He met the great man's studied insolence with a
volley of chaff, which is particularly galling to vain people because
they are incapable of understanding it.
Nagendra Babu did not forget the Brahman's presumption and determined
to teach him a lesson. So, one day, he sent him a written notice
demanding the immediate payment of arrears of rent due for a few
bighas (one-third of an acre) of land which Ramda held on a heritable
lease. As luck would have it the crops had failed miserably, and Ramda
was unable to discharge his debts. On receiving a more peremptory
demand seven days later, he called on Nagendra Babu, whom he thus
addressed:--
"Why, Nagen, what's the matter with you? You are plaguing me to
death with notices, yet you must be aware that I can't pay you a pice
at present."
"Thakur," replied Nagendra Babu in stern accents, "I will listen
to none of your excuses. Do you mean to tell me that you decline to
discharge your arrears?"
"I never said that," protested Ramda; "but you must really wait till
the beginning of next year. My cold weather crops are looking well;
and--"
"No, that won't do at all. If you do not pay up in a week, I will
certainly have recourse to the civil court."
"Do so by all means if your sense of religion permits," rejoined Ramda,
leaving the parlour in smothered wrath.
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