I was sitting down to prepare food with my own hands for Amulya, when Mejo-rani came and said, “Well, little one, are you arranging to feed yourself on your own birthday?”

I replied, “Is there anyone else to feed except myself?”

Mejo-rani said, “Today it is not your turn to feed; we are supposed to feed you. I was making all the arrangements, when suddenly I heard some news that made my heart leap in fear—apparently, in one of our offices, five or six hundred dacoits attacked and looted six thousand rupees. People are saying that now they will come to loot our house next.”

Hearing this news, my heart felt strangely light. So, it is our own money! I will call Amulya right now and tell him: let him return this six thousand rupees here, in front of me, into my husband’s hands—then I will say to him all that I have to say!

Observing the expression on my face, Mejo-rani said, “You astonish me! Aren’t you the least bit afraid?”

I said, "I cannot believe that they will come to loot our house!"

You cannot believe it! Who could have believed that even the servants would turn into looters?

—Without replying, I lowered my head and began stuffing coconut filling into the rice cakes. After looking at my face for a moment, he said, "Let me go and call for Thakurpo. We must take out those six thousand rupees at once and send them off to Calcutta—there must be no more delay."

Saying this, he left, and I quickly left the rice cakes half-finished and hurried to the room with the iron safe, closing the door behind me. My husband is so absent-minded that the shirt with the safe key in its pocket was still hanging on the peg! I took the key to the iron safe off the ring and hid it inside my jacket.

Just then, there was a knock at the door from outside! I called out, "I am changing my clothes!"—I heard Mejo Rani say, "Just a little while ago I saw her preparing rice cakes, and now suddenly she is in a rush to dress up! How many of her little tricks must we witness! Perhaps today they are holding their 'Bande Mataram' meeting. Oh, Devi Chowdhurani, are you loading up the loot?"

On a sudden impulse, I slowly opened the iron safe. Perhaps I was thinking, what if it had all been a dream;—what if, as I pulled open that little drawer, I found the bundles of papers arranged just as before! Alas, like the empty faith of a traitor, everything was gone! I had to change my clothes for nothing. There was no need, yet I tied my hair anew. When I met Mejo-rani, she asked, “Why are you so dressed up today?”—I replied, “For my birthday.”

Mejo-rani laughed and said, “Any excuse for you to dress up! I’ve seen plenty, but never anyone as imaginative as you!”

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