The Home and the World

Nikhil’s Story. X. Letters against Nikhil begin to appear throughout the local papers. The letters claim that all the residents of Nikhil’s estate supposedly support Swadeshi but are afraid to admit it due to fear of persecution by Nikhil. The letters claim Nikhil is part of a conspiracy with the police and other authorities to get a foreign title added to his name. Nikhil also receives a threatening letter about other zamindars whose estates have been burned down for failing to support the Cause. He suspects that some local students have forged the letter and calls them for a talk.

Nikhil argues to the students that a country isn’t free if people reign by fear. But the students reply that Sandip has praised how harshly nearby zamindars have dealt with dissention, making sure no foreign goods remain within them. Nikhil is shocked when the students describe the tyrannical practices of his neighbors, which he believes isn’t justice but cruelty.

XI. Nikhil worries about the woman claiming to be Panchu’s aunt, whom Nikhil is sure is a fake just trying to claim the property, although her claim is difficult to disprove. He considers just building a new cottage for Panchu, but Chandranath surprises Nikhil by saying he himself will handle getting rid of the fraud.

Nikhil gets lost in his work and in wandering nature. When he comes home one evening, he passes Bimala’s living area and sees that she seems upset. He asks her why she keeps herself locked up in his house and tries to tell her she’s free to go if she wants. He frees her not out of generosity but because he feels he needs to do it first in order to free himself.

When Nikhil gets back to his own room, Chandranath is waiting there, having returned after a couple days’ absence. Nikhil gives a speech to Chandranath about the importance of freedom for humans, and Chandranath is surprised by how passionate he is. Chandranath explains that he’s been staying with Panchu to try to understand the woman posing as his aunt. He has figured out that she is looking for money, claiming to be going on a journey but probably just looking for a bribe. Chandranath doesn’t think she’s necessarily a bad woman, although Panchu is suspicious that she is low-caste and stays away from her. Nikhil agrees to pay the woman money to get her to leave.

Bimala’s Story. XIV. Bimala, now narrating, is unnerved by how detached and far-away Nikhil looked when he spoke to her. She resents how little influence she has on Nikhil and how easily he set her free. She also despairs about how she shouldn’t have promised the 50,000 rupees from Nikhil’s treasury to Sandip, unsure how she’ll ever obtain it.

That evening, Bimala calls Amulya to her and orders him to steal money out of Nikhil’s treasury. Amulya is concerned about the cashier of the treasury, whom he thinks can’t be bribed, and so he shows Bimala a small pistol he has on him. Bimala is horrified, not wanting anyone to get killed. Amulya tells Bimala that pity is often just cowardice.

Bimala considers the matter for a while before finally telling Amulya not to go through with a robbery—she can find a way to get the money herself. She asks for him to hand over his pistol, which he does, then she conceals it in her clothes. She is determined to prove her value to Sandip and to get him whatever he desires.