Page 140 - English Reader - 6

daughter is quite difficult. One mus consider one’s own good name as
well as the good names of the town’s important people by inviting them

all. Big preparation got on the way.

Two days before the wedding, the merchant appeared and asked, “Hajoor,
might I be of any service?”

“Thank you Sahuji for the word, but there’s nothing particular for you to
do,” Hem subba said.

“No need to worry, Hajoor,” said the merchant. “We are always there

for you. How could the marriage of your four daughters diminish your
resplendent wealth? And even if it happened, it would be replenished by

the god, if they so pleased.”

For a while there was a talk of other matters related to the wedding.
After this, the merchant slowly took out a plate, this time of gold. The

merchant had also brought along some paan. He arranged a few rolls

on the plate. These were silver-coated paans giving off the fragrance of
roses.

The merchant said, “Eat these, hajoor, you must enjoy yourself at the

time of your daughter’s wedding. You daughter is mine too, after all.”

The merchant had spoken extremely warmly, in a way that touched the

heart. Hem Subba hesitated, “But Sahuji, perhaps this will cause harm!”

“No, Hajoor, it will cause no harm at all. I’ve fed paan to some very
important people, and it’s never harmed anyone. Paan increases blood,

it digests food; just try eating one, this once.”

This time Hem Subba pulled the plate towards himself. He put one paan
in his mouth, and experiencing its taste and the pleasure of its juices, he

said, “Sahuji, I never knew in all my days that paan could be so juicy.”

140 Dolphin English Reader Book 6