"But it was not the poor fellow's fault, after all. He was only
obeying his orders."

Here Nikhil came in, and as he did so I left my seat with a rapid
movement and went and stood near the window with my back to the
room.

"Nanku, the guard, has insulted Sandip Babu," said Bee to Nikhil.

Nikhil seemed to be so genuinely surprised that I had to turn
round and stare at him. Even an outrageously good man fails in
keeping up his pride of truthfulness before his wife--if she be
the proper kind of woman.

"He insolently stood in the way when Sandip Babu was coming in
here," continued Bee. "He said he had orders ..."

"Whose orders?" asked Nikhil.

"How am I to know?" exclaimed Bee impatiently, her eyes brimming
over with mortification.

Nikhil sent for the man and questioned him. "It was not my
fault," Nanku repeated sullenly. "I had my orders."

"Who gave you the order?"

"The Bara Rani Mother."