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THE WRECK 149

Umi by the hand. Sailaja had a dark complexion and small features, but her expression was animated and her forehead broad. She gave promise of possessing sound sense and a placid disposition.

After a brief inspection of Kamala, Sailaja's little daughter hailed her as "auntie" — ^not that she saw in her any resemblance to Bidhu but she unhestitatingly classed as an "auntie" any adult female to whom she took a fancy. Kamala lifted the child on to her lap at once.

Haribhabhini introduced Kamala to Sailaja in these words : "This lady's husband is a lawyer; he has come up-country to practise his profession. They met your father on the way and he brought them here."

The eyes of the two girls met and that one look made them fast friends.

Haribhabhini went off to arrange for her guests' comfort, and Sailaja took Kamala by the hand and invited her into her own room.

It was not long before they found themselves talk- ing quite intimately. The disparity in age between the two was hardly noticeable.

In breadth and subtlety of view Kamala was much in advance of her years. It may have been because her individuality had never undergone the chastening effects of a mother-in-law's discipline. Such phrases as "Hold your tongue!" "Do what I tell you!" Young girls shouldn't say 'No' so often," had never been dinned in her ears. Consequently she faced the world with body erect and head held high, a graceful plant with a tough stem.

The two new-found friends soon became immersed in conversation in spite of the little girl Umi's unceas- ing efforts to attract all their attention to herself. Kamala could not but be aware of her conversational inferiority to the other. Sailaja had much to say, she herself almost nothing. The sketch that Kamala pre-

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