All these female relatives cawing day and night like a set of crows in a banian tree; at every moment screams, laughter, quarrelling, bad reasoning, gossip, reproach, the scuffling of boys, the crying of girls.

"Bring water!" "Give the clothes!" "Cook the rice!" "The child does not eat!" "Where is the milk ?" etc., is heard as an ocean of confused sounds.

Next to it, behind the _Thakur bari_, was the cook-house.

Here a woman, having placed the rice-pot on the fire, gathering up her feet, sits gossiping with her neighbour on the details of her son's marriage.

Another, endeavouring to light a fire with green wood, her eyes smarting with the smoke, is abusing the _gomashta_ (factor), and producing abundant proof that he has supplied this wet wood to pocket part of the price.