shall take him away. (_Ray Churn
drinks water; exit all._)
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Footnote 3:
Here the word is used sarcastically; and is taken to mean the
brother of the wife.
Footnote 4:
The name of a beautiful yellow flower.
Footnote 5:
There is a play here an the words _Dádan_ and _Gádan_.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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