These few tasteless chapters are the staircase.

If among my readers there is one of the _Malini's_ disposition, I warn him that without climbing these steps he will not arrive at the pith of the story.
Surja Mukhi's father's house was in Konnagar.

Her father was a _Kaystha_ of good position.

He was cashier in some house at Calcutta.
Surja Mukhi was his only child.

In her infancy a _Kaystha_ widow named Srimati lived in her father's house as a servant, and looked after Surja Mukhi.