Rabindranath Tagore - The Hungry Stones and other Stories, 1916 by gnosisclassics

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THE HUNGRY STONES

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY KBW YORK

• BOSTON • CHICAGO - DALLAS ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO •

MACMILLAN & LONDON

•

CO.. Limited BOMBAY • CALCUTTA MELBOURNE

THE MACMILLAN

CO. OF TORONTO

CANADA.

Ltd.

THE HUNGRY STONES AND OTHER

STORIES

BY Sir

RABINDRANATH TAGORE

AUTHOR OF "SADHANA" "THE GARDENER," "GITANJAU," "THE CRESCENT MOON"

TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL BENGALI BY VARIOUS WRITERS

5frm ^ork

CopYRionT,

1916,.

By the JIACJIILLAN COMPANY Set

up and

electrotyped.

Published, October, 1916.

PREFACE The

stories contained in this

lated by several hands. tory

the author's

which follow

The

own work.

volume were version of

The

trans-

The

Vic-

seven stories

were translated by Mr. C. F. An-

drews, with the author's help.

Assistance has also been given by the Rev. E. J. Thompson, Panna Lai Basu, Prabhat Kumar Mukerji, and the Sister

Nivedita.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY riHACA, N.

14853

South Asia Collection

KROCH LIBRARY

CONTENTS PAGE

The Hungry The Victory

Stones

Once there was a King

The Home-coming

Lord, the Baby

The Kingdom The Devotee

of Cards

i35

Vision

The Babus

of Nayanjore

Living or Dead? "

Crown Thee King "

The Renunciation The Cabuliwallah

i73 i93

215 241

257

THE HUNGRY STONES AND OTHER

STORIES

THE HUNGRY STONES My

kinsman and myself were returning

from our Puja

From

trip

his dress

when we met

the

to Calcutta

man

and bearing we took him

a train.

at first for

an up-country Mahomedan, but we were puzzled as

we heard him

talk.

jects so confidently that

discoursed upon

happy, as

did not

all

times in

we had been

Hitherto

did.

sub-

you might think the Dis-

poser of All Things consulted him at that

all

know

all

perfectly

that secret and unheard-

of forces were at work, that the Russians had ad-

vanced close to

us, that the

secret

policies,

that

chiefs

had come

confusion

friend said with a sly smile

and

the

man

ever so

native

There happen more

As we had never

our homes before, the demeanour of

struck us trivial,

the

earth, Horatio, than are re-

ported in your newspapers." stirred out of

among

But our newly-acquired

to a head.

things in heaven

English had deep and

dumb with wonder.

Be the

topic

he would quote science, or comment 3

THE HUNGRY STONES

on the Vedas, or repeat quatrains from some Perand as we had no pretence

sian poet;

to a

knowledge

of science or the Vedas or Persian, our admiration

him went on

for

increasing,

and

kinsman, a

was firmly convinced that our fellow-

theosophist,

passenger must have been supernaturally inspired by

some strange " magnetism " or " an " astral

body

occult

power," by

" or something of that kind.

listened to the tritest saying that fell

from the

He lips

of our extraordinary companion with devotional rapture,

and

versation. this,

secretly took

notes of his con-

fancy that the extraordinary

and was a

When,

down

little

pleased with

man saw

it.

the train reached the junction,

we assem-

bled in the waiting-room for the connection.

was then lo p.m., and likely to be

very

late,

the lines, I spread to

lie

down

as the train,

owing

my bed

heard, was

something wrong

on the table and was about

for a comfortable doze,

when

the ex-

traordinary person deliberately set about spinning the following yarn.

course, I could get

no sleep

that night.

When, owing

to a disagreement about

tions of administrative policy, I

some ques-

threw up

post

THE HUNGRY STONES at

Nizam

Junagarh, and entered the service of the

of Hyderabad, they appointed

strong young man,

once,

of cotton duties

collector

a at

Barich.

Barich

The

a lovely place.

Susta " chatters

over stony ways and babbles on the pebbles," ping, like a skilful dancing girl, in through the

below the lonely

from the

river,

hills.

and above that

brim and at the foot of the

man

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

had

and luxury.

from of

its

would

river's

there stands a solithere

no habita-

mart of

off.

About 250 years ago II.

on the

the village and the cotton

Barich being far

Shah

woods

of 150 steps rises

flight,

hills,

Around

tary marble palace. tion of

flight

trip-

the

Emperor Mahmud

built this lonely palace for his pleasure

In his days jets of rose-water spurted

fountains,

and on the cold marble

floors

spray-cooled rooms young Persian damsels sit,

their

hair

dishevelled

before bathing,

and, splashing their soft naked feet in the clear water of the reservoirs,

would

sing, to the tune

of the

guitar, the ghazals of their vineyards.

The

fountains play no longer; the songs have

ceased; no longer do snow-white feet step gracefully

on the snowy marble.

It is

but the vast and

THE HUNGRY STONES

solitary quarters of cess-collectors like us,

men

op-

pressed with solitude and deprived of the society

Now, Karim Khan,

women.

office,

warned me repeatedly not

to take

" Pass the day there,

abode there.

said he, " but never stay the night."

with a light laugh.

would work

till

The

away

The house had

that even thieves

you

like,"

passed

off

servants said that they

dark, and go

ready assent.

my my

the old clerk of

at night.

such a bad

would not venture near

gave

name after

dark.

first

upon me

the solitude of the deserted palace weighed like a

work hard

nightmare.

would stay

as long as possible, then return

and

out,

home

night jaded and tired, go to bed and fall asleep.

Before a week had passed, the place began to exert a

weird fascination upon me.

difficult

describe or to induce people to believe; but as

to felt

the whole house was like a living organism

slowly and imperceptibly digesting

me by

the action

of some stupefying gastric juice.

Perhaps the process had begun as soon as

foot in the house, but I distinctly

day on which It

I first

was conscious of

I set

remember the

it.

was the beginning of summer, and the market

T'tE being dull

had no work

was

sunset I

HUNGRY STONES A

do.

little

before

an arm-chair near the water's

sitting in

edge below the

The

steps.

Susta had shrunk and

sunk low; a broad patch of sand on the other side

glowed with the hues of evening; on

this side the

pebbles at the bottom of the clear shallow waters

were

glistening.

There was not

anywhere, and the pressive scent

air

still

from the

a breath of

wind

was laden with an opgrowing on the

spicy shrubs

hills close by.

the sun sank behind the hill-tops a long dark

curtain fell

upon the stage of day, and the

vening

cut short the time in

hills

shade mingle at sunset. a ride,

which light and

thought of going out for

and was about to get up when

on the steps behind.

fall

inter-

heard a foot-

looked back, but there

was no one.

I sat

down

heard many

to be an illusion, I

footfalls, as if a large

number of persons

again, thinking

were rushing down the

steps.

delight,

slightly tinged with

my my

methought

fear,

strange thrill of

passed through

frame, and though there was not a figure before eyes,

saw

coming down the steps that

summer

evening.

bevy of joyous maidens

Not

bathe a

the Susta

sound was

the

THE HUNGRY STONES

valley, in the river, or in the palace, to silence,

break the

but I distinctly heard the maidens' gay and

mirthful laugh, like the gurgle of a spring gushing forth in a hundred cascades, as they ran past me, in quick playful pursuit of each other, river,

visible to

The

without noticing

me, so

river

was

I was, as

at it

all.

towards the they were

in-

were, invisible to them.

perfectly calm, but I felt that

its still,

shallow, and clear waters were stirred suddenly by

many an arm

the splash of

jingling with bracelets,

that the girls laughed and 'dashed and spattered

water at one another, that the feet of the fair swim-

mers tossed the

tiny

I felt a thrill at

the excitement ity.

had

waves up

heart

was due

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

in I

showers of pearl.

cannot say whether

to fear or delight or curios-

a strong desire to see

them more

clearly,

but naught was visible before me; I thought I could catch all that they said

if I

only strained

but however hard I strained them,

ears;

heard nothing

but the chirping of the cicadas in the woods.

seemed as

a dark curtain of

250 years was hang-

ing before me, and I would fain

lift

a corner of

tremblingly and peer through, though the assembly

on the other side was completely enveloped ness.

dark-

THE HUNGRY STONES The

oppressive

closeness

broken by a sudden gust of wind, and the

and curled

face of the Susta rippled

was

evening

the

still

sur-

like the hair

of a nymph, and from the woods wrapt in the eve-

ning gloom there came forth a simultaneous mur-

mur, as though they were awakening from a black

dream.

Call

reality or

dream, the momentary

glimpse of that invisible mirage reflected from a far-off

The

world, 250 years old, vanished in a

mystic forms that brushed past

flash..

with their

quick unbodied steps, and loud, voiceless laughter,

and threw themselves into the

river,

did not go

back wringing their dripping robes as they went.

Like fragrance wafted away by the wind they were dispersed by a single breath of the spring.

Then the

was

Muse

that

and possessed to ruin a

poor

filled

with a lively fear that

had taken advantage of my

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the witch

devil like myself

collecting cotton duties.

dinner

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

was

solitude

had evidently come

making

a living

I decided to have a good

empty stomach that

incurable diseases find an easy prey.

cook and gave orders for a

rich,

all sorts

I sent for

sumptuous moghlai

dinner, redolent of spices and ghi.

Next morning the whole

affair

appeared a queer

THE HUNGRY STONES

With

fantasy.

the sahebs,

a light heart I put on a sola hat like

and drove out

have written

drawn

say

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

house all

was dark

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by what

waiting,

Leaving

delay no longer. rose, put

they were

I felt

skirts

the

of the

first

was not

should

report unfinished I

silent palace

carriage,

standing on the

hills.

floor the stairs led to a

very spacious

roof stretching wide over ornamental arches

hall, its

on three rows of massive

resting

sola hat, and startling the dark,

reached the vast

gloomy

I could

and that

shady, desolate path with the rattle of I

was

quarterly report that day, and ex-

pected to return late; but before strangely

work.

ing day and night under the weight of

The day had

solitude.

had not yet been

just closed,

lighted.

and groan-

pillars,

its

own

intense

and the lamps

pushed the door

open a great bustle seemed to follow within, as a throng of people

had broken up

in confusion,

and

rushed out through the doors and windows and corridors and verandas

and rooms,

make

its

hurried

escape.

on end

saw no one in

stood bewildered,

a kind of ecstatic delight,

scent of attar

hair

and a faint

and unguents almost effaced by age

THE HUNGRY STONES lingered in

Standing

nostrils.

in the

darlcness

of that vast desolate hall between the rows of those ancient pillars, I could hear the gurgle of fountains

plashing on the marble floor, a strange tune on

and the

the guitar, the jingle of ornaments

tinkle

of anklets, the clang of bells tolling the hours, the distant note of nahabat, the din of the crystal pen-

dants of chandeHers shaken by the breeze, the song

of bulbuls from the cages in the corridors, the cackle of storks in the gardens,

creating round

all

strange unearthly music.

Then

came under such a

spell that this intangible,

inaccessible, unearthly vision

world

reality in the

That

that

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

appeared to be the only all else

mere dream.

to say, Srijut So-and-so, the eldest

son of So-and-so of blessed memory, should be drawing a monthly salary of Rs.

450 by the discharge of

my duties as collector of cotton duties, and driving in my dog-cart to my office every day in a short coat and sola

hat,

appeared to

to be such an astonish-

ingly ludicrous illusion that I burst into a horse-laugh, as I stood in the

that

gloom of

moment my

kerosene lamp he thought

in his

me mad,

that vast silent hall.

servant entered with a lighted

hand. but

do not know whether

came back

at once

THE HUNGRY STONES

12 that I

was

very deed Srijut So-and-so, son of So-

and-so of blessed memory, and that, while our poets,

great and small, alone could say whether inside or outside the earth there

was a region where unseen

fountains perpetually played and fairy guitars, struck

invisible fingers, sent forth

any rate was certain, that

this at

at the cotton

I collected duties

market at Barich, and earned thereby

450 per mensem

Rs.

an eternal harmony,

salary.

laughed

my curious illusion, as I sat over the at my camp-table, lighted by the kero-

great glee at

newspaper sene lamp.

After

had

moghlai dinner, on

bed

in a

finished I

paper and eaten

put out the lamp, and lay

Through

small side-room.

down

the open

window

a radiant star, high above the Avalli hills

skirted

by the darkness of their woods, was gazing

intently

from millions and millions of miles away

the sky at

Mr.

bedstead.

wondered and

and do not know when I slept;

felt fell

amused

but I suddenly awoke with a

new moon was

how long

start,

steady bright star on the hilltop had light of the

at the idea,

asleep or

heard no sound and saw no intruder

dim

Collector lying on a humble camp-

though

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; only set,

the

and the

stealthily entering

THE HUNGRY STONES room through

the

its

the open window, as

ashamed

intrusion.

saw nobody, but

pushing me.

beckoned

felt as if

some one was gently

awoke she

said not a word, but

with her

fingers

five

rings to follow her cautiously.

bedecked with

I got

and, though not a soul save myself

noiselessly,

was there

in the

countless apartments of that deserted palace with

slumbering sounds and waking echoes, I feared

its

at every step lest

any one should wake up.

Most

of the rooms of the palace were always kept closed,

and I

had never entered them.

followed breathless and with

visible

guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

endless dark and ridors,

what

was not

now

say where.

narrow passages, what

silent

and close secret

Though

cannot

silent steps

cor-

and solemn audience-chambers

cells I

crossed

could not see

invisible to

my inWhat

fair guide,

mind's eye,

her form

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an Arab

girl,

her arms, hard and smooth as marble, visible through her loose sleeves, a thin veil falling on her face from the fringe of her cap,

waist!

Methought

and

a curved

dagger

at her

that one of the thousand and

one Arabian Nights had been wafted to the world of romance,

and that

at the

me from

dead of night

THE HUNGRY STONES

14 I

was wending

through the dark narrow

slumbering Bagdad to

alleys

my way

trysting-place

fraught with peril.

last

stopped abruptly before a

fair guide

deep blue screen, and seemed to point to something below.

There was nothing

there,

heart

dread froze the blood

saw there on the

sudden

— methought

in rich

and dozing with outstretched sword on

floor at the foot of the screen a

negro eunuch dressed

terrible

but

his lap.

legs,

brocade, sitting

with a naked

fair guide lightly tripped

over his legs and held up a fringe of the screen.

could catch a glimpse of a part of the

room spread

— some one was

sitting inside

with a Persian carpet

on a bed

—

I could not see her, but only caught a

glimpse of two exquisite feet in gold-embroidered slippers,

hanging out from loose saffron-coloured

paijamas and placed idly on the orange-coloured velvet

carpet.

crystal tray

one side there was a bluish

on which a few apples, pears, oranges,

and bunches of grapes In plenty, two small cups and a gold-tinted decanter

guest.

from

fragrant

were evidently awaiting the intoxicating

vapour,

a strange sort of Incense that

almost overpowered

senses.

issuing

burned within,

THE HUNGRY STONES As with

trembling heart

made an attempt

step across the outstretched legs of the eunuch, he

woke up suddenly with from

a start,

his lap with a sharp clang terrific

sitting

scream made

and the sword on the marble

jump, and

saw

fell

floor.

was

on that camp-bedstead of mine sweating

heavily; and the crescent

moon looked

morning

sleepless patient at

light like a

weary

and our crazy Meher Ali was crying daily custom,

pale in the

out, as

dawn; is

his

Stand back!!" while

"Stand back!

he went along the lonely road.

Such was the abrupt close of one of

Arabian

Nights; but there were yet a thousand nights

Then followed and

nights.

worn and

a great discord between

During the day

tired, cursing the

empty dreams, but its

as night

would go

left.

my days my work

bewitching night and her

came

daily life with

bonds and shackles of work would appear

a petty,

false, ludicrous vanity.

After nightfall

was caught and overwhelmed

the snare of a strange intoxication.

would then

be transformed into some unknown personage of a

bygone age, playing

and

not suit

part

unwritten history;

short English coat and tight breeches did

in the least.

With

a red velvet cap

THE HUNGRY STONES

head, loose paijamas, an embroidered vest, a

long flowing

silk

gown, and coloured handkerchiefs

scented with attar, I would complete toilet, sit

on a high-cushioned

chair,

and replace

cigarette with a many-coiled narghileh

rose-water, as

if in

elaborate

with

filled

eager expectation of a strange

meeting with the beloved one. I

have no power to describe the marvellous

cidents that unfolded themselves, as the

the night deepened.

ments of that vast tiful story,

which

in-

gloom of

I felt as if in the curious apartedifice the

fragments of a beau-

could follow for some distance,

but of which I could never see the end, flew about in a

same

sudden gust of the vernal breeze. I

would wander from room

And

room

all

the

In pursuit

of them the whole night long.

Amid

the eddy of these dream-fragments,

the smell of henna

and the twanging of the

amid the waves of

air

would catch

amid

guitar,

charged with fragrant spray,

like a flash of lightning the

glimpse of a fair damsel.

She

momentary

was who had

saf-

fron-coloured paijamas, white ruddy soft feet in gold-

embroidered slippers with curved

toes, a close-fitting

bodice wrought with gold, a red cap, from which a golden

frill fell

on her snowy brow and cheeks.

THE HUNGRY STONES She had maddened me.

In pursuit of her I wan-

dered from room to room, from path to path among the

bewildering

maze of

alleys

dreamland of the nether world of Sometimes

enchanted

the

sleep.

in the evening, while arraying

myself

carefully as a prince of the blood-royal before a

large mirror, with a candle burning on either side, I

would

see a sudden reflection of the Persian beauty

by the side of

own.

swift turn of her neck,

a quick eager glance of intense passion and pain

glowing in her large dark eyes, just a suspicion of speech on her dainty red slim,

crowned with youth

lips,

her figure, fair and

like a

blossoming creeper,

quickly uplifted in her graceful tilting gait, a dazzling flash of pain and craving and esctasy, a smile

and a glance and a blaze of jewels and melted away.

and

all

would put out

would

my bed, my

delight,

eyes closed

the perfume of the

many in

my dress and my body

fling aside

and there around me

the silent

and He down thrilling

in the breeze,

woods and

gloom many

a caress

hills,

and many

and fragrant breaths on

with

amid

all

floated through a kiss

a tender touch of hands, and gentle ears,

and she

wild gust of wind, laden with

the fragrance of hills and woods, light,

silk,

and

murmurs

brow; or a

THE HUNGRY STONES

sweetly-perfumed kerchief was wafted again and again on

Then

cheeks.

slowly a mysterious ser-

pent would twist her stupefying

heaving a heavy sigh,

and then

into a

into insensibility,

would

horse

to stay

— but

decided to go out on

do not know who implored me

lish

would lapse

profound slumber.

One evening

—

about me; and

coils

no entreaties that day.

listen to

Eng-

hat and coat were resting on a rack, and I was

about to take them

down when

a sudden whirlwind,

crested with the sands of the Susta and the dead

leaves

of the Avalli

hills,

caught them up,

and

whirled them round and round, while a loud peal of

merry laughter rose higher and higher, striking the chords of mirth

till it

all

died away in the land of

sunset. I

could not go out for

gave up

ride,

and the next day

queer English coat and hat for good.

That day again

dead of night

heart-breaking sobs of some one

—

heard the as if

stifled

below the

bed, below the floor, below the stony foundation of that gigantic palace,

grave, " Oh,

hard

from the depths of a dark damp

voice piteously cried and implored

rescue

illusion,

me:

Break through these doors of

deathlike slumber and fruitless dreams,

THE HUNGRY STONES place

me by your

side

heart, and, riding

the river, take

sunny rooms above

Who am

on the saddle, press

through

hills

to the

from

this

By what

and when?

your

warm

radiance of your

rescue thee?

What drag

shall I

wild eddy of dreams?

lovely ethereal apparition! ish

and woods and across

drowning beauty, what incarnate passion to the shore

Oh, how can

Where

didst thou

flour-

cool spring, under the shade

of what date-groves, wast thou born

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

in the lap

of what homeless wanderer in the desert?

What

Bedouin snatched thee from thy mother's arms, an opening bud plucked from a wild creeper, placed thee

horse swift as lightning, crossed the burning

and took thee to the slave-market of what

sands,

And

royal city?

there,

what

officer

of the Badshah,

seeing the glory of thy bashful blossoming youth,

paid for thee

in gold,

placed thee

in a

golden palan-

and offered thee as a present for the seraglio

quin,

of his master?

The music of

And

O, the history of that place!

the sarcng^ the jingle of anklets, the

occasional flash of daggers and the glowing wine of

Shiraz

What

poison, infinite

sort of violin.

and the piercing flashing glance grandeur,

what endless servitude!

THE HUNGRY STONES

The

slave-girls

waved

thy right and left

the

chamar,^ as diamonds flashed from their bracelets; the Badshah, the king of kings, fell on his knees at

thy snowy feet in bejewelled shoes, and outside the terrible Abyssinian eunuch, looking like a

messenger

of death, but clothed like an angel, stood with a

naked sword

hand!

Then, O, thou flower of

away by

the blood-stained dazzling

in his

the desert, swept

ocean of grandeur, with

foam of

its

jealousy,

its

rocks and shoals of intrigue, on what shore of cruel

death wast thou splendid and

Suddenly at

false

All

saw that

and handed a

salam for I

very day

moment

false 11"

me my

opened

All

eyes and

chaprasi came

and the cook waited with

No,

can stay here no longer."

packed up, and moved to a

little

nettled, but said nothing,

As evening approached felt as if I

Ali

orders.

Karim Khan smiled

Stand back!

light.

letters,

Meher

that crazy

"Stand backl

was already

said:

or in what other land more

cruel?

this

screamed out: is

cast,

fell to

yak-tail.

I felt

work.

grew absent-minded;

had an appointment

Chamar: chowrie,

Old

office.

as he saw me.

and I

That

to keep;

and the

THE HUNGRY STONES

work of examining the cotton accounts seemed wholly useless

;

even the Nizamat

much worth.

did not appear to be of

Nizam

of the

Whatever

belonged to the present, whatever was moving and acting

and working for bread seemed

ingless,

pen down, closed

and drove away.

dog-cart,

ledgers, got into

noticed that

stopped of

itself at the

just at the

hour of

climbed the

stairs,

and entered the room.

silence

was reigning

heavy

rooms were looking fence.

was no one I

whom

I could lay I

made

brow.

to thee

Royalty.

of-

bare, or of

hills

whom

wandered about the dark I

wished

had "

a guitar fire,

the

away has

but this once, burn " thy flame

Forgive

Dark masses

of the Avalll ^

had taken

a vain effort to fly

Suddenly two tear-drops

The dark

within.

could sing to the unknown:

wings and consume

'ts

quick steps I

heart was full of contrition, but there

poor moth that

come back

With

sullen as if they

rooms with a vacant mind. which

gate of the marble palace

twilight.

could ask forgiveness.

mean-

and contemptible.

threw

trivial,

fell

from overhead on

of clouds overcast the top

that day.

The gloomy woods and

THE HUNGRY STONES

the sooty waters of the Siista were waiting in terrible suspense

land, water,

and

Suddenly

an ominous calm.

and sky shivered, and a wild tempest-

blast rushed howling through the distant pathless

woods, showing niac

lightning-teeth like a raving

Its

who had broken

The

his chains.

of the palace banged their doors, and

ma-

desolate halls

moaned

In the

bitterness of anguish.

The

servants were all In the

no one to

office,

The

light the lamps.

and there was

night

was cloudy

In the dense gloom within

and moonless.

distinctly feel that a

woman was

on the carpet below the bed

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

could

lying on her face

clasping and tearing

her long dishevelled hair with desperate fingers.

Blood was

down her

trickling

now laughing

fair

brow, and she was

a hard, harsh, mirthless laugh,

bursting Into violent wringing sobs,

now

now rending her

bodice and striking at her bare bosom, as the wind

roared

poured

through the open window, and the rain torrents

and soaked her through and

through. All night there was no cessation of the storm

or of the passionate cry.

room

in the dark,

could I console

wandered from room

with unavailing sorrow.

when no one was by?

Whom

Whose was

THE HUNGRY STONES agony of sorrow?

this Intense

Whence

arose this

inconsolable grief?

And

mad man

the

Stand back

All

cried

false

All

"Stand back!

out: is

false

" !

saw that the day had dawned, and Meher All

was going round and round the palace with cry in that dreadful weather.

that perhaps he also

and

Suddenly

had once

his usual

came

lived in that house,

though he had gone mad, he came there

that,

every day, and went round and round, fascinated

by the weird spell cast by the marble demon. Despite the storm and rain asked:

Ho, Meher

The man answered

Ali,

what

I is

ran to him and " false?

nothing, but pushing

went round and round with

aside

his frantic cry, like a

bird flying fascinated about the jaws of a snake, and

made

a desperate effort to

ing:

"Stand back!

All I

false

office,

meaning of

What That

Stand back!!

All

repeatfalse!

!^' !

ran like a

warn himself by

mad man

through the pelting rain

and asked Karim Khan: all this!

" Tell

the

gathered from that old

man was

this:

one time countless unrequited passions and

unsatisfied longings

and lurid flames of wild blaz-

THE HUNGRY STONES

ing pleasure raged within that palace,

and blasted hopes had

curse of all the heart-aches

made

its

every stone thirsty and hungry, eager to

swallow up

who might who

and that the

man

famished ogress any living

like a

Not one

chance to approach.

of those

lived there for three consecutive nights could

escape these cruel jaws, save

Meher

who had

Ali,

escaped at the cost of his reason. I

" Is there no

asked:

release?"

The

old

one means, and that

what

is,

but

young Persian dome.

first

girl

man very

means whatever of

who

moment

bitterly heart-rending this earth."

the coolies announced that the

hurriedly packed

up our luggage, as the train steamed lish

gentleman,

you

once lived in that pleasure-

So soon?

was coming.

I will tell

difficult.

tragedy was never enacted on

train

only

you must hear the history of a

stranger or a

Just at this

"There

said:

apparently

just

slumber, was looking out of a

in.

aroused

first-class

Eng-

from

carriage

endeavouring to read the name of the station.

soon as he caught sight of our fellow-passenger, he cried,

" Hallo,"

partment.

and took him

As we

into his

own com-

got into a second-class carriage,

THE HUNGRY STONES we had no chance of

finding out

what was the end of

his story.

said

The man

who

from

that followed

start

ended

man was

nor

evidently took us for fools

The

and Imposed upon us out of fun. fabrication

the

to finish."

In a lifelong

story

The

pure

discussion

rupture between

theosophist kinsman and myself.

THE VICTORY

THE VICTORY Sue was ol:

And

the Princess Ajita.

King Narayan had never seen

he recited a

new poem

his voice just to

the court poet

her.

to the king he

the day

would

raise

that pitch which could be heard by

unseen hearers in the screened balcony high above the hall.

sent up his song towards the star-land

out of his reach, where, circled with light, the planet

who

ruled his destiny shone

unknown and out of

ken.

would espy some shadow moving behind the

veil.

afar,

and would

tinkling sound

whose tiny golden

set

would come

to his ear

him dreaming of

bells

sang at each

from

the ankles

step.

Ah, the

rosy red tender feet that walked the dust of the earth like God's mercy

on the

fallen

The

poet had

placed them on the altar of his heart, where he his

songs to the tune of those golden

never arose that

in his

mind

moved behind

as to

whose shadow

the screen, 29

bells.

wove

Doubt it

was

and whose anklets

THE VICTORY

they were that sang to the time of his beating heart.

Manjari, the maid of the princess, passed by the

on her way to the

poet's house

and she never

river,

missed a day to have a few words with him on the

When

sly.

she found the road deserted, and the

shadow of dusk on the his

room, and

sit

land, she

There

at the corner of his carpet.

was a suspicion of an added care colour of her

would boldly enter

veil, in

in the choice

of the

the setting of the flower in her

hair.

People smiled and whispered at

were not to blame.

and they

this,

For Shekhar the poet never

took the trouble to hide the fact that these meetings were a pure joy to him.

The meaning

One must

flowers.

mortal

of her

was

har made

his

name was

spray

the

confess that for an ordinary

But Shek-

sufficient in its sweetness.

own

addition to this name, and called

And Ah, me

her the Spray of Spring Flowers. mortals shook their heads and said,

ordinary

In the spring songs that the poet sang the praise

of the spray of spring flowers was conspicuously reiterated;

and the king winked and smiled

when he heard

The

it,

and the poet smiled

him

answer.

king would put him the question:

"Is

THE VICTORY the business of the bee merely to

of the spring?

hum

In the court

The poet would answer:

"No,

but also to sip

the honey of the spray of spring flowers."

And it

they

And

the king's hall.

was rumoured that the Princess Ajita

also laughed

name

for her, and

at her

maid's accepting the poet's

Manjari

felt

Thus to

laughed

all

glad in her heart.

truth and falsehood mingle in

what God

builds

man adds

his

own

life

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

decoration.

Only those were pure truths which were sung by the poet.

The theme was

Krishna, the lover god,

and Radha, the beloved, the Eternal Eternal

Woman,

Man

and the

the sorrow that comes from the

The

beginning of time, and the joy without end. truth of these songs

was

tested in his inmost heart

by everybody from the beggar to the king himself.

The

poet's songs

were on the

merest glimmer of the per of the

moon and

summer breeze

forth in the land sailing-boats,

lips

all.

the

the faintest whis-

his songs

would break

from windows and courtyards, from

from shadows of the wayside

trees, in

numberless voices.

Thus passed

the days happily.

The

poet recited,

the king listened, the hearers applauded,

Manjari

THE VICTORY

passed and repassed by the poet's room on her to the river

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the

shadow

flitted

behind the screened

balcony, and the tiny golden bells tinkled

from

Just then set forth

his

a poet on his path of conquest.

Narayan,

home

from

in the

afar.

south

King

stood

came

kingdom of Amarapur.

in the

way

before the throne, and uttered a verse in praise of

the king.

his

had challenged

all

the court poets

way, and his career of victory had been un-

broken.

The king

received him with honour, and said:

" Poet, I offer

you welcome."

Pundarik, the poet, proudly replied:

"Sire, I

ask for war."

Shekhar, the court poet of the king did not

how

the battle of the

had no

and

his

to be

The mighty

sleep at night.

famous Pundarik, itar,

muse was

waged.

know

figure of the

his sharp nose curved like a scim-

proud head

tilted

on one

side,

haunted

the poet's vision in the dark.

With in the

a trembling heart

morning.

The

Shekhar entered the arena

theatre

was

filled

with the

crowd.

The poet

greeted his rival with a smile and a bow.

THE VICTORY Pundarik returned ;ind

with a slight toss of his head,

turned his face towards his

circle

of adoring

toUowers with a meaning smile.

Shekhar cast

his glance

towards the screened

bal-

cony high above, and saluted his lady in his mind, saying:

" If I

the winner at the combat to-day,

lady, thy victorious

name

The trumpet sounded.

shall be glorified."

The

great crowd stood

The

up, shouting victory to the king. in

king, dressed

an ample robe of white, slowly came into the hall

a floating cloud of autumn,

and

sat

his throne.

Pundarik stood up, and the vast hall became

With

his

began

in his

still.

head raised high and chest expanded, he thundering voice to recite the praise of

King Narayan.

His words burst upon the walls of

the hall like breakers of the sea,

and seemed

against the ribs of the listening crowd.

to rattle

The

With which he gave varied meanings to the

Narayan, and wove elch of his verses in

all

away the breath of

letter of

name

through the web

manner of combinations, took

his

amazed

hearers.

For some minutes after he took continued to vibrate

skill

among

his seat his voice

the numberless pillars

of the king's court and in thousands of speechless hearts.

The

learned professors

who had come from

THE VICTORY

and

raised their right hands,

distant lands

cried,

Bravo

The

king threw a glance on Shekhar's face, and

Shekhar

answer raised for a moment

his eyes full

of pain towards his master, and then stood up like

His face was

a stricken deer at bay.

fulness

was almost that of

woman,

ful figure, delicate in its outline,

pale, his bash-

his slight youth-

seemed

like a tensely

strung vina ready to break out in music at the least touch.

His head was

The

began.

Then he

first

bent, his voice

was low, when he

few verses were almost inaudible.

slowly raised his head, and his clear sweet

voice rose into the sky like a quivering flame of

fire.

began with the ancient legend of the

kingly line lost in the haze of the past, and brought it

down through

its

long course of heroism and

matchless generosity to the present age. his

gaze on the king's

face,

and

all

fixed

the vast and

unexpressed love of the people for the royal house rose like incense in his song, and enwreathed the

throne on

all

sides.

These were

when, trembling, he took

may

his seat:

his

last

master,

be beaten in play of words, but not in

for thee."

words

love

THE VICTORY Tears

the eyes of the hearers, and the stone

filled

walls shook with cries of victory.

Mocking

popular outburst of feeling, with an

this

august shake of his head and a contemptuous sneer,

Pundarik stood up, and flung

"What

assembly:

moment Then with

In a

this question

words?"

there superior to

the hall lapsed into silence again. a marvellous display of learning, he

Word

was

Word was in God. He piled

scriptures,

and

built a high altar for the

proved that the the

be seated above earth.

voice:

all

that there

the beginning, that

up quotations from

What

self

heaven and

who had

just

made

a full

meal of

Its

The assembly broke up

that day

when

the

time the hushed

first

the pipings of

The shepherd women

victim.

The king remained

of no account by the side of

Next day Shekhar began

his seat like

with wonder, and the poet Shekhar

learning.

None dared

and he slowly took

pandits shouted. Bravo

silent

there superior to words?

accept his challenge,

The

Word

repeated that question in his mighty

Proudly he looked around him.

a lion

to the

his

this

felt

him-

stupendous

for that day.

song.

was of

love's flute startled

air of the

did not

Vrlnda

for

forest.

know who was

the

THE VICTORY

Sometimes

player or whence came the music.

seemed

come from the heart of the south wind,

and sometimes from the straying clouds of the tops.

came with a message of

land of the sunrise, and of sunset with

its

floated

sigh of sorrow.

tryst

hill-

from

the

from the verge

The

stars

seemed

to be the stops of the instrument that flooded the

dreams seemed

the

night

with

to burst all at once

melody.

The

music

from

sides,

from

and groves, from the shady lanes and lonely

fields

roads,

from the melting blue of the

meaning nor could they

find

words

ance to the desire of their hearts.

and

eyes,

would be

their life its

from

neither

the

knew

to give utter-

Tears

filled their

to long for a death that

consummation.

Shekhar forgot his strength

seemed

sky,

They

shimmering green of the grass. its

all

with a

his audience, forgot the trial of rival.

stood alone amid his

thoughts that rustled and quivered round him like leaves in a Flute.

that

summer

had

had taken

breeze, and sang the

in his its

mind the

Song of the

vision of an

image

shape from a shadow, and the

echo of a faint tinkling sound of a distant footstep.

took his

seat.

His hearers trembled with

the sadness of an indefinable delight,

immense and

THE VICTORY

vague, and they forgot to applaud him. feeling

died

this

away Pundarik stood up before

the

who was

throne and challenged his rival to define this

Lover and who was the Beloved.

arro-

gantly looked around him, he smiled at his followers

and then put the question again the lover,

and who

Then he began

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and He

various

Who

Radha, the beloved?

Krishna,

to analyse the roots of those names,

interpretations

of their meanings.

brought before the bewildered audience

intricacies

all

the

of the different schools of metaphysics

with consummate

skill.

he divided from

its

till

letter of those

names

and then pursued them

fellow,

with a relentless logic fusion, to be caught

Each

they

fell to

the dust in con-

up again and restored to a mean-

ing never before imagined by the subtlest of word-

mongers.

The

pandits

were

vociferously; and the

ecstasy;

had witnessed, that day,

the last shred of the curtains of

Truth torn

before their eyes by a prodigy of his

them that they forgot any truth behind

applauded

crowd followed them, deluded

into the certainty that they

performance of

they

to pieces

intellect.

The

tremendous feat so delighted to ask themselves if there

after

all.

was

THE VICTORY

The

mind was overwhelmed with wonder.

king's

The atmosphere was

changed from

to be

all illu-

and the vision of the world around

sion of music,

seemed

completely cleared of

freshness of tender

Its

green to the solidity of a high road levelled and

hard with crushed

stones.

the people assembled their

own poet appeared

who walked

a mere boy in comparison with this giant,

with such ease, knocking down step in the

difficulties

them for the

first

poems Shekhar wrote were absurdly must be

They were

instructive,

The

It be-

time that the

and

simple,

mere accident that they did not writejJiem-

themselves.

nor

at each

world of words and thoughts.

came evident

made

neither new, nor dif&cultr

nor necessary.

king tried to goad his poet with keen glances,

silently

inciting

him

Shekhar took no

notice,

make

final

effort.

and remained

But

fixed to his

seat.

The king

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; took head.

off his

anger came down from pearl chain and put

Everybody

upper balcony came a

throne

on Pundarik's

the hall cheered. slight

his

From

the

sound of the movements

of rustling robes and waist-chains hung with golden bells.

Shekhar rose from

his seat

and

left the hall.

THE VICTORY It

was

The

waning moon.

a dark night of

Shekhar took down

his

heaped them on the

floor.

MSS. from

poet

and

his shelves

Some of them

contained

which he had almost forgotten.

his earhest writings,

turned over the pages, reading passages here and

They

there.

seemed

all

him poor and

trivial

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

mere words and childish rhymes!

One by one he

tore his books to fragments,

threw them into a vessel containing "

O my

thee, to thee,

hast been burning in If

life

heart

were a piece of gold

-its-trial-brightcr, but

nothing remains of

The

beauty,

it is

fire

Thou

these futile years.

would come out of

trodd errturf-of grass, and

but this handful of ashes."

night wore on.

windows.

all

and said:

fire,

and

spread

Shekhar opened wide

upon

his

bed

the

white

and

flowers that he loved, the jasmines, tuberoses

chrysanthemums, and brought into the lamps he

had

his

Then mixing with honey root he drank

bedroom

all

house and lighted them.

the juice of

and lay down on

Golden anklets tinkled

his

in the

some poisonous

his bed.

passage outside the

door, and a subtle perfume came into the

room with

the breeze.

The

poet, with his eyes shut, said:

lady,

THE VICTORY

have you taken pity upon your servant at

come

to see

him?

The answer came I

last

and

" in a

sweet voice

poet,

have come."

Shekhar opened the figure of a

His to

his eyes

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and saw before

bed

woman.

was dim and blurred.

sight

his

him that the image made of

had ever kept throned

And

seemed

shadow that he

secret shrine of his

in the

heart had come into the outer world in his last mo-

ment

to gaze

upon

The woman

his face.

" I

said:

the Princess Ajita."

The

poet with a great effort sat up on his b e d

The

princess whispered into his ear

has not done you the combat,

justice.

poet,

and

Thelcin^

was you who won

have come to crown you

with the crown of victory."

She took the garland of flowers from her own neck,

and put

upon

his

his hair,

and the poet

bed stricken by death.

fell

down

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

ONCE THERE WAS A KING "

Once upon

When we were who ter

was

a time there

children there

a king."

was no need

the king in the fairy story was.

It didn't

know mat-

whether he was called Shiladitya or Shaliban,

whether he lived at Kashi or Kanauj. that

made

-thump with delight was

this

reality of all realities:

But the readers of exact

The

a seven-year-old boy's heart

and exacting.

this

go thump,

one sovereign truth7

Once there was

modern age

When

thing

this

a king."

are far

they hear such an open-

ing to a story, they are at once critical and suspicious.

They apply

the searchlight of science to haze and ask: " Which king? "

The

story-tellers

their turn.

They

old indefinite, " stead '

its

legendary

have become more precise

are no longer content with the

There was

a king," but assume in-

look of profound learning,

and begin:

Once there was a king named Ajatasatru."

The modern

reader's curiosity, however, 43

not so

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

easily satisfied. his

blinks at the author through

spectacles,

scientific

and asks again:

"Which

Ajatasatru? " "

Every schoolboy knows," the author proceeds,

" that there were three Ajatasatrus.

born

The

C, and died

in the twentieth century B.

tender age of two years and eight months. regret that

It is

first

at the

deeply

Impossible to find, from any trust-

worthy source, a detailed account of second Ajatasatru

better

known

feels

says to himself:

dissolved.

He that

modern

time the

this

may

safely trust his

Now we

all

shall

authmr

all,

only

have

And we

we have done

long and roundabout way.

There

who

have a story

love to be deluded!

end by being ignorant after

tions,

reader's suspicions are

a secret dread of being thought ignorant.

In a

to historians.

both Improving and Instructive."

Ah! how we

The

his reign.

you refer to the new Encyclopedia of History.

was

and

an English proverb

I will tell

you no

lies."

Ask me no quesThe boy of seven

listening to a fairy story understands that

perfectly well; he withholds his questions, while the

story

being told.

hood of

all

So the pure and beautiful

false-

remains naked and innocent as a babe;

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

transparent as truth itself; limpid as a fresh bubbling

But the ponderous and learned

spring.

moderns has to keep

And

veiled.

least little

of our

true character draped and

Its

there

lie

discovered anywhere the

peep-hole of deception, the reader turns

away with a prudish

disgust,

and the author

dis-

credited.

When we

were young, we understood

sweet

all

and we could detect the sweets of a

fairy

never

cared for such useless things as knowledge.

things;

story by an unerring science of our own.

only cared for truth. hearts lay

knew

And

our unsophisticated

little

well where the Crystal Palace of Truth

and how to reach

But to-day we are

It.

ex-

pected to write pages of facts, while the truth

simply this: "

There was

remember

a king."

vividly that evening In Calcutta

the fairy story began.

The

been Incessant.

The whole The water was knee-deep straining hope, which

tutor

"'ng.

when

rain and the storm

of the city was flooded. In

our lane.

was almost

had

on the stool

a certainty, that

would be prevented from coming that sat

had

In the far

eve-

corner of the

veranda looking down the lane, with a heart beating

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

46 faster

and

when

the rain, and

with

all

rain

till

Every minute

faster.

" Please,

half-past seven

eye on

less I

prayed

kept

began to grow

might:

God, send some more

For

over."

was

quite

ready to believe that there was no other need for rain except to protect one helpless boy one evening in

one corner of Calcutta from the deadly clutches of

his tutor.

If not in answer to

prayer, at any rate accord-

ing to some grosser law of physical nature, the rain

did not give up. But, alas

nor did

teacher.

Exactly to the minute,

saw

his

there

death, then I shall

The

approaching umbrella.

of hope burst Truly,

bend of the

in the

could to

as I

great bubble

heart collapsed.

fit

the crime after

tutor will be born again as me, and

saw

tutor.

his

umbrella

mother's room.

grandmother were ing cards by

and

punishment to

be born as

As soon

breast,

lane, I

ran as hard as

one another play-

sitting opposite

the light

mother and

of a lamp.

ran into the

room, and flung myself on the bed beside

mother,

and said: "

Mother

dear, the tutor has come,

and

have

ONCE THERE WAS A KING such a "

bad headache; couldn't

have no lessons

to-

day?

hope no child of immature age

read this story, and

will be

sincerely trust

allowed will not

For

be used in text-books or primers for schools.

what

did was dreadfully bad, and I received no

punishment whatever.

the contrary,

wick-

edness was crowned with success.

mother said

ing to the servant

me:

added:

" All right," and turn" Tell the tutor that he

can go back home." It

was perfectly plain that she

illness

didn't think

very serious, as she went on with her game

as before,

burying

and took no further

content.

head

mother and

In the pillow,

notice.

laughed

And to my

for a long time.

for a

illusion

After about a minute

hold of Grandmother, and said:

heart's

boy of seven years old to keep up the

I also,

perfectly understood one another,

But every one must know how hard

illness

" Grannie,

got

tell

a story."

had

ask this

many

times.

Grannie and

Mother went on playing cards, and took no notice. At last Mother said to me: " Child, don't bother.

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

Wait sisted:

"Grannie, do

Mother

she could finish her

she must let Grannie

At "

tell

You had

better

story."

per-

told

and

then.

and

said:

a story there

the cards

do what he wants.

Perhaps she had

game to-morrow, but

Mother threw down

last

him."

But

we've finished our game."

till

I can't

mind

in her

manage

that she

would have no tiresome tutor on the morrow, while I

should be obliged to be back to those stupid lessons.

As soon

as ever

at Grannie.

Mother had given way,

got hold of her hand, and, dancing

with delight, dragged her inside tain

on to the bed. in

and down with

joy,

said:

story!

jumped up

Grannie,

had got let's

have

That was good

And

the king

to begin with.

had a queen." had only one.

queens.

And whenever we

hear that

there are two queens, our hearts begin to sink. sure to be unhappy.

danger was

the

usual for kings in fairy stories to be ex-

travagant

little

Grannie went on:

mosquito cur-

excitement, and

and when

"Now,

hold of the bolster

I clutched

with both hands

quieter,

rushed

past.

But

One

Grannie's story that

had only one queen.

next hear that the king had not got any son.

ONCE THERE WAS A KING At the age of seven bother

p.cud to

was any

I didn't think there

man had had no

son.

might

only have been in the way.

Nor

are

greatly excited

when we hear

that

the king has

gone away into the forest to practise

:iusterities in

order to get a son.

"nc thing that would have forest,

and that was

But the king girl,

to get

left

who grew up

There was only

made me go

away from my

into the

tutor!

behind with his queen a small

into a beautiful princess.

Twelve years pass away, and the king goes on practising austerities,

and never thinks

all this

while

of his beautiful daughter.

The princess has reached bloom of her youth. The age of marriage passed, but the king does not return. And the

the full iias

'lueen pines

away with

grief

and

cries

" Is

golden daughter destined to die unmarried?

me!

What

Then

a fate

the queen sent

earnestly to

my Ah

mine."

men to

come back for a

one meal In the palace.

And

the king to entreat single night

him

and take

the king consented.

The queen cooked with her own hand, and with fhe greatest care, sixty-four dishes, and made a seat 'Or

him of sandal-wood, and arranged the food

plates

of gold and cups of

silver.

The

princess

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

stood behind with the peacock-tail fan in her hand.

The

king, after twelve years' absence,

waved

house, and the princess the

all

room with her

girl

he asked his queen:

last

The

king looked

Whose

The queen evil is

daughter?

" Pray,

who

is this

fate

the

she?"

"Ah,

you not know your own

beat her forehead, and cried:

The king was at last

daughter

his food.

whose beauty shines as the gold image of

goddess?

how

into the

the fan, lighting up

and forgot to take

his daughter's face,

beauty.

came

struck with amazement. tiny daughter has

grown

said

to be a

woman." "

What

else? " the queen said with a sigh.

you not know that twelve years have passed by?"

"But why

did you not give her in marriage?"

asked the king. "

You were away,"

the queen said.

could I find her a suitable husband?

The

come out of the palace

The

first

man

princess

feathers,

I see

to-morrow," he shall

And how

The king became vehement with "

excitement. said, "

when

marry her."

went on waving her fan of peacock

and the king

finished his meal.

ONCE THERE WAS A KING The

next morning, as the king came out of his

palace, he in

saw the son of a Brahman gathering

sticks

His age was

the forest outside the palace gates.

about seven or eight.

The king

said:

will

marry my daughter

him."

Who

command?

can interfere with a king's

once the boy

was

called,

and the marriage garlands

were exchanged between him and the princess.

this point I

came up

and asked her eagerly: In the bottom of

close to

What

then?

wise Grannie "

heart there was a devout

wish to substitute myself for that fortunate woodgatherer of seven years old.

The

night was reso-

nant with the patter of rain.

The

earthen lamp by

bedside was burning low.

voice

droned on as she told the

grandmother's

story.

these things served to create in a corner of lous heart the belief that I

And all my credu-

had been gathering

sticks

indefinite time in the

kingdom

moment

garlands

had been exchanged between me and the

princess,

>n the

dawn of some

of some

unknown

beautiful as the

king,

and

in a

Goddess of Grace.

She had a gold

band on her hair and gold earrings in her ears. She had a necklace and bracelets of gold, and a golden

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

waist-chain round her waist, and a pair of golden anklets tinkled above her feet.

grandmother were an author how many

explanations she would have to offer for this First of

story!

all,

every one would ask

king remained twelve years

why should

ondly,

married

all

the

little

why

forest?

the Sec-

the king's daughter remain un-

This would be regarded as

that while?

absurd.

Even

rel, still

she could have got so far without a quar-

there

would have been a great hue and

about the marriage Secondly,

how

First,

never happened.

could there be a marriage between a

princess of the priestly

itself.

cry

Warrior Caste and

Brahman Caste?

Her

a boy of the

readers would have

imagined at once that the writer was preaching against our social customs in an underhand way.

And So

may

they would write letters to the papers. I

pray with

all

heart that

my grandmother

be born a grandmother again, and not through

some cursed

fate take birth as her luckless grandson.

So with a throb of joy and delight, nie:

asked Gran-

"What then?"

Grannie went on: little

husband away

Then

the princess took her

in great distress,

and

built a

ONCE THERE WAS A KING and began

large palace with seven wings,

to cherish

her husband with great care.

jumped up and down

the bolster

bed and clutched

than ever and said:

tightly

"What then?" The

Grannie continued:

and learnt

many

grew up

Who

his

lessons

from

that beautiful lady

But

all

who

that

sticks,

with you in

lives

eager to

know who

she

how one day he had

could only remember

been gathering

and as

began to ask him:

wings?

The Brahman's son was

boy went to school

his teachers,

class-fellows

the palace with the seven

was.

little

and a great disturbance

was so long ago, that he had no

arose. clear

recollection.

Four or

five

years passed in this way. "

panions always asked him:

Who

His com-

that beautiful

lady in the palace with the seven wings? "

And

the

Brahman's son would come back from school and sadly tell the princess

always ask

me who

me, oh,

The tell

tell

me, who

princess said:

school companions

that beautiful lady in the palace

With the seven wings, and i ell

can give them no reply. " you are I

" Let

you some other day."

pass to-day.

And

every

I will

day the

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

Brahman's son would ask:

you some other day."

will tell

or five

last the

" If you do not

Then

this

manner four

tell

to-day

the princess said

who you

home from

school, said:

The

princess said

after supper,

" I will

you to-morrow."

Next day the Brahman's

when you

The Brahman's son

And

beautiful lady, I will leave this palace with

certainly tell

b^gan

pass to-day.

Brahman's son became very impatient,

the seven wings."

are."

are you? " and

more years passed away.

and said: are,

" Let

would reply:

the princess

Who

son, as

" :

Now,

soon as he came tell

" To-night

me who

you

I will tell

you

are in bed." said:

" Very well "

;

and he

to count the hours in expectation of the night.

the princess, on her side, spread white flowers

over the golden bed, and lighted a gold lamp with fragrant

oil,

and adorned her

self in a beautiful

hair,

and dressed

her-

robe of blue, and began to count

the hours in expectation of the night.

That evening when her husband, the Brahman's son,

had

finished his meal, too excited almost to eat,

and had gone to the golden bed

in the

bed-chamber

strewn with flowers, he said to himself:

" To-night

ONCE THERE WAS A KING [

shall surely

know who

this beautiful

lady

55 is

in the

palace with the seven wings."

The

princess took for her the food that

was

left

over by her husband, and slowly entered the bed-

chamber. tion,

She had to answer that night the ques-

who was

the beautiful lady

palace with the seven wings.

bed to

to the

And

him she found

tell

out of the flowers

and had

Mer boy-husband was

who

lived in the

as she went up

a serpent

bitten the

had crept

Brahman's

son.

lying on the bed of flowers,

with face pale in death.

heart suddenly ceased to throb, and I asked " "

with choking voice:

What "Then

Grannie said:

But what the story?

the use of going on any further wit^^

would only lead on

^nd more impossible.

know

then?

that, if there

The boy

were some

what was more

of seven did not

What

then? " after

^eath,

no grandmother of a grandmother could

"s all

about

tell

it.

But the

child's faith never admits defeat, and it would snatch at the mantle of death itself to turn nim back. It would be outrageous for him to think

chat such a story

of one teacherless evening could so

ONCE THERE WAS A KING

suddenly come to a stop.

mother had

Therefore the grand-

to call back her story

from the ever-shut

chamber of the great End, but she does

merely by floating the dead body on a banana

it is

stem on the

river,

light of a

mind of

and having some incantations read But

a magician.

dim

so simply:

and

in the

horror

in the

in that rainy night

lamp death

loses all

its

the boy, and seems nothing

more than

deep slumber of a single night.

When

ends the tired eyelids are weighed

down

Thus

floating

time,

that

we send

little

and then

the story

with sleep.

body of the

on the back of sleep over the

still

child

water of

the morning read a few verses of

incantation to restore light.

the

him

to the

world of

life

and

THE HOME-COMING

THE HOME-COMING Ppiatik Chakravorti was ringleader among the boys of the village.

There was

head. flat

new mischief got

a heavy log lying

into his

on the mud-

of the river waiting to be shaped into a mast

for a boat.

decided that they should

together to shift the log by main force from

and

roll

away.

The owner

its"

place

of the log would be

angry and surprised, and they would

all

enjoy the

Every one seconded the proposal, and

fun.

work

all

was

carried unanimously.

But

just as the fun

was about

to begin,

Makhan,

Phatik's

younger brother, sauntered up, and

down on

the log in front of

The boys were puzzled

them

for a

all

sat

without a word.

moment.

He was

pushed, rather timidly, by one of the boys and told to get

appeared the "

but he remained quite unconcerned.

futility

Makhan," he

minute,

I'll

young philosopher meditating on

games.

cried, " if

thrash you!

" 59

Phatik

was

furious.

you don't get down

this

THE HOME-COMING

Makhan

moved

only

more comfortable

position.

Now,

Phatik was to keep his regal dignity

before the public,

But

his threat.

His

his

fertile brain,

was

courage failed him at the

his followers

discomfit his brother

the log and

the order,

a point of honour to stick on.

overlooked the

fame

roll

Makhan heard

over together.

and made

fact, like

heave

was

at the log

" go " the log went; and with

philosophy, glory and

All the

with

Makhan

what was coming.

his face

over.

the

hoarse

frightened.

And, sure enough,

blind as Fate

and

rushed at Phatik

and beat him and kicked him,

and then went crying home.

drama was

a little

Mother Earth

screaming like the Furies.

and scratched

all.

But Phatik was

rose from

all their

went Makhan's

other boys shouted themselves

with delight.

He knew

earthly

peririhif^^

might, calling out, " One, two, three, go."

word

But he

who attempt

those

in other matters, that there

The boys began

an added amusement.

gave the word of command to

Makhan

crisis.

however, rapidly seized upon a

new manoeuvre which would and afford

ought to carry out

clear he

The

first

act of the

THE HOME-COMING

Phatik wiped his face, and sat down on the edge of a sunken barge on the river bank, and began to

A boat came up

chew a piece of grass. ing,

and a middle-aged man, with grey hair and dark

sitting there

saw the boy

doing nothing, and asked him where

Chakravortis lived.

the grass,

stepped on shore.

moustache,

the

to the land-

Phatik went on chewing

and said: " Over there," but

impossible to

tell

asked him again.

swung

his legs to

and said: "

was

The

where he pointed.

the side of the barge,

quite

stranger

and fro on

Go and

find out,"

and continued to chew the grass as before. But now a servant came down from the house,

and told Phatik

his

this occasion.

carried him, kicking

When saw him.

took Phatik up roughly, and

and struggling

She called out angrily:

impotent rage.

"So you have

Makhan again?"

Phatik answered indignantly: told

Phatik came into the house, his mother

been hitting

who

Phatik

But the servant was the master

refused to move.

mother wanted him.

"No,

haven't;

you that?"

His mother shouted:

"Don't

tell

you,

lies!

You

have."

Phatik said suddenly:

tell

haven't.

THE HOME-COMING

You

Makhan

ask

Makhan

But

to stick to his previous statement.

thought

best

said: " Yes,

Phatik did hit me."

mother.

Phatik's

patience

could not bear this injustice. han, and

was already exhausted.

hammered him with blows

Take

he cried, " and that, and that, for telling

His mother took Makhan's

Mak-

rushed at

side

lies."

that,"

moment,

and pulled Phatik away, beating him with her hands.

When "

Phatik pushed her aside, she shouted out:

What! you

little villain

would you

hit

your own

mother?" It

was

just at this critical juncture that the grey-

haired stranger arrived. matter.

asked what was the

Phatik looked sheepish and ashamed.

But when

his

mother stepped back and looked

at the stranger, her

anger was changed to surprise.

For she recognised her brother, and

Dada As

cried:

"Why,

Where have you come from?"

she said these words, she

and touched

his feet.

Her

bowed

to the

ground

brother had gone away

soon after she had married, and he had started business in

Bombay.

His

sister

while he was in Bombay.

had

lost

her husband

Bishamber had now come

back to Calcutta, and had at once made enquiries

THE HOiME-COMING about his

sister.

had then hastened

to see her

soon as he found out where she was.

The

next few days were

The

of rejoicing.

full

brother asked after the education of the two boys.

He was

was a per-

told by his sister that Phatik

He was

petual

nuisance.

wild.

But Makhan was as good as gold,

as a lamb,

lazy,

and

disobedient,

and very fond of reading.

as quiet

Bishamber

kindly offered to take Phatik off his sister's hands,

and educate him with his own children

The widowed mother uncle asked Phatik

Oh,

meant

knew no bounds, and he

way

that

made

his

go to Cal-

like to

said:

quite clear

It.

was an Immense

he would

yes, uncle! " In a

that he

When

readily agreed.

cutta with him, his joy

in Calcutta.

relief to the

mother

to get

rid of Phatik.

She had a prejudice against the boy,

and no love was

lost

was

She

he would either drown

Mak-

In daily fear that

han some day fight,

the

between the two brothers.

in the river,

or break his head in a

or run him into some danger or other.

same time she was somewhat distressed

to see

Phatik's extreme eagerness to get away.

Phatik, his

uncle

as soon as all

was

settled,

kept asking

every minute when they were to

start.

THE HOME-COMING

was on pins and needles

citement,

day long with

all

and lay awake most of the

and

rod, his big kite

night.

bequeathed to Makhan, in perpetuity,

ex-

fishing-

his

Indeed, at this

his marbles.

time of departure his generosity towards

Makhan

was unbounded.

When

made

they reached Calcutta, Phatik

acquaintance of his aunt for the

by no means pleased with

this

She was

time.

first

unnecessary addition

She found her own three boys quite

to her family.

enough to manage without taking any one

And

the

else.

to bring a village lad of fourteen into their

midst really

was

terribly

Bishamber

upsetting.

should

have thought twice before committing such an

indiscretion.

this

world of human

affairs there

no worse

nuisance than a boy at the age of fourteen. neither ornamental, nor useful.

shower is

on him as on a

affection

always getting

childish lisp he in a

in the

all

way.

from him

clothes

with

little

and

resented.

the unattractive, growing age. his

impossible to

boy; and he

he answers

called impertinent. is

If he talks with a

called a baby,

grown-up way he

any talk at

indecent haste;

He his

In fact

Then he

grows out of voice

grows

THE HOME-COMING

hoarse and breaks and quavers; his face grows sud-

and

denly angular

unsightly.

easy to excuse

shortcomings of early childhood, but

the

even unavoidable lapses

to tolerate

The

teen.

he appears

Yet

hearts a

ashamed of

else so

unduly shy that

very existence.

his

at this very age

boy of four-

he talks with elderly people he

unduly forward, or

either

hard

lad himself becomes painfully self-con-

When

scious.

in a

it is

when

in his

heart of

young lad most craves for recognition and

love;

and he becomes the devoted slave of any one

who

shows

him

consideration.

none

But

dare

openly love him, for that would be regarded as

undue indulgence, and therefore bad for the boy. So,

what with scolding and

much

like a stray

dog

people of bliss

Is is

his

own home

live in a strange

little

becomes very

that has lost his master.

For a boy of fourteen Paradise.

chiding, he

the only

house with strange

short of torture, while the height

to receive the kind looks of

women, and

never to be slighted by them. It

was anguish

to Phatik to be the

unwelcome

guest in his aunt's house, despised by this elderly

Woman, and ever asked

slighted

him

on every occasion.

If she

do anything for her, he would

THE HOME-COMING

be so overjoyed that he would overdo she

would

tell

him not

it;

and then

to be so stupid, but to get

on with his lessons.

The cramped atmosphere

of neglect In his aunt's

house oppressed Phatik. so much that he

he could hardly breathe. the

open country and

wanted

his

fill

lungs

go out

into

and breathe

But there was no open country to go

freely.

Surrounded on walls, he

all

sides

would dream night after night of

bered the glorious

to.

by Calcutta houses and

lage home, and long to be back there.

kite all

felt that

meadow where

his vil-

remem-

he used to

fly his

day long; the broad river-banks where he

would wander about the livelong day singing and shouting for joy; the narrow brook where he could

go and dive and swim thought of

his

mother of

memory

the

who had

his,

against him, occupied

all,

such a

him day and

He whom

liked.

band of boy companions over

he was despot; and, above tyrant

any time he

night.

of that

prejudice

kind

of physical love like that of animals; a longing to be in the presence of the one

who

loved; an inex-

pressible wistfulness during absence; a silent cry of

the inmost heart for the mother, like the lowing of a calf in the twilight;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

this love,

which was almost

THE HOME-COMING

an animal instinct, agitated the shy, nervous, lean,

uncouth and ugly boy. it,

but

preyed upon

his

one could understand

mind

continually.

There was no more backward boy school than Phatik. "â&#x20AC;˘'hen

the teacher asked

gaped and remained

him

at play, ^t the lie

his back.

silent

a question, and like

overladen ass patiently suffered

came down on

whole

in the

When

the blows that

all

other boys were out

he stood wistfully by the window and gazed

And

roofs of the distant houses.

by chance

espied children playing on the open terrace of

^ny roof, his heart would ache with longing.

One day he summoned up asked

hia'*

when can

uncle: "Uncle,

His uncle

answered:

his courage,

all

"Wait

and

home?"

the

holidays

till

come."

But the holidays would not come ^nd there was a long time

One day Phatik the help

still

of books he had found

Day

fniserable that

him.

His

Even with

condition

very

Now

after day the teacher

unmercifully.

November,

to wait.

lost his lesson-book.

indeed to prepare his lesson. sible.

till

difficult

was impos-

would cane him

became

abjectly

even his cousins were ashamed to own

They began

to jeer

and

Insult

him more than

THE HOME-COMING

the other boys.

had

told her that he

went to lost his

His aunt pursed her "

You

great

five

times a

That

month ?

night,

lips in

family, to "

his

felt

contempt, and said:

How

lout.

can

buy you new books

way back from

had a bad headache with

and

book.

country

clumsy,

afford, with all

his aunt at last,

fit

school, Phatik

of shivering.

he was going to have an attack of malarial fever.

His one great fear was that he would be a nuisance to his aunt.

The

next morning Phatik

was nowhere

to be seen.

All searches in the neighbourhood proved

The

rain

those

had been pouring

who went

through to the

from the

in torrents all night,

skin.

last

Bishamber asked help

police.

the end of the day a police

streets

were

brought out Phatik before Bishamber. to foot,

muddy

all

was

flooded.

in their

carried

him

van stopped

still

raining and

Two

constables

arms and placed him

was wet through from head

over, his face and eyes flushed

red with fever, and his limbs

hamber

and

out in search of the boy got drenched

the door before the house.

the

futile.

in his arms,

all

trembling.

and took him

Bis-

into

THE HOME-COMING When

the inner apartments.

exclaimed: given us.

his wife

saw him, she

"What

a heap of trouble this boy has Hadn't you better send him home? "

Phatik heard her words, and sobbed out loud:

"Uncle,

me back

again."

The

was

just

fever rose very high, and all that night the

boy was delirious. Phatik

going home; but they dragged

opened

Bishamber brought

his

eyes

flushed

in a doctor.

with

fever,

and

looked up to the ceiling, and said vacantly: " Uncle, have the holidays come yet? May I go home? "

Bishamber wiped the tears from

his

and took Phatik's lean and burning hands and sat by him through the night. again to mutter.

last his voice

time.

pecting

eyes,

in his

own,

The boy began became

"Mother," he cried, "don't beat me Mother! I am telling the truth! "

The

own

excited:

that!

next day Phatik became conscious for a short

turned his eyes about the room, as

some one

to come.

last,

If ex-

with an air of

disappointment, his head sank back on the pillow.

turned his face to the wall with a deep sigh.

Bishamber knew his

his thoughts, and,

bending down

head, whispered: " Phatik, I have sent for your

mother."

THE HOME-COiMING

The day went

by.

The

doctor said in a troubled

voice that the boy's condition

Phatik began to cry out

was very

the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; four

fathoms.

the

mark

mark^

had heard the

critical.

mark

fathoms. sailor

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

three

on the

the

river-

steamer calling out the mark on the plumb-line.

Now

he was himself plumbing an unfathomable

Later

room

in the

like a

to side

sea.

day Phatik's mother burst into the

whirlwind, and began to toss from side

and moan and cry

in a

loud voice.

Bishamber

tried to calm her agitation, but she

flung herself

on the bed, and cried: "Phatik, my

darling,

darling."

Phatik stopped his restless rnovements for a moment.

His hands ceased beaming up and down.

said:

"Eh?"

The mother

cried again:

"Phatik,

darling)

darling."

Phatik very slowly turned his head and, without seeing anybody, said:

come."

"Mother,

the holidays have

LORD, THE BABY

Raicharan was

twelve years old when he came

as a servant to his master's house.

the

same

left

and was given

caste as his master,

ter's little

son to nurse.

belonged to his

mas-

time went on the boy

From

Raicharan's arms to go to school.

school

he went on to college, and after college he entered the

judicial

service.

Always,

until

married,

Raicharan was his sole attendant. But,

when

mistress

came

into

house,

the

Raicharan found two masters instead of one. his

former influence passed to the new mistress.

This

was compensated for by a

Anukul had a son born his

All

to him,

fresh

arrival.

and Raicharan by

unsparing attentions soon got a complete hold

over the child. call

him

used to toss him up

in his

arms,

absurd baby language, put his face

close to the baby's

and draw

grin. 73

away again with

LORD,

THE BABY

Presently the child was able to crawl and cross

When

the doorway.

Raicharan went to catch him,

he would scream with mischievous

make

Raicharan was amazed at the pro-

for safety.

found

skill

and exact judgment the baby showed

when pursued.

would say

to his mistress with

awe and mystery: "Your son

a look of

and

laughter

will

judge some day."

New

wonders came

their

When

turn.

the

baby began to toddle, that was to Raicharan an

When

epoch in human history. Ba-ba

and

his

mother

he called

Ma-ma

and

his father

Raicharan

Chan-na, then Raicharan's ecstasy knew no bounds.

went out to

tell

the news to

all

the world.

After a while Raicharan was asked to show Ingenuity In other ways.

his

had, for Instance, to

play the part of a horse, holding the reins between his teeth

and prancing with

to wrestle with his

by a wrestler's

trick, fall

end, a great outcry

About district

this

little

was

charge, and

his

had

also

he could not,

back defeated at the

certain.

time Anukul was transferred to a

on the banks of the Padma.

through Calcutta he bought

his feet.

his

son a

On little

his

way

go-cart.

bought him also a yellow satin waistcoat, a gold-

MY laced

LORD,

THE BABY

and some gold bracelets and

cap,

anklets.

Raicharan was wont to take these out, and put them on his

little

charge with ceremonial pride, whenever

they went for a walk.

Then came the

the rainy season, and day after day

poured down

rain

races, villages, cornfields,

the tall grasses

banks.

The hungry

torrents.

an enormous serpent, swallowed down

river, like

From

and covered with

its

ter-

flood

and wild casuarinas on the sand-

time to time there was a deep thud,

as the river-banks crumbled.

The

unceasing roar

of the main current could be heard from far away.

Masses of foam, carried swiftly

past,

proved to the

eye the swiftness of the stream.

One afternoon

the rain cleared.

but cool and bright.

Raicharan's

It little

was cloudy, despot did

not want to stay in on such a fine afternoon. lordship climbed into the go-cart.

Raicharan, be-

tween the shafts, dragged him slowly along reached the

rice-fields

There was no one stream.

on the banks of the

in the fields,

ial

The

of the setting sun was revealed in

splendour.

till

river.

and no boat on the

Across the water, on the farther

clouds were rifted in the west.

His

In the midst of that

silent

side, the

ceremon-

all its

glowing

stillness the child.

THE BABY

LORD,

of a sudden, pointed with his finger in front of

all

cried: " Chan-na!

him and

Pitty fow."

Kadamba

Close by on a mud-flat stood a large

tree in full flower. it

looked

lord, the baby,

with greedy eyes, and Raicharan knew his mean-

Only a short time before he had made, out

ing.

of these very flower child

had been so

balls, a

entirely

small go-cart; and the

happy dragging

about

with a string, that for the whole day Raicharan was not

made

to put

moted from

on the

reins at

all.

was pro-

groom.

a horse into a

But Raicharan had no wish that evening to go splashing knee-deep through the

So he quickly pointed

flowers.

mud

to reach the

his finger in the op-

posite direction, calling out: " Oh, look, baby, lookl

Look

And

at the bird."

noises he

with

all

sorts of curious

pushed the go-cart rapidly away from the

tree.

But a off

child, destined to

And

so easily.

be a judge, cannot be put

was

at the time

And you

cannot keep

besides, there

nothing to attract his eyes.

up for ever the pretence of an imaginary

The

little

Master's

Raicharan was he said at

last,

mind was made

at his wits' end.

" you

bird.

sit still in

up,

and

" Very well, baby," the cart,

and

I'll

THE BABY

LORD,

and get you the pretty flower.

Only mind you don't

go near the water."

As he

said this, he

made

and waded through the oozing

The moment Raicharan had went

at racing speed to

off

The baby saw gurgling as

bare to the knee,

his legs

mud

towards the

gone, his

little

tree.

Master

the forbidden water.

the river rushing by, splashing and

went.

seemed as though the

dis-

running away

obedient wavelets themselves were

from some greater Raicharan with the laughter of a

thousand children. the heart of the

less.

toddled

got

human

down

up a small

stick,

and

stream pretending to

child

stealthily

towards the

off

the sight of their mischief,

river.

grew excited and

from the go-cart and

his

leant over the

fish.

rest-

The

way he picked bank of the

mischievous fairies

of the river with their mysterious voices seemed viting

him

in-

into their play-house.

Raicharan had plucked a handful of flowers from the tree, his

cloth,

and was carrying them back

He He

looked on

the go-cart, there

all sides

end of

in smiles.

But

was no one

there.

with his face wreathed

when he reached

in the

and there was no one there.

looked back at the cart and there was no one

there.

LORD,

first

terrible

78 In that

Before

within him.

swam round his

like a

THE BABY moment

his

blood froze

eyes the whole universe

his

From

dark mist.

the depth of

broken heart he gave one piercing cry: " Master,

Master,

little

Master."

But no voice answered " Chan-na."

child

laughed mischievously back; no scream of baby delight

welcomed

with

Its

though

splashing, It

Only the river ran

his return.

gurgling noise as before,

knew nothing

attend to such a tiny

all,

human

on,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

and had no time

as to

event as the death of a

child.

the evening passed by Raicharan's mistress

She sent men out on

became very anxious.

They went with

to search.

and reached

at last the

lanterns In their hands,

banks of the Padma.

they found Raicharan rushing up and like

a stormy wind,

" Master, Master,

When

all sides

down

There

the

fields,

shouting the cry of despair:

little

Master!

they got Raicharan

home

prostrate at his mistress's feet.

at last, he fell

They shook him,

and questioned him, and asked him repeatedly where he had left the child; but

all

he could say was, that

he knew nothing.

Though every one

held

the

opinion

that

the

LORD,

Padma had swallowed

THE BABY was a

the child, there

For

ing doubt left in the mind.

band of

lurk-

gipsies

had been noticed outside the village that afternoon,

The mother

and some suspicion rested on them. went so far that

her wild grief as to think

Raicharan himself had stolen the

called

She

him aside with piteous entreaty and

said:

but give

back

me back my

mistress ordered

Anukul

Oh!

baby.

give

Take from me any money you

child.

his

me ask,

child!

Raicharan only beat

His

forehead in reply.

him out of

the house.

tried to reason his wife out of this wholly

unjust suspicion: "

Why

on earth," he

he commit such a crime as that?

The mother ornaments on It

possible

child.

" Raicharan, give

back

only replied

his

body.

was impossible

Who

said, "

should

The baby had knows?

gold

to reason with her after that.

Raicharan went back to this

that

his

own

village.

time he had had no son, and there was no hope

any child would now be born to him.

came about before the end of a year that gave birth to a son and died.

But

his wife

THE BABY

LORD,

overwhelming resentment

Raicharan's heart at the sight of this

the back of his

had come

mind was

would be a grave

happy with a son of pened to

own

his

new

baby,

offence to be

if it

had

who mothered

the

Indeed,

sister,

Master.

little

what had hap-

after

his master's little child.

not been for a widowed

new baby.

resentful suspicion that

as a usurper in place of the

also thought

grew up

first

would not have lived long.

But a change gradually came over Raicharan's

mind.

baby

wonderful thing happened.

in turn

began to crawl about, and cross the

doorway with mischief an amusing cleverness Its voice, its

days,

It also

in its face.

making

its

when Raicharan

Master.

little

listened to

its

showed

escape to safety.

sounds of laughter and tears,

were those of the

tures,

This new

its

On some

crying, his heart

suddenly began thumping wildly against his

and

seemed to him that

was crying somewhere

his

in the

ges-

former

little

ribs,

Master

unknown land of death

because he had lost his Chan-na.

Phailna (for that was the name Raicharan's

gave to the new baby) soon began to to say Ba-ba

and

Ma-ma

talk.

with a baby accent.

sister

It learnt

When

Raicharan heard those familiar sounds the mystery

The

suddenly became clear.

had been reborn

in his

The arguments

(i.)

Master could not

little

of his Chan-na, and therefore he

cast off the spell

aran, altogether

THE BABY

LORD,

own

house.

favour of

were, to Raich-

this

beyond dispute:

The new baby was born soon

after his

little

master's death.

His wife could never have accumulated such

(ii.)

merit as to give birth to a son in middle age.

The new baby walked

(iii.)

and Ma-ma.

called out Ba-ba

lacking which

marked out

with a toddle and

There was no

the future judge.

Then suddenly Raicharan remembered rible accusation

sign

that ter-

" Ah," he said to

of the mother.

himself with amazement, " the mother's heart was right.

She knew

had

When

stolen her child."

once he had come to this conclusion, he was

filled

He now

gave

with remorse for his past neglect.

himself over, body and soul, to the

became

its

up, as if a

go-cart,

devoted attendant.

were the son of a

rich

began

man.

a yellow satin waistcoat,

embroidered cap.

of his dead wife, and

new baby, and

refused to

let

bought

and a gold-

melted down the ornaments

made gold

the

to bring

little

bangles and anklets.

child play with

any one

LORD,

THE BABY

of the neighbourhood, and became himself

companion day and night.

the baby

sole

its

grew up

boyhood, he was so petted and spoilt and clad

such finery that the village children would call him

Your Lordship," and

jeer at him;

and older peo-

regarded Raicharan as unaccountably crazy about

ple

the child.

last the time

Raicharan sold

came for the boy

of land, and went to

his small piece

difficulty as a servant,

and sent Phailna to school.

spared no pains to give him the best education,

Meanwhile he

the best clothes, the best food.

himself on a mere handful of in

rice,

lived

and would say

"Ah! my little Master, my dear little you loved me so much that you came back

secret:

Master, to

go to school.

There he got employment with great

Calcutta.

lect

You

house.

shall

never suffer from any neg-

of mine."

Twelve years passed away boy was able to read and write

in this

well.

and healthy and good-looking.

manner.

The

was bright

paid a great

deal of attention to his personal appearance, and

was

specially careful in parting his hair.

inclined to extravagance freely.

and

finery,

was

and spent money

could never quite look on Raicharan

LORD,

as a father, because,

THE BABY

though fatherly

had the manner of a servant. that Raicharan kept secret

this,

in affection, lie

was

further fault

from every one that

himself was the father of the child.

The

students of the hostel, where Phailna

boarder, were greatly try

manners, and

father's

bottom of

the

innocent

have to confess that behind

before,

his

But, in

in their fun.

their hearts, all the students loved

and

tender-hearted

Phailna was very fond of him also. said

amused by Raicharan's coun-

back Phailna joined

the

was

man,

old

and

But, as I have

he loved him with a kind of con-

descension.

Raicharan grew older and older, and

his

was continually finding fault with him for petent work. boy's sake.

employer his

incom-

had been starving himself for the

So he had grown physically weak, and

no longer up to his work.

would forget

and his mind became dull and stupid. ployer expected a full servant's

and would not brook, excuses.

But

things, his

em-

work out of him,

The money

that

Raicharan had brought with him from the sale of his

land was exhausted.

grumbling about

money.

The boy was

his clothes,

continually

and asking for more

THE BABY

LORD,

Raicharan made up situation

mind.

his

where he was working

gave up the

as a servant,

and

left

some money with Phailna and said: " I have some business to do at

home

village,

and

shall be

back soon."

went

off at

once to Baraset where Anukul was

magistrate.

Anukul's wife was

with grief.

She had had no other

One day Anukul was weary day

still

broken down

child.

resting after a long and at an

His wife was buying,

in court.

exorbitant price, a herb from a mendicant quack,

which was said to ensure the birth of a voice

greeting

was heard

Anukul went out to Raicharan.

saw

see

who was

the

courtyard.

there.

was

Anukul's heart was softened when he

his old servant.

asked him

and offered to take him back Raicharan smiled

faintly,

want to make obeisance to

many

questions,

into service.

and said

the mistress did not receive

in reply:

mistress."

where

him as warmly

as his

Raicharan took no notice of

this,

folded his hands, and said: " It was not the that stole your baby.

was

into the house,

Anukul went with Raicharan

old master.

child.

I."

but

Padma

LORD,

Anukul exclaimed

Where

THE BABY

" Great

God

What

Ralcharan replied: "

with me.

I will

bring

him the day after to-morrow." It

was Sunday.

There was no magistrate's court

Both husband and wife were looking

sitting.

ex-

pectantly along the road, waiting

from early morn-

ing for Raicharan's appearance.

ten o'clock he

came, leading Phailna by the hand.

Anukul's wife, without a question, took the boy into

her lap, and was wild with excitement, some-

times laughing, sometimes weeping, touching him, kissing his hair his face

and

his forehead,

with hungry, eager eyes.

and gazing

into

The boy was very

good-looking and dressed like a gentleman's son.

The heart of Anukul brimmed over with

a sudden

rush of affection.

Nevertheless the magistrate

you any proofs?

Raicharan said: " of such a deed?

him asked: " Have

How

God

could there be any proof

alone knows that

I stole

your

boy, and no one else in the world."

When

Anukul saw how eagerly

his

wife was

clinging to the boy, he realised the futility of asking

for proofs.

would be wiser

to believe.

And

LORD,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; where could an

then

THE BABY

man like Raicharan get And why should his faithful

such a boy from?

old

servant deceive him for nothing? " But," he

added

severely, " Raicharan,

you must

not stay here." " a

Where

shall I go,

choking voice,

Who

will take in

The

Master? "

"I am

folding his hands;

an old

man

mistress said: " Let

be pleased.

said Raicharan, in

as a servant?

him

stay.

old.

My child will

forgive him."

But Anukul's magisterial conscience would not "

allow him. for

No," he

said, "

he cannot be forgiven

what he has done."

Raicharan bowed to the ground, Anukul's It

" Master," he cried, " let

feet.

was not

and clasped

who

did

it.

stay.

was God."

Anukul's conscience was worse stricken than ever,

when Raicharan

tried to put the

blame on God's

shoulders.

No," he

trust

said, " I

you any more.

could not allow

it.

I cannot

You have done an

act

treachery."

Raicharar\ rose to his feet and said: " It I

who

did

"Who

it."

was

then?" asked Anukul.

was not

THE BABY

LORD,

Raicharan replied: "

But no educated

man

was

fate."

could take this for an excuse.

Anukul remained obdurate.

When

Phailna saw that he was the wealthy mag-

and not Raicharan's, he was angry at

istrate's son, first,

thinking that he had been cheated

of his birthright.

all this

But seeing Raicharan

time

in distress,

he generously said to his father: "Father, forgive

Even

him.

you don't

let

him

live with us, let

him

have a small monthly pension."

After hearing other word.

this,

face of his son; he

and mistress.

Raicharan did not utter an-

looked for the

made

last

time on the

obeisance to his old master

Then he went

out,

and was mingled

with the numberless people of the world.

the end of the

money

to his village.

month Anukul

sent

him some

But the money came back.

There was no one there of the name of Raicharan.

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS Once upon distant sea

a time there was a lonely island in a

where lived the Kings and Queens, the

Aces and the Knaves,

The Tens and and

all

like the

The

Twos and

Threes,

had long ago

settled

But these were not twice-born people,

famous Court Cards. Ace, the King, and the Knave were the three

highest castes. a

Nines, with the

the other members,

there also.

Kingdom of Cards.

in the

The

fourth caste was

mixture of the lower Cards.

Threes were lowest of

were never allowed to

sit in

The Twos and

These

all.

made up

inferior

the same

Cards

row with the

great Court Cards. the regulations and rules

Wonderful indeed were

The

of that Island kingdom.

particular

rank of

each individual had been settled from time Immemorial.

Every one had

his 91

own appointed work,

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

and never did anything peared

to be directing

else.

unseen hand ap-

them wherever they went,

according to the Rules.

one in the Kingdom of Cards had any occa-

no one had any need to come to any

sion to think:

no one was ever required to debate any

decision:

The

new

subject.

less

groove without speech.

made no

They

noise.

gazed upward

citizens all

lay

moved along

When

down on

they

in a list-

fell,

their backs,

they

and

prim feature

at the sky with each

firmly fixed for ever.

There was of Cards.

remarkable

Satisfaction

plete in all their

stillness in the

Kingdom

and contentm-^nt were com-

rounded wholeness.

There was

There was never

never any uproar or violence.

any excitement or enthusiasm.

The

great ocean, crooning

its

lullaby with one

unceasing melody, lapped the island to sleep with a

thousand soft touches of

The

its

wave's white hands.

vast sky, like the outspread azure wings of the

brooding mother-bird, nestled the island round with its

downy plume.

For on

the distant horizon a deep

blue line betokened another shore.

But no sound

of quarrel or strife could reach the Island of Cards, to

break

its

calm repose.

THE KINGDOiM OF CARDS

In that far-off foreign land across the sea, there

young Prince whose mother was

lived a

This queen had fallen from favour, and

queen.

was

a sorrowing

living with her only son

The

on the seashore.

Prince passed his childhood alone and forlorn, ting

his forlorn

big desires.

mother, weaving the net of his

longed to go

search of the Fly-

ing Horse, the jewel in the Cobra's hood, the

Magic Roads, or

of Heaven, the Princess Beauty

sit-

was sleeping

to find

In the

Rose

where the

Ogre's castle

over the thirteen rivers and across the seven seas.

From Prince

From

the Son of the learnt

the

stories

the rain

Two

foreign

young

kingdoms.

Genii of the

Lamp.

And when

came beating down, and the clouds covered

the sky, he

would

sit

his

a story of

some very

his

had heard

on the threshold facing the

far-off land."

mother would In

sea,

sorrowing mother: " Tell me, mother,

and say to

And

at school the

Kotwal he learnt the adven-

the Son of the

tures of the

Merchant

tell

him an endless

tale she

her childhood of a wonderful country

beyond the sea where dwelt the Princess Beauty.

And

the heart of the

young Prince would become

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

sick with longing, as

he sat on the threshold, look-

ing out on the ocean, listening to his mother's won-

came beating

derful story, while the rain outside

down and

the grey clouds covered the sky.

One day

Son of the Merchant came to the

the

Prince,

and said boldly: " Comrade,

over.

am now

setting out

fortunes on the sea.

studies are

travels to seek

have come to bid you

good-bye." Prince said: " I will go with you."

The

And

Son of Kotwal said

the

and

trusty

young Prince said

the

mother: "Mother, travels

once more,

remove

all

will not leave

seek

am now

fortune.

I shall surely

Comrades, behind.

sorrowing

his

setting out

When

come back

have found some way to

your sorrow."

So the Three Companions together.

your companion."

also will be

Then

you

true,

also

set out

their travels

In the harbour were anchored the twelve

ships of the merchant,

got on board.

The

and the Three Companions

south wind was blowing, and the

twelve ships sailed away, as fast as the desires which rose in the Prince's breast.

the

Conch

Shell

Island they

filled

one ship

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS At

Wood

with

conchs.

filled

a second ship with sandal-wood, and at the

Coral Island they

Sandal

the

filled

a third ship with coral.

Four years passed away, and they ships,

cloves,

they

Island

filled

four

one with ivory, one with musk, one with

and one with nutmegs.

But when these ships were tempest arose.

The

loaded a terrible

all

ships were

all

of them sunk,

with their cloves and nutmeg, and musk and Ivory,

and coral and sandal-wood and conchs.

But the

ship with the

Three Companions struck on an

reef, hurled

them safe ashore, and

itself

island

broke

pieces.

This was the famous Island of Cards, where lived the

Ace and King and Queen and Knave, with

Nines and Tens and

other

all the

members

the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ac-

cording to the Rules. Ill

till

now

there had been nothing to disturb

that island stillness.

pened.

And

discussion

No new

had ever been

then, of a sudden, the

held.

Three Companions ap-

peared, thrown up by the sea, bate began.

thing had ever hap-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

There were three main

the Great

De-

points of dispute.

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

what

First,

caste

Or were

Cards?

should

unclassed

these

Should they rank with the Court

strangers belong?

they merely lower-caste people,

ranked with the Nines and Tens?

to be

prec-

edent could be quoted to decide this weighty question.

what was

Secondly, fairer

was

theirs

Over

Had

their clan?

they the

hue and bright complexion of the Hearts, or the

darker complexion of the Clubs?

were interminable disputes.

this question there

The whole marriage

system of the island, with

intricate regulations,

would depend on

its

nice ad-

justment.

Thirdly,

whom

what food should they take?

And

should they live and sleep?

heads be placed In

north-east?

south-west,

all

the

north-west,

Kingdom of Cards

of problems so vital and

critical

With

should their or

only

a series

had never been

de-

bated before.

But the hungry.

They had So while

other.

minable

silence

called their into a

Three

own

Companions grew desperately to get

this debate

food

some way or

went on, with

its

inter-

and pauses, and while the Aces meeting, and formed themselves

Committee, to

find

some obsolete dealing with

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS the question, the

Three Companions themselves were

eating all they could find, and drinking out of every vessel,

and breaking

Even

all

regulations.

Twos and Threes were behaviour. The Threes

the

outrageous

shocked at

this

said: " Brother

And

Twos, these people are openly shameless!"

the Twos said: " Brother Threes, they are evidently " of lower caste than ourselves!

After their meal was over, the Three Companions

went for a

When

stroll in the city.

they saw the ponderous people moving In

their dismal processions with

prim and solemn

faces,

then the Prince turned to the Son of the Merchant

and the Son of the Kotwal, and threw back

his head,

and gave one stupendous laugh.

Down

Royal Street and across Ace Square and

along the Knave strange,

amazed

Embankment ran

unheard-of at

itself,

laughter,

the quiver of this

the

laughter

that,

expired in the vast vacuum of

silence.

The Son

of the Kotwal and the Son of the Mer-

chant were chilled through to the bone by the ghostlike

around them.

stillness

Prince,

and

said: "

not stop for a

Comrade,

moment

In this

They turned let us

away.

the

Let us

awful land of ghosts."

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

But the Prince said: " Comrades, these people semble men, so

going to find out, by shaking

them upside down and outside a

single

drop of

re-

warm

in,

whether they have

blood

their

and the placid

exist-

living

left

veins."

The days passed one by

one,

ence of the Island went on almost without a ripple.

The Three Companions obeyed no tions. sitting

They never

rules

nor regula-

did anything correctly either in

or standing or turning themselves round or

lying on their back.

On the

saw these things going on

contrary, wherever they

precisely

cording to the Rules, they gave laughter.

and exactly

way

ac-

to inordinate

They remained unimpressed

altogether

by the eternal gravity of those eternal regulations.

One day

the great Court Cards

came

to the

Son

of the Kotwal and the Son of the Merchant and the Prince.

Why,"

they asked slowly, " are you not "

moving

according to the Rules?

The Three Companions answered: is

" Because that

our Ichcha (wish)."

The voices,

great Court Cards with hollow, cavernous as

slowly awakening from an age-long

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

And pray who

dream, said together: " Ich-cha! Ich-cha? "

They

who Ichcha was

could not understand

but the whole island was to understand

The

glimmer of

first

of their minds

out,

through watch-

they

made another

was another

move

an opposite direction from the

which they had always gone before.

then,

by-and-by.

ing the actions of the Prince, that they might

one

passed the threshold

light

when they found

in a straight line in

discovery,

startling

side to the

Then

that there

Cards which they had never This was the beginning

yet noticed with attention.

of the change.

Now

that the change

panions were able to

had begun,

initiate

the

them more and more

deeply into the mysteries of Ichcha. gradually became aware that

They began

regulations.

tion In the kingly

But with

Three Com-

life

The Cards

was not bound by

to feel a secret satisfac-

power of choosing for themselves.

this first

impact of Ichcha the whole pack

of cards began to totter slowly, and then tumble

down

to the ground.

The

scene

some huge python awaking from slowly unfolds runs through

its

numberless

coils

whole frame.

was

like that

a long sleep, as

of it

with a quiver that

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

loo

V Hitherto the Queens of Spades and Clubs and

Diamonds and Hearts had remained behind

curtains

with eyes that gazed vacantly into space, or else

mained

fixed

And

now,

spring the

re-

upon the ground. all

of a sudden, on an afternoon in

Queen of Hearts from the balcony raised

her dark eyebrows for a moment, and cast a single glance upon the Prince from the corner of her eye. " Great

were

all

God," cried the Prince, "

women Then the young

thought they

They

wrong. '

after all."

are

Prince called to his side his two

Companions, and said comrades! that

But

painted images.

There

in a

meditative voice: "

charm about these

never noticed before.

When

ladies

saw that

glance of the Queen's dark, luminous eyes, bright-

ening with first

new emotion,

faint streak of

dawn

The two Companions

seemed

in a

like the

newly created world."

smiled a knowing smile, and

" said: " Is that really so. Prince?

And

the poor

Queen of Hearts from

went from bad to worse. rules in a truly scandalous

that day

She began to forget

manner.

If,

all

for instance.

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS her place In the

row was beside

loi

the Knave, she sud-

denly found herself quite accidentally standing beside the Prince instead.

motionless " Queen,

And

and

face

this,

solemn

the Knave, with

would

voice,

say:

you have made a mistake."

the

poor Queen of Hearts' red cheeks would

get redder than ever.

But the Prince would come

gallantly to her rescue

and say:

mistake. "

Knave

to-day

Now trying

From

"No! There is am going to be

came

to pass that, while every one

correct

improprieties of the

the

Queen of Hearts, they began

was

guilty

make mistakes them-

The Aces found themselves elbowed out by the Kings. The Kings got muddled up with the Knaves. The Nines and Tens assumed airs as selves.

though they belonged to the Great Court Cards.

The Twos and Threes were found the

places

Fives.

secretly taking

reserved for the

specially

Fours and

Confusion had never been so confounded

before.

Many

spring seasons had come and gone in that

Island of Cards.

had sung

its

stirred the

The

Kokil, the bird of Spring,

song year after year.

blood as

stirred

But

now,

had never

In days gone

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

I02

by the sea had sung it

its

had proclaimed only the

And

Rule.

the

through

melody.

tireless

suddenly

inflexible

and myriad

telling,

and luminous shade

deepest yearnings of the

the

voices,

monotony of

waves were

its

their flashing light

all

But, then,

heart of love VI

Where

are vanished

their prim, round, reg-

Here

complacent features?

ular,

love-sick

longing.

Here

with regrets.

Music and

doubts.

are

now

filling

the

air.

a face full of

heart beating wild

mind racked sore with

sighing,

and smiles and

Life

throbbing; hearts are

tears,

breaking; passions are kindling.

Every one

now

thinking of his

own appearance,

and comparing himself with others. Clubs

may he,

when

to see

musing to himself, that the King of Spades

be just passably good-looking. "

The Ace

how

walk down the

street

" But,"

you have only

The

people's eyes turn towards me."

King of Spades

saying:

"Why

says

on earth

that

Ace of Clubs always straining his neck and strutting about like a peacock? are dying of love

for

imagines

him,

all

the

while the

Queens

real

fact

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS "

Here he

103

pauses, and examines his face in

the glass.

But the Queens were the worst of began up

spend

time in dressing themselves

all their

And

to the Nines.

They

all.

the Nines

hopeless and abject slaves.

would become

But

their

cutting re-

marks about one another were more shocking So the young

under the

men would

on the leaves

sit listless

lolling with outstretched limbs In

trees,

the forest shade.

And

in pale-blue robes,

would come walking

the young maidens, dressed accidentally

same shade of the same forest by the same

to the trees,

and turn

their eyes as

and look

there,

And

then one young

all.

ward than

the rest in a

go near to a maiden

though they saw no one

though they came out

nothing at

fit

see

man more

for-

of madness would dare to

In blue.

speech would forsake him.

But, as he

drew

would

Kokil birds were singing

in the

boughs over-

The mischievous South wind was blowing;

disarrayed the hair.

whispered

stirred the music in the blood. trees

moment

pass.

The

near,

would stand there

tongue-tied and foohsh, and the favourable

head.

still.

in the ear,

The

were murmuring with rustling

and

leaves of the delight.

And

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

I04

the ceaseless sound of the ocean

made

all

man and maid

longings of the heart of

wards and forwards on the

full

flood-tide of a

new

mute

surge back-

springtide of love.

The Three Companions had brought Kingdom

dried-up channels of the

the

into

the

of Cards the full

hfe.

VII

And, though the

tide

was

as though the rising waters

foam but remain suspended

full,

there

was a pause

would not break

Into

There were

for ever.

no outspoken words, only a cautious going forward one step and receding two.

All seemed busy heap-

ing up their unfulfilled desires like castles in the

or fortresses of sand. less,

their eyes

They were

were burning,

air,

pale and speech-

their lips trembling

with unspoken secrets.

The

Prince saw what was wrong.

every one on the Island and said: the flutes and the cymbals, the pipes all

He summoned "Bring and drums.

hither

Let

be played together, and raise loud shouts of re-

joicing.

For the Queen of Hearts

going to choose her

Mate

this

very night

" !

So the Tens and Nines began to blow on their

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS flutes

and pipes; the Eights and Sevens played on

their sackbuts

and

viols;

and even the Twos and

Threes began to beat madly on

When away

And

this

their drums.

tumultuous gust of music came,

at one blast all these sighings

swept

and mopings.

then what a torrent of laughter and words

poured forth!

mocking

and

There were daring proposals and and gossip and

refusals,

and merriment.

was

like the

chatter,

and

jests

swaying and shak-

summer

rustling

and soughing,

in a

a million leaves

and branches

in the

ing,

105

gale, of

depth of the

primeval forest.

But the Queen of Hearts, silent in the

shadow of her

to the great

that

came

in a rose-red robe, sat

and listened

secret bower,

uproarious sound of music and mirth,

floating

towards her.

She shut her eyes,

And when

and dreamt her dream of love.

she

opened them she found the Prince seated on the

ground before her gazing up at her

face.

And

she

covered her eyes with both hands, and shrank back quivering with an inward tumult of joy.

And

the Prince passed the whole day alone, walk-

ing by the side of the surging sea.

mind that

carried in his

startled look, that shrinking gesture of

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS

io6 the

Queen,

and

his

That night the

heart beat high with hope.

serried,

gaily-dressed ranks of

young men and maidens waited with smiling at the Palace Gates.

The

faces

Palace Hall was lighted

with fairy lamps and festooned with the flowers of

Slowly the Queen of Hearts entered, and

spring.

With

the whole assembly rose to greet her.

mine garland

a jas-

her hand, she stood before the

Prince with downcast eyes.

In her lowly bashful-

ness she could hardly raise the garland to the neck

of the

Mate

his head,

she had chosen.

But the Prince bowed

and the garland slipped to

its

place.

The

assembly of youths and maidens had waited her choice with eager, expectant hush.

choice

a tumult of wild delight.

sound of their shouts was heard

the

was made, the whole vast concourse rocked

and swayed with

Island,

And when

and by ships far out at

shout been

raised

the

And

the

every part of the

sea.

Never had such

Kingdom of Cards

before.

And

they carried the Prince and his Bride, and

seated them on the throne, and crowned them then

and there

And

in the

Ancient Island of Cards.

the sorrowing

island shore

Mother Queen, on

on the other

side of the sea,

the far-off

came

sail-

THE KINGDOM OF CARDS ing to her son's

new kingdom

107

a ship adorned

with gold.

And

the citizens are no longer regulated accord-

ing to the Rules, but are

cording to their Ichcha.

good or bad, or

both, ac-

THE DEVOTEE

THE DEVOTEE I

a time,

when my unpopularity with

readers had reached the nadir of

name had become

its

my and my

a part of

glory,

the central orb of the journals, to

be attended through space with a perpetual rotation

of revilement,

I felt

the necessity to retire to

some

my own

exist-

country some miles

away

and endeavour

quiet place

to forget

ence. I

have a house

from

Calcutta,

unmolested.

come

in the

where

The

can remain unknown and

villagers there

to any conclusion about me.

have

not, as yet,

They know

no mere holiday-maker or pleasure-seeker; for

never outrage the silence of the village nights with the riotous noises of the

as an ascetic, because the

have of I

city.

Nor do little

carries the savour of

acquaintance they

comfort about

not, to them, a traveller; for,

vagabond by nature, lage fields

aimless.

they regard

though

wandering through the

They

it.

vil-

are hardly even quite

THE DEVOTEE

112

am married or single for they have never seen me with my children. So, not being able to classify me in any animal or vegetable kingdom that they know, they have long since given me up and left me stolidly alone. certain

whether

But quite is

;

have come to know that there

lately I

who

one person in the village

Our

me.

noon

eyelids

There had been

was

air

still

when weeping

I sat lazily

watching a dappled cow grazing on

of light

deliberate waste of

While

woman

over.

The afternoon

The

playing on her glossy hide.

to deprive his

rain all the morning,

wet and heavy with mist,

the high bank of the river.

this dress

deeply interested

acquaintance began on a sultry after-

in July.

and the

own

simple beauty of

made me wonder money

in setting

skin of

its

sun was

idly at

man's

tailors'

shops

natural clothing.

was thus watching and

lazily musing, a

of middle age came and prostrated herself

before me, touching the ground with her forehead.

She carried

her robe some bunches of flowers, one

of which she offered to

said to me, as she offered to

with folded hands. it:

" This

She

an offering

my God." She went away.

was so taken aback as she

ut-

THE DEVOTEE tered these words, that

could hardly catch a glimpse

The whole

of her before she was gone.

was

entirely simple, but

mind; and

incident

deep Impression on

left a

as I turned

the cattle In the

113

back once more to look at

who

the zest of life In the cow,

field,

was munching the lush grass with deep breaths, while she whisked

with mystery. ishness,

offered is

but

the

off

from the mango

own hand, and

may

heart was

full

grateful for

when

tell

to see

from

satisfaction

returned to the village

cold season

me.

The Devotee came

warmth.

to bring her upstairs,

my feet. I whom I had

which

my God.

was

room, and writing,

when

was the

that a devotee, of the Vishnu I told

him.

an absent way,

and went on with

In,

lingered on.

still

sun came Into

Its

a tender shoot

had the

The

servant came to

wanted

Then, plucking

living,

as I did this I

next year

The morning

fool-

of adoration.

cow with

was February.

fraught

laugh at

tree, I fed the

of having pleased

cult,

readers

life.

appeared to

worship to the pure joy of

God's own

The

flies,

writing.

and bowed to me, touching

found that she was the same

woman

met, for a brief moment, a year ago.

was able now

to examine her

closely.

She

THE DEVOTEE

114

was past that age when one asks the question whether a

woman

Her

beautiful or not.

the ordinary height, and she

was above

stature

was strongly

built; but

her body was slightly bent owing to her constant

Her manner had

attitude of veneration.

shrinking about

The most remarkable of her two eyes. They seemed to have

it.

features were her

make

a penetrating power which could

With

nothing

distance near.

those two large eyes of hers, she seemed to

me as she entered. "What is this?" she asked. "Why have you brought me here before your throne, my God? I push

among

used to see you

That was

better.

the trees

without

ever, I

had suffered from a

terrace.

me I

was

my homage

After a

silent

O my God,

quite

walking

For the

seeing her.

vented from going out.

and that was much^

the true place to meet you."

She must have seen

indoors and pay

;

give

cold,

last

the garden

few days, how-

and had been pre-

had, perforce, to stay to the evening sky

from

pause the Devotee said

me some words

unprepared for

this

of good."

abrupt request,

and answered her on the spur of the moment: "

Good words

open

my eyes

neither give nor receive.

and keep

silence,

and then

simply

can at once

THE DEVOTEE both hear and

Now,

while

see,

115

even when no sound

looking at you,

it is

uttered.

good

lis-

tening to your voice."

The Devotee became exclaimed:

God

quite excited as I spoke,

and

speaks to me, not only with His

mouth, but with His whole body."

"When

I said to her:

with

whole body.

silent I

can listen

have come away from Cal-

cutta here to listen to that sound."

The Devotee

"Yes,

said:

therefore I have come here to

know

I sit

that,

and

by you."

Before taking her leave, she again bowed to me,

and touched

tressed, because

them

to be bare.

terrace on the roof.

She wished

were covered.

feet

Early next morning

ward

could see that she was dis-

feet.

came

Beyond

out,

sat

the line of trees south-

could see the open country

and

chill

and desolate.

could watch the sun rising over the sugar-cane in

the East,

beyond the clump of

the village. trees

the

Out of village

the deep

road

stretched forward, winding villages

on the horizon,

the mist.

trees at the side of

shadow of those dark

suddenly its

till it

way

was

appeared.

some

distant

lost in the

grey of

THE DEVOTEE

ii6

That morning

was

difEcult to say

A white

sun had risen or not.

to the tops of the trees.

fog was

whether the still

clinging

saw the Devotee walk-

ing through the blurred dawn, like a mist-wraith of

morning

the

She was singing her chant to

twilight.

God, and sounding her cymbals.

The

and the

thick haze lifted at last;

sun, like the

kindly grandsire of the village, took his seat amid all

the

work

When

that was going on in

had

just settled

down

home and

to appease the hungry appetite of cutta, there

field.

my writing-table, my editor in Cal-

came a sound of footsteps on the

and the Devotee,

humming

and bowed before me.

stair,

a tune to herselfrentered,^

I lifted

head from

papers.

She said to

God, yesterday

took as

sacred food what was left over from your meal." I

was

startled,

and asked her how she could do

that.

" Oh," she said, " I waited at your door in the evening, while you were at dinner, and took

food from your plate when

was carried

out."

This was a surprise to me, for every one village

knew

eaten with

that I

had been

Europeans.

to Europe,

some

in the

and had

was a vegetarian, no

THE DEVOTEE my

doubt, but the sanctity of investigation,

117

cook would not bear

and the orthodox regarded

food

as polluted.

The Devotee, My God, why

noticing

should

asked her what her

She told

and wide

all

come

could not take your food?

sign of surprise, said: to

you

at all, if I

own

caste people

would

say.

she had already spread the news far

The

over the village.

caste people

had

shaken their heads, but agreed that she must go her

own way. I

found out that the Devotee came from a good

family in the country, and that her mother was wellto-do,

and desired

preferred to be a mendicant.

made her

She told

living.

had given her a

piece of land,

The food which After

cariously as alms,

she

She said to me:

get by begging

When we

divine." said, I under-

get our food pre-

we remember God

the giver.

But

receive our food regularly at home, as a

matter of course, we are apt to regard right.

how

that her followers

had thought over what she

stood her meaning.

when we

asked her

and that she begged

her food from door to door. "

But she

to keep her daughter.

as ours by

THE DEVOTEE

ii8 I

had a great desire

to ask her about her husband.

But as she never mentioned him even

indirectly, I

did not question her.

found out very soon that the Devotee had no

respect at

all

where the

for that part of the village

people of the higher castes lived. " to

give," she said, " a single farthing

They never

God's service; and yet they have the largest share

But the poor worship and starve."

of God's glebe.

asked her

why

she did not go and live

these godless people, and help " That," I said with

life.

the highest

time,

and

unction, "

a better

would be

form of divine worship."

had heard sermons of

them towards

some

among

this

kind from time to

rather fond of copying them myself

for the public benefit,

when

the chance comes.

But the Devotee was not

She

at all impressed.

raised her big round eyes, and looked straight into

mine, and said: "

You mean

to say that because

sinners, therefore

God?

when you do them any

Is that

so?

" Yes," I replied, " that

God

with the

service

you

meaning."

course," she answered almost impatiently,

" of course,

God

with them: otherwise,

how

could

THE DEVOTEE they go on living at all?

My God

As she

seek

Him

My God

to say

because

where

was

cannot be wor-

do not

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

all-pervading,

Him."

of God's omnipresence does not help this truth

may

us.

Where

Him,

there

need not explain that

her devotion on vidual.

ship.

refuse

it:

When

all

she did

was simply

His

reality in

soul.

not as an indi-

either to receive

woror to

was not mine, but God's.

the Devotee

What

the while she showered

came

again, she found

more engaged with my books and "

to ourselves.

a vehicle of her divine

was not for me for

That God

be a mere intangi-

and therefore unreal

can see

What

mere doctrine

ble abstraction, I

Him

find

obeisance to me.

really this.

me?

that to

can find

made

she spoke, she

meant

But what

not there.

among them;

shipped there.

119

said,

my God should make Whenever

take such drudgery?

once

papers.

have you been doing," she

dent vexation, " that

come,

with

evi-

you underI find

you

reading and writing." "

God

keeps his useless people busy," I answered;

" otherwise they chief.

would be bound

They have

things in

life.

all

the

to get into misleast

necessary

keeps them out of trouble."

THE DEVOTEE

I20

The Devotee

told

that she could not bear the

encumbrances, with which, day by day, I was

rounded.

If she

wanted

lowed by the servants she wanted to touch

to see

come

me, she was not

And when

lost in a wilderness

held

for a long time in worship. that,

coming to you yourself?

Lord,

ation?

truly,

And they them upon my head

That

filled

very

Why

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; wasn't

did I come? a

mere

infatu-

There were some flowers While she was

new

pray what was the use of

tell

your feet

I felt

Oh, how cool

were bare, not covered.

Then, after

me, she folded her

left

God!

breast this morning.

being.

my mind

letters.

This time, before she hands, and said:

were

she wanted

have a simple talk with me, she found

al-

straight upstairs.

feet in worship, there

socks always in the way.

sur-

there, the

vase on the table.

gardener brought some

flowers to put in their place.

The Devotee saw

him changing them. " Is that all? " she exclaimed.

with the flowers?

Then

give

them

She held the flowers tenderly

Have you done

me."

in the

cup of her

hands, and began to gaze at them with bent head.

THE DEVOTEE

121

After a few moments' silence she raised her head

and said

again,

flowers

me:

You

never look at these

therefore they become stale to you.

;

you

only look into them, then your reading and

v.'ould

writing would go to the winds."

She tied the flowers together robe,

and placed them,

in the

an attitude of worship, on

the top of her head, saying reverently:

carry

my God

end of her

" Let

with me."

While she did

this, I felt

that flowers in our

do not receive their due meed of loving care

When we

hands. like a

stick

them

in vases,

rooms at

they are

row of naughty schoolboys standing on

our

more form

to be punished.

The Devotee came by

sat

feet

" I gave

waste

for

all this

house

this

man

devotion on

of our village, laughed

Him?

'Why

do you

Don't you know

and down the countryside?'

my God?

upon you?

morning, singing God's

devotion, and said:

reviled up

that true,

For

roof.

flowers," she said, " as I went

Beni, the head

name. at

on the terrace of the

away those

from house

again the same evening, and

true that they are hard

moment

shrank into myself.

was

THE DEVOTEE

122

shock to find that the stains of printers' ink could reach so far. " Beni imagined that he

The Devotee went on:

could blow out the flame of

breath ing

But

Why

fire.

I said: "

greed

this

devotion at one

no mere tiny flame

deserved

it is

my God?

do they abuse you,

Because

was

it.

a burn"

suppose in

loitering about to steal people's hearts

in secret."

The Devotee how

little

said:

"Now

you see for yourself

They

their hearts are worth.

are full of

poison, and this will cure you of your greed." "

When

heart, he

a is

man,"

answered, " has greed in his

always on the verge of being beaten.

The greed itself supplies his enemies with poison." " Our merciful God," she replied, " beats us with His own hand, and drives away

who

all

the poison.

endures God's beating to the end

saved."

' II

That evening of her

life.

behind the

the

The

Devotee told me the story

stars

trees, as she

of evening rose and set

went on

to the

end of her

tale.

My husband

very simple.

Some people

think

THE DEVOTEE that he

a simpleton; but

123

know

understand simply, understand

that those

In business

truly.

and household management he was able own.

Because

few, he could

He would to

who

hold

his

needs were small, and his wants

his

manage

carefully on

what we had.

never meddle in other matters, nor try

understand them. " Both

husband's parents died before

been married long, and we were

my husband always I am ashamed to

left alone.

But

confess that he

things better than

But

needed some one to be over him.

reverence for me, and looked upon perior.

we had

had a

sort of

as his su-

sure that he could understand I,

though

had greater powers

of talking. "

Thakur Indeed

the people in the world he held his

all

(spiritual master) in the highest veneration. it

was not veneration merely but

such love as his "

love; and

rare.

Guru Thakur was younger than my husband.

Oh how !

Guru

beautiful he

was

husband had played games with him when

he was a boy; and from that time forward he had dedicated his heart and soul to this friend of his early days. .was,

Thakur knew how

and used

to tease

him

simple

mercilessly.

husband

THE DEVOTEE

124 "

and

comrades would play jokes upon

his

own amusement;

him for

their

them

with longsuffering.

all

When

married into

was studying all his

home

returned "

I did

was fond of

home and

not

know how and liked

gossip,

had to"

pay

child.

was

village

used to get quite

was compelled

Alas

take care of him.

to be with I

to stay at

child-God came

but His playthings were not ready for

came

to"

the

mother's heart, but the

mother's heart lagged behind.

and ever

husband used

to our village.

nurse him.

life,

Guru Thakur

was eighteen years old when he

my boy when

cross with

Him.

for hours together.

friends

into

the age of fifteen I

young

so I

this family,

at Benares.

expenses.

but he would bear

since I

left

have been searching for

anger

Him

and down the world. "

The boy was

the joy of his father's

careless neglect used to pain

was

mute

soul.

life.

husband.

But

My his

has never been able to give

expression to his pain. "

my one

The wonderful

thing was

this,

neglect the child used to love else.

seemed

that in spite of

me more

than any

have the dread that

THE DEVOTEE

125

would one day go away and leave him.

when

So even

was with him, he would watch me with

look in his eyes.

restless

himself,

and therefore

had me very

his desire to

When

always painfully eager.

be with

little

to be taken with me.

me was

went each day to

the river, he used to fret and stretch out his

arms

little

But the bathing ghat

was my place for meeting my

friends,

and

did not

care to burden myself with the child. " It

was an early morning

fold of grey clouds

care of the boy, while

arrived.

went down to the as I

with the rains.

full

the stream "

Then

turned

some

swam

distance

The

was the best

to stop, but he

out into the middle of

as he came.

Mother

shouted to him

and hands became cramped with

When

boy coming down

went on, laughing and

eyes, afraid to see.

quite

from the shore.

head and saw

was

river

heard a cry from the bank,

the steps, calling

feet

at the bathing ghat

a swimmer,

river.

went away.

women.

the village

all

the mid-day round

asked the maid to take

There was no one there

among

child cried after

when

Fold after

August.

had wrapped

with a wet clinging robe.

The

calling.

fear.

My I shut

opened them, there,

THE DEVOTEE

126

at the slippery stairs,

had disappeared for

boy's ripple of laughter

ever.

" I got back to the shore.

the water.

I took

take him.

eyes

Him.

and

who had begged

darling,

took him

called

Him

had ever neglected

God

If he

him

left

And me and

him with me.

memory

his

had

clings to

alone knows

When

Thakur came

had refused

never leaves me.

But he knew only how to speak.

mad

with grief.

Guru

In earlier days, the relation

back.

boyish friendship.

now, when^ he-is-deadr

how

was almost

between him and

my own heart, When my boy

that

been better for us both. to endure In silence, not

alone.

all

my husband sufFered. me for my sin. It would have

all

had only punished

And now

cry.

blow upon blow, blow upon blow.

to take

my me to

boy,

Mother.'

that neglect began to beat against

arms,

him now, but he no more looked

had ever made

was with me,

him from

so often In vain for

child-God had come.

raised

husband had been that of

Now, my husband's

for his sanctity and learning

reverence

was unbounded.

could hardly speak In his presence, his awe of him

was so

great.

THE DEVOTEE My

husband asked

some consolation.

and explain to

value for

He He

All their

mind.

lay In the voice that uttered them.

the draught of divine life deepest in the

man

to drink, through the

human

voice.

vessel.

filled

God

husband's love and veneration for his Guru

our house, as incense

showed

that veneration,

in the

to take his

a temple shrine.

fills

and had peace.

God.

sleep

meal

his

would sing for

When my husband

used to come

my mind

The

on waking

food as a sacred

prepared the things for

saw

our house every morning.

was that of

When

fingers

form of that Guru.

thought that would come to

from

do not

Himself drinks His divine draught out of the

But

read

has no better vessel in His hand than that; and

same

first

effect

to try to give

the scriptures.

had much

heart for

Guru

Guru Thakur began

think they

God makes

his

127

gift

from

his meal,

joy.

saw

devotion to his Guru,

greatly increased.

noticed

his

respect for

his

Guru's eager desire to explain the scriptures to

me.

used to think that he could never expect to

earn any regard from his Guru himself, on account of his stupidity; but his wife had

made up

for

it.

THE DEVOTEE

128 "

Thus another

whole

life

years went by happily, and

five

would have passed

but be-

like that;

neath the surface some stealing was going on some-

where

I could

in secret.

God

detected by the

day when,

not detect

was

Then came

heart.

moment our whole

in a

but

it;

was turned

life

upside down. " It

was a morning

home from

ing

mango

bathing,

a shady lane. tree, I

midsummer.

met

was

return-

down

clothes all wet,

the bend of the road, under the

my Guru

Thakur.

had

his

towel on his shoulder and was repeating some Sanskrit verses as

my to

wet clothes clinging

meet him.

being seen.

all

I tried to

beautiful

fixed his

about

was ashamed

pass by quickly, and avoid

me by my name.

called

" I stopped, lowering self.

With

he was going to take his bath.

eyes, shrinking into

gaze upon me, and

your body

said:

my-

How

' !

" All the universe of birds

seemed

song in the branches overhead.

break into

All the bushes

the lane seemed ablaze with flowers.

was

though the earth and sky and everything had become a riot of intoxicating joy. " I cannot tell

how

got home.

only

remember

THE DEVOTEE that I rushed into the

129

room where we worship God.

But the room seemed empty.

Only before

eyes

those same gold spangles of light were dancing which

had quivered

my way "

in front

back from the

river.

Guru Thakur came

food that day,

to take his

my husband where

and asked

shady lane on

in that

had gone.

me anywhere. now any longer.

searched for me, but could not find "

The same

God

have not the same earth sunlight

not mine.

dismay, and

called

kept His face turned

away from me. " I

The day

had

and

meet It

silent.

comes out

know not how.

passed, I

my is

shining,

heard him speak things surprised to find

how

" Sometimes I

to rest

But the night

husband.

the time

That night is

dark

when my husband's mind

stars

twilight.

In the dark,

and

had

had been

deeply he understood. late in the

evening in going

on account of household work.

My husband

waits for me, seated on the floor, without going to

Our

bed.

talk at such times

had often begun with

something about our Guru. " to

That

night,

when

room, and found

was past midnight,

my husband

came

sleeping on the

THE DEVOTEE

130

Without disturbing him

floor.

ground

at his feet,

he stretched his

on the "

breast.

down on

I lay

head towards him.

Once

while sleeping, and struck

feet,

That was

his last bequest.

Next morning, when my husband woke up from

his sleep, I

was already

sitting

by him.

Outside the

window, over the thick foliage of the jack-fruit appeared the

first

of the night. yet begun to

pale red of the

was

dawn

tree,

at the fringe

so early that the crows

had not

call.

" I bowed,

the

and touched

forehead.

sat up,

from a dream, and looked

husband's feet with

waking

starting as if

face in

amaz ement.

I said:

have made up

world.

mind.

must leave the

cannot belong to you any longer.

must

leave your home.'

" Perhaps

dreaming.

my husband thought He said not a word.

"'Ah! do hear me!' pain. 'Do hear me and marry another "

talk?

wife.

husband said:

Who said:

understand!

What

was

pleaded with

must take

that he

infinite

You must

leave.'

all this wild,

advises you to leave the world?'

'My

Guru Thakur.'

still

mad

THE DEVOTEE My

kur

husband looked bewildered.

' !

When

In the morning,'

met him on "

cried.

did

Guru Tha-

you

give

this

advice? "

131

answered,

my way

when

river.'

little.

and asked me

face,

yesterday,

back from the

His voice trembled a

looked

' :

turned, and

Why

did he

give you such a behest? "

do not know,' you himself,

will tell

~not leave

when

Ask him!

he can.'

husband said:

world, even

answered.

possible to leave the

continuing to live in

You need

it.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

my home.

t-mH-speak-to -my-Gm-u about

It? "

but

Your Guru,'

I said,

may

heart will never give

leave your home.

From

accept your petition; consent.

its

must

henceforth, the world

no more to me.' "

husband remained

on the floor said to

" I folded

him "

in the dark. ,'

and we

silent,

When

was

sat there light,

Let us both come to him.'

hands and said:

I shall

never meet

again.'

looked Into

said no more.

my I

face.

knew

that,

lowered

eyes.

somehow, he had

THE DEVOTEE

132 seen into

mind, and understood what was there.

who

In this world of mine, there were only two

loved love

was

best

my God, and

falsehood. the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; my boy and my

other.

One

Now

therefore

husband.

could brook no

of these two left me, and I

must have

That

truth,

left

and truth

alone."

She touched the ground at

bowed

me, and departed.

feet,

rose and

VISION

VISION When a

was

dead

child,

a very

young

wife, I gave birth, to

and came near to death myself.

recovered strength very slowly, and

eyesight

became weaker and weaker.

husband

He was

at this time

not altogether sorry to have a chance of

testing his medical

to treat

What

You

sult a

was reading for

his

law exam-

and was

see me,

condition.

are you doing? " he said to

good doctor

husband.

You ought

are ruining Kumo's eyes.

to con-

at once."

husband said

irritably

good doctor do more than is

So he began

eyes himself.

One day he came

alarmed

knowledge on me.

elder brother

ination.

was studying medicine.

quite a simple one,

Why

am doing?

what can a

The

and the remedies are

known." 135

all

case

well

VISION

136

Dada answered there in

with scorn: "

suppose you think

no difference between you and a Professor

your own Medical College."

husband replied angrily: "If you ever get

married, and there

a dispute about your wife's

property, you won't take

Why,

about Law.

advice

do you now come advising me about

then,

Medicine?" While they were self that

quarrelling, I

was saying

was always the poor grass that

most when two kings went

It also

From

me in

very unfair

and

when my

that,

all,

pleasure and pain

that day forward, merely over this trifling

and Dada was

To my

eyes, the

husband

in to

see me.

bond between

strained.

surprise one afternoon, while

was away, Dada brought, a doctor examined

grave.

had

husband's concern, not theirs.

matter of

marriage, they should inter-

After

fere afterwards.

are

suffered

it.

seemed to

family had given

my-

Here was

to war.

dispute going on between these two,

bear the brunt of

dangerous.

my said

eyes very carefully, and looked that

further

neglect

would be

wrote out a prescription, and

Dada

VISION

137

When

sent for the medicine at once.

doctor had gone, fere,

my Dada

implored

was sure that only

the strange

not to inter-

would come from

evil

the stealthy visits of a doctor. I

was surprised

to speak to

myself for plucking up courage

brother like that.

hitherto been afraid of him.

Dada was

surprised

silence for a while,

Kumo.

when

won't

sure also that

boldness.

and then said

then went away.

Ihe chemist and

scriptions

took

I all

and he began to

bandaged

glasses,

powders.

me, though

The

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

down

treat

the well inter-

eyes with greater

eyes as he told me, I wore his colI

put in his drops, I took

gorge rose against

"Oh! much in

pre-

tried all sorts of remedies.

would ask me anxiously how

expert

But

it."

by Dada's

irritated

Each time he came back from

answer:

Very

medicine came from

even drank the cod-liver

kept well,

boTtles;- ^^owders,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and threw

diligence than ever.

oured

husband had been

ference,

the doctor any more.

call in

the medicine comes you must take

Dada

had always

better."

self-delusion.

he gave

it.

felt;

his

the hospital, he

Indeed

When

oil

all

and I

would

became an

found that the

VISION

138

water

was

eyes

myself with the thought that

much bad

get rid of so

of water in

husband's

would console

increasing, I

still

was a good thing

when

fluid; and,

eyes decreased, I

the flow

was elated

skill.

But after a while the agony became unbearable.

had continual head-

eyesight faded away, and I

aches day and night.

husband was

getting.

saw how much alarmed gathered from

So I hinted that

doctor.

one

call in a

might be as well to

call

in.

That he was greatly

relieved, I could see.

called in an English doctor that very day.

know what talk they had together, but the Sahib

had spoken very sharply

remained

had gone. "

manner

his

that he was casting about for a pretext to

What

didn't

you

some time

silent for

took

his

hands

ill-mannered

call in

have been much

brute

better.

husband was very

husband.

after the doctor

mine, and said: that

was

eyes?

silent for a

Why

That would

you think that

then said with a broken voice: "

must be operated on."

gathered that

an Indian doctor?

knows better than you do about

do not

man

moment, and

Kumo, your

eyes

VISION

pretended to be vexed with him for concealing

from me so

the fact

139

long.

Here you have known

and yet you have said nothing about

you think operation?

such a baby as to be afraid of an

good

very few men," said he, "

spirits

who

looked at

perfectly right.

so.

Men

are

gravely, and said:

"You

are

men

laughed away

There are

forward to an operation without shrinking."

are dreadfully vain."

his seriousness

you can beat us women even

When Dada

heroic only before their wives

are heroic enough

laughed at him: "Yes, that

it!

that he regained his

to look

this all the time," said

came,

vanity?

Are you

sure

took him aside: " Dada, that

treatment your doctor recommended would have

done

a world of good; only unfortunately

took the mixture for the I

made

the mistake,

worse; and

Dada

now an

said to

And

lotion.

eyes have

operation

mis-

since the

day

grown

steadily

needed."

me: "You were under your

band's treatment, and that

why

hus-

gave up coming

to visit you."

No,"

answered.

" In reahty, I was secretly

VISION

I40

accordance with your doctor's

treating myself in directions."

what

lies

are mothers,

when we

we women have we

tell lies to

of our children.

When we

to pacify our children;

tell lies

are wives,

to tell

are

and

pacify the fathers

never free from

this

necessity.

My a

deception had the effect of bringing about

better feeling between

Dada blamed from

himself for asking

husband: and

he had not taken

last,

tor came,

husband and Dada.

keep a secret

husband regretted that

brother's advice at the

first.

with the consent of both, an English doc-

and operated on

left eye.

That

eye,

however, was too weak to bear the strain; and the last flickering

glimmer of

other eye gradually lost

light

itself in

One day my husband came cannot brazen he, "

Kumo,

it is

I felt that his

Then

out.

the

darkness.

bedside.

out before you any longer," said I

who have

voice

ruined your eyes."

was choking with

took up his right hand

Why! you

dealt

went

tears,

and so

both of mine and said:

did exactly what was right.

You have

only with that which was your very own.

Just imagine,

some strange doctor had come and

VISION taken I

away my

eyesight.

happened for the

know

that

What

But now

have had then?

best;

141

your hands

When Ramchandra

can feel that

and

consolation should

great comfort

have

found one

And

me and

gift left I

I will

;

eyes

see some-

you must describe

feed upon your words as a sacred

over from your vision."

do not mean, of course, that

and then, for

over words

And when

like I

the light of evil fate,

I said all this

But

used to think

these for days and days together.

was very depressed, or

there

impossible to speak these things

on the spur of the moment.

eyes.

his eyes in

have dedicated

a joy to you, then

few with

lotus too

From now, whenever you

God.

thing that

has

lost

whigh to worship God, he offered both place of the lotus.

all

any time

devotion became dim, and

then

made my mind

I pitied

utter these sen-

tences,

one by one, as a child repeats a story that

told.

And

could

breathe

once

the

serener air of peace and love.

the very time of our talk together, I said

enough "

show

Kumo," he

done by

husband what was

said to me,

" the mischief I

folly can never be

made good.

heart.

have But

VISION

142 can do one thing.

and try as

in ray

make up

No,"

can ever remain by your

side,

much

for your want of vision as

power."

said

That

never do.

will

shall

not ask you to turn your house into an hospital for

There

the blind.

only one thing to be done,

you must marry again."

I tried to explain to

him that

this

was

my voice broke a little. I coughed, and hide my emotion, but he burst out saying:

sary,

Kumo,

know

solemn oath by

head

the sin of parricide, fall

" I

and

I hid

tears

But tears were choking

could not say a

my blind

and sobbed again.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; may

should never, never have allowed him to

voice,

joy.

marry

swear to you the most

swear that dreadful oath.

If ever I

family god, Gopinath

all sins,

tried

and a braggart, and

a fool,

not a villain!

most hated of

my Ah

you â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

again, I swear to

that

but I

all that,

neces-

was over,

face in

last,

drew

word

for insufferable

pillows,

when his

the

and sobbed,

first

flood of

head down to

breast.

Ah!

oath?

" said

why

you think

did you take such a terrible

asked you to marry again

VISION own

for your

sordid pleasure

143

was

think-

ing of myself, for she could perform those services

which were mine

you when

to give

" Services! " said he, " services

had

sight."

Those can be

Do you think I am mad enough slave into my house, and bid her share " with this my Goddess?

done by servants. to bring a

the throne

As he

word

said the

face in his hands,

brows.

dom was I

had a

moment

my nwn

the third eye of divine wis-

mind- "It

But

shall bring

down

No more

I shall rise to a

blessings

That flict

former

All the

little-

life

shall be

day, the whole day through, I felt a con-

The

going on within me.

that after this solemn oath

husband to marry again, heart,

higher region.

from above.

deceptions for

nesses and hypocrisies of " banished for everl

Lam

w^11,_

lower world of ho useâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

sei ve liiin in the

hold cares.

between

kiss

opened, where he kissed me, and verily

longer able to

lies

and placed a

my my

consecration.

T finid ~

that

" Goddess," he held up

and

Goddess,

joy of the thought,

was impossible for my

fixed its roots

could not tear them out.

who had

taken her new throne

deep

But the new in

me, said:

VISION

144 "

The

time might come when

your husband to break

would be good for

oath and marry again."

his

But the woman, who was within me, said: "That

may

be; but

there

all

same an oath

the

should exult over

"That

within me, replied

doubt; the

all

no reason why you

But the woman, who was

it."

What you

say

same he has taken

the

an oath, and

The Goddess, who was

no way out."

within me, answered:

quite true,

And

his oath."

same story went on again and again.

last

the Goddess frowned in silence, and the darkness of

came down upon me.

a horrible fear

repentant husband would not

my work;

gave

he must do

me unbounded

thus for every

little

side,

ing

him by

other

all

the servants

himself.

first it

delight to be dependent on thing.

and

was

desire to

him

means of keephave him with

my blindness. That of his presence, which my eyes had lost, my senses craved. When he was absent from my

me had become share

let

side, I

would

and had

lost

intense since

feel as if I

hold of

Formerly, when

were hanging

all

things tangible.

husband came back

the hospital, I used to open at the road.

in mid-air,

my window

That road was

late

from

and gaze

the link which con-

VISION

Now

nected his world with mine. that link through

When

yawn wide open. when he should

left

had

lost

my body would

bridge that united us had

now

given way, and there was

chasm.

when

blindness, all

The

go out to seek him.

145

this

unsurpassable

seemed

side the gulf

could only wait for the time

cross back again

from

his

own

shore

to mine.

But such intense longing and such utter dependence

wife

in all conscience,

and

can never be good. a

man,

of this blindness was to make I

vowed

that I

would

husband round

burden enough to

add

the burden

his life unbearable.

suffer alone,

in the folds

and never wrap

all-pervading

darkness.

Within an incredibly short space of time aged to

train myself to

all

soon found that

than before.

For

And

helps us.

man-

household duties

by the help of touch and sound and smell. I

In fact

could get on with greater

skill

sight often distracts rather than it

came

to pass that,

when

these

roving eyes of mine could do their work no longer, all

the other senses took up their several duties with

quietude and completeness.

When

had gained experience by constant prac-

VISION

146

would not

tice, I

let

hold duties for me.

my husband do any more houseHe complained bitterly at first

was depriving him of

that I

his penance.

Whatever he might

This did not convince me. say, I could feel that

when

he had a real sense of relief

these household duties were over.

daily a wife

who

make up

blind can never

serve

the life

of a man. II

husband

course.

had

last

to practise as a doctor.

I felt

with joy, through

restored to the arms of birthplace

in the

ory of I

knew

its

busy

in the

country

blindness, that I

mother.

had

when

memory

As long life

early days.

for the

the eyes

all

There

for Calcutta

great city the

had grown dim. cutta with

medical

was

left

was eight

Since then ten years had passed away,

years old.

and

his

went away from Calcutta to a small

town

village

finished

first

as I

had

village

eyesight, Cal-

screened from view the

But when

home

I lost

mem-

eyesight

time that Calcutta allured only

could not

fill

the mind.

blindness, the scenes of

And

now,

childhood shone out

once more, like stars that appear one by one in the

evening sky at the end of the day.

VISION It

was

the beginning of

147

November when we

The

Calcutta for Harsingpur.

place

left

was new

me, but the scents and sounds of the countryside pressed

The morning

round and embraced me.

breeze coming fresh from the newly ploughed land, the sweet and tender smell of the flowering mustard, the

shepherd-boy's

sounding

flute

the distance,

even the creaking noise of the bullock-cart, as

groaned over the broken

world with with

delight.

all its ineffable

village

road,

filled

The memory of my

past

life,

fragrance and sound, became a

living present to me,

and

went back, and lived over again

was wrong.

blind eyes could not

Only one thing was absent:

childhood.

tell

mother was not with me. I

could see

my home

with the large peepul trees

growing along the edge of the picture in

mind's eye

village pool.

old grandmother seated

on the ground with her thin wisps of hair

warming her back round

in the sun as she

lentil balls to

But somehow

made

untied,

the

little

be dried and used for cooking.

could not recall the songs she used

to croon to herself in her

weak and quavering

In the evening, whenever cattle, I

could

voice.

heard the lowing of

could almost watch the figure of

my mother

VISION

148

going round the sheds with lighted lamp

The

her hand.

smell of the wet fodder and the pungent

of the straw

And

fire

would enter seemed

in the distance I

into

smoke

very heart.

to hear the clanging of

from the

the temple bell wafted up by the breeze river bank.

Calcutta, with all

There,

the heart.

when

and innocence.

a friend of

Kumo, why

been so long calling

and said to me: If I

had been

husband, I would never look

should

indignant, because he

make

hatred to grow up against

had

in a doctor.

blindness," said

Why

evil.

when

in,

remember one

his face again."

She tried to make

mine came

don't you feel angry?

treated like you by

upon

beautiful duties of life

all the

lose their freshness

day,

turmoil and gossip, curdles

its

was it

a sufficient

itself

worse by allowing

husband?

friend shook her head in great contempt,

she heard such old-fashioned talk from the lips

of a mere chit of a

girl.

But whatever might be

words

She went away

in disdain.

answer at the time, such

as these left their poison;

and the venom was

never wholly got out of the soul, when once they had

been uttered.

VISION So you see Calcutta, with does harden the heart. the country all

held true in

life

never-ending gossip, I

and

earlier hopes

came back

faiths, all that

during childhood, became fresh

heart and

its

But when

God came

and bright once more.

149

world.

bowed

me, and to

filled

Him, and

said:

" It

Thou

well that

art with

Ah!

But

Thou

say

I said

this

when nothing

eyes.

me."

more than was

a presumption to say:

we can

has taken away

" I

"Thou

art with

must be true

left for us,

right.

still

me."

Thee."

we have

was All

Even go on

living.

Ill

passed a few happy months together.

husband gained some reputation

And money came

as a doctor.

But there to

in his profession

with

a mischief in money.

it.

cannot point

any one event; but, because the blind have keener

perceptions than other people, I could discern the

change which came over

husband along with the

increase of wealth.

had

keen sense of

justice

when he was

VISION

I50

younger, and had often told to help the

of his great desire

poor when once he obtained a practice

of his own.

had

a noble

who would

in his profession

contempt for those

not feel the pulse of

But now

a poor patient before collecting his fee. I

noticed a difference.

hard.

had become strangely

Once when a poor woman came, and begged

him, out of charity, to save the

And when

he bluntly refused. self to help her,

he did

While we were sharp practice

rich

less

money

implored him my-

work

his

of her only child,

life

perfunctorily.

husband disliked

matters.

was

scru-

But since he had

pulously honourable in such things.

got a large account at the bank he was often closeted for hours with

some scamp of a landlord's agent,

for purposes which clearly boded no good.

Where

has he drifted?

husband of mine,

was

brings

who

kissed

brows, and enshrined

Goddess?

down

has become of this

the husband I

blind; the husband

tween a

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

What

Those whom

knew before

me on

that day be-

the throne of

a sudden gust of passion

to the dust can rise

new strong impulse of goodness. day by day, become dried up

in the

up again with

But those who, very fibre of their

moral being; those who by some outer

parasitic

VISION

151

growth choke the inner Hfe by slow degrees,

men

day

reach one

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

such

deadness which knows no

healing.

The

separation caused by blindness

physical

that hour

That

when we both knew

to find that

with

that I

was

love fresh and

husband has

blind.

faith unbroken,

heart's inner shrine.

left the cool

things that are ageless

shade of those

and unfading.

fast

disappearing into the barren, waterless waste

mad

a separation indeed!

have kept to the shelter of But

suffocates

the merest

no longer with me, where he stood with me

But, ah

trifle.

in his

thirst for gold.

Sometimes the suspicion comes to me that things are not so bad as they seem: that perhaps I exag-

gerate because

blind.

may

be that,

eyesight were unimpaired, I should have accepted the

world

light in

and

as I

which

ter.

it.

This, at any rate,

husband looked

at all

was the

my moods

fancies.

One day an

found

asked I

old

Musalman came

husband to

visit his little

could hear the old

man

to the house.

grand-daugh-

say: " Babu,

poor man; but come with me, and Allah

will

am do

VISION

152

you good."

husband answered coldly: "

Allah will do won't help matters;

want

What know

what you can do for me."

When

heard

wondered

It,

my mind why

God had not made me deaf as well as blind. old man heaved a deep sigh, and departed.

my maid the

to fetch

him

I sent

met him

door of the inner apartment, and put some

money

into his hand.

" Please take this

from me," said

" for your

grand-daughter, and get a trustworthy doctor

little

to look after her.

And

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; pray

But the whole of that day at

room.

The

In the afternoon,

all.

from

sleep,

for

husband."

could take no food

when my husband got up

he asked me:

"Why

do you look so

pale?" I

was about

It's

to say, as I used to

nothing "

were over, and

;

in the past:

but those days of deception

spoke to him plainly.

" I have been hesitating," I said, " for days to-

gether to think out

now

mind.

Our

tell

what exactly

may But

lives

you something. it

was

has been hard to

wanted to

say.

Even

not be able to explain what I had in I

sure you

know what has happened.

have drifted apart."

VISION

husband laughed

Change

said:

"I know

some things that are

Then he became " a

forced manner, and

the law of nature."

said to him:

153

eternal."

serious.

said he, "

There are many women,"

real cause for sorrow.

husbands

But there are

that.

who have

There are some whose

do not earn money.

There

are

whose husbands do not love them.

ers

oth-

But you

making yourself wretched about nothing

are

all."

Then ness

became

had conferred on me

world which I

clear to

not

beyond

all

that

the

change.

very blind-

power of seeing Yes

It is true.

And my husband

other women.

will

never understand me. IV

Our two some

lives

Then

time.

notony.

went on with

their dull routine for

there was a break in the

aunt of

mo-

husband came to pay us a

visit.

The ing

was

become

first

this

thing she blurted out after our :

" Well,

blind; but

Kumo,

it's

first

a great pity

greet-

you have

why do you impose your own

VISION

154

You must

on your husband?

affliction

get

him

marry another wife." There was an awkward pause.

had only said something

and

and said

hesitated,

way: "

husband

or laughed in her

in jest,

But he stammered

would have been over.

face, all

at last in a nervous, stupid

Really, Aunt, you

you really think so?

shouldn't talk like that."

His

appealed

aunt

me.

Was

wrong,

Kumo?" I

laughed a hollow laugh.

Had

not you better," said

" consult

The

some one

more competent

to decide?

asks permission

from the man whose pocket he

pickpocket never is

going to pick." "

You

are

" Abinash, in private.

After a presence,

who

quite

right,"

replied

blandly.

my dear, let us have our little conference What do you say to that? " few days my husband asked her, in my she

knew of any

could come and help

He knew

she

quite well that I

girl in

of a decent family

household work.

needed no help.

kept

silence.

" "

Oh!

there are heaps of them," replied his aunt.

cousin has a daughter

who

just of the

mar-

VISION

155

riageable age, and as nice a girl as you could wish.

Her

people would be only too glad to secure you as

a husband."

Again there came from him that

"But

ing laugh, and he said:

forced, hesitat-

never mentioned

marriage."

How

could you expect," asked his aunt, " a girl

of decent family to come and out marriage?

had

live in

admit that

remained nervously

this

was reasonable, and

silent.

my blindupon my God and

stood alone within the closed doors of

ness after he

prayed: "

When from my

had gone, and God, save

called

husband."

was coming out of the household shrine

morning worship

took hold of both

Kumo, here

few days

She

anglnl.

the girl," said she, "

Her name

will be delighted to

come here and be Introduced

husband

moment. strange :

girl,

entered

feigned

the

dear,

we were

HemHemo,

meet you.

to your sister."

room

surprise

and was about

" Ablnash,

aunt

later, his

hands warmly.

speaking about the other day.

said

your house with-

the

same

when he saw

to retire.

But

his

the

aunt

what are you running away

VISION

156

There

for?

cousin's

no need

if talcen

quite

new

of the

you.

by surprise, he began to ply

his

when and why and

arrival.

saw the hollowness of the whole

Hemangini by

see

to him."

aunt with questions about the

how

Here

that.

Hemangini, come

daughter,

Hemo, make your bow As

the

hand and led her

thing,

and took

my own

room.

gently stroked her face and arms and hair, and

found that she was about

fifteen

years old, and very

beautiful.

her face, she suddenly burst out laughing

I felt

"Why! what

and said:

hypnotising

me?

Are you

are you doing?

That sweet ringing laughter of hers swept away in a us.

moment I

And "

all

threw

Dear one," again

said

arm about her " I

Trying to see me?

grown

trying to see you."

left

hand.

" she said, with a

new

burst

how

soft I

suddenly bethought

had

neck.

vegetable

your garden, that you want to

round'to see

right

stroked her soft face with

of laughter.

the dark clouds that stood between

lost

sight.

am?

marrow,

feel

all

that she did not

know

VISION " Sister, I

She was full

blind," said

silent.

could feel her big young eyes,

of curiosity, peering into

were

full

Then

pity.

157

face.

knew they

she grew thoughtful and

puzzled, and said, after a short pause: "

see

band invited "

No!

now.

That was

his aunt to

" I replied, "

the reason your hus-

come and

stay here."

you are quite mistaken.

She came of her own

did not ask her to come. accord."

Hemangini went " That's just like it

nice of her to

now

she's come,

Can you

The talking.

come without any you won't get her

tell

did

wasn't

But

invitation? to

move

for

some

father " that?

send

aunt had come into the

Hemangini

Aunt?

aunt looked very

What

much

me?"

room

said to her:

thinking of going back.

The

of laughter.

peal

she paused, and looked puzzled.

"But why "

aunt," said she.

time, I can assure you!

Then

into

off

she

asked.

while

we were

When

are you

" upset.

a question to ask! " said she, " I've never

seen such a restless body as you.

We've

come, and you ask when we're going back!

only just "

VISION

158 " It

very well for you," Hemangini

said,

house belongs to your near relations.

But

all

" for this

what about me?

And

here." "

drew her

aunt was tion

think,

great

in a

you plainly

tell

then she

What do you I

can't

my hand

held "

stop

and said:

dear?

heart, but said nothing. difficulty.

was getting beyond her

She

felt

The

the situa-

control; so she proposed

that she and her niece should go out together to

bathe. "

No we !

two

will

The

clinging to me.

Going down

Why I

That

startled

can

Look

fearing opposi-

by her question, and answered:

I tell?

God

has not given

any.

the reason."

"No! quickly.

in,

Hemangini asked me:

to the river

don't you have children?

was

How

aunt gave

drag her away.

tion if she tried to

go together," said Hemangini,

That's not the reason," said Hemangini "

You must have committed some

aunt.

cause her heart has

wickedness

The words

sin.

must be be-

some wickedness.

But what

She

childless.

your heart?"

hurt me.

for the problem of

evil.

have no solution to I

offer

sighed deeply, and said

VISION in the silence

159

God! Thou knowest

cried

Hemangini, " what

soul: "

the reason." " Gracious goodness,"

are

you

for?

sighing

one

ever

takes

seriously."

And

her laughter pealed across the river.

found out after

interruptions in

calls

refused

all

this that there

were constant

husband's professional duties.

from a

and would

distance,

hurry away from his patients, even when they were close at hand.

Formerly

and

was only during the mid-day meals

at night-time that he could

apartment.

into the inner

But now, with unnecessary anxiety for

his aunt's comfort, he

of the day.

come

knew

her room, when

began

to visit her at all hours

at once that he

had come

heard her shouting for Heman-

gini to bring in a glass of water.

would do what she was

first

told; but later

the girl

on she

re-

fused altogether.

Then "

the aunt

Hemo Hemo

cling to

would

call, in

an endearing voice

Hemangini."

with an impulse of

But the pity.

girl

would

sense of

VISION

i6o

dread and sadness would keep her times she would shrink towards thing,

who

About

cutta to visit

a hunted

knew what was coming.

scarcely

this

Some-

silent.

time

me.

brother came

down from

knew how keen

his

Cal-

powers of

observation were, and what a hard judge he was. I

feared

and have

husband would be put on

his defence,

to stand his trial before him.

I en-

deavoured to hide the true situation behind a mask But

of noisy cheerfulness. the part:

how long my

to fidget openly,

little

a tear fell

from

Before

but to leave.

going he placed his hand on time.

last his

short of insulting, and

brother had no help for

some

and asked

brother was going to stay.

impatience became

and

afraid I overdid

was unnatural for me.

husband began

there for

head, and kept

I noticed that his

hand shook,

his eyes, as he silently

gave

his blessing. I

well

remember

that

was an evening

in April,

who had come

into the

town were going back home from market.

There

and a market-day.

was the

People

feeling of an

impending storm

in the air;

the smell of the wet earth

and the moisture

wind were all-pervading.

in the

never keep a lighted

VISION lamp

bedroom, when

clothes should catch I

on the

sat

floor in

alone, lest

or some accident happen.

fire,

i6i

dark room, and called upon

God of my blind world. O my Lord," I cried, " Thy face is hidden. I cannot see. I am blind. I hold tight this broken rudder of a heart till my hands bleed. The waves the

How

have become too strong for me.

my God, how long? my head prone upon

thou try me, I

kept

began to sob. a

The

little.

away

silently.

bedstead

neck,

and wiped

had been lying alone there question.

tears

do not know why she had been

waiting that evening in the inner room, or

me no

move

moment Hemangini was by my

and

the bedstead

I did so, I felt the

She clung to

side.

long wilt

in the dusk.

She said no word.

placed her cool hand on

why

she

She asked

She simply

forehead, and kissed

me, and departed.

The

next morning

my presence I

don't.

Hemangini

said to her aunt in

" If you want to stay on, you can.

But

I'm going away home with our family

servant."

The alone,

aunt said there was no need for her to go for she

was going away

also.

Then

smil-

VISION

i62

and mincingly she brought

ingly

case, a ring set

" Look,

out,

from

a plush

with pearls.

Hemo,"

said she, "

what a beautiful ring

Abinash brought for you."

Hemangini snatched the ring from her hand. " Look, Aunt," she answered quickly, " just see

how

And

splendidly I aim."

she flung the ring into

the tank outside the window.

The

aunt,

overwhelmed with alarm, vexation, and

me, and held "

Kumo,"

say a

He I

me by

She turned to

hedgehog.

surprise, bristled like a

the hand.

she repeated again and again, " don't

word about

this

childish freak to Abinash.

would be fearfully vexed." assured her that she need not fear.

would reach him about

The

from

Not

word

lips.

next day before starting for

home Heman-

gini embraced me, and said: " Dearest, keep

mind; do not forget me." I

stroked her face over and over with

fingers,

and

said: "Sister, the blind have long memories."

drew her head towards me, and kissed her hair

and her forehead. grey.

world suddenly became

All the beauty and laughter and tender youth,

which had nestled so close to me, vanished when

VISION Hemangini departed. arms outstretched,

deserted world.

husband came

relief

now

In later.

what was

left

affected a great

that they were gone, but

gerated and empty. visit

went groping about with

seelcing to find out

163

was exag-

pretended that his aunt's

had kept him away from work.

Hitherto there had been only the one barrier of

me and my

blindness between

other barrier was added,

about Hemangini. but

was

early in

Where I

going on Is

knew

about her.

the

What

is all

landing on

this prep-

the

river?

was something Impending, but

there

said to the maid: "

tions.

letters

Master going?

The maid

deliberate silence

My maid entered my room

May.

one morning, and asked aration

this

an-

feigned utter Indifference,

knew he was having

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Now

husband.

I can't say."

did not dare to ask

me any more

ques-

She sighed, and went away.

Late that night

husband came

me.

" I have to visit a patient In the country," said he.

" I shall have to start very early to-morrow

morning, and three days."

may have

to be

away

for

two or

VISION

64 I

got up from

Why

cried aloud: "

My husband have

stood before him, and

are you telling

stammered out: "

told you?

I said: "

bed.

You

What

lies?

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; what

lies

are going to get married."

remained

was no sound

For some moments there

silent.

the

Then

room.

broke the

silence

Answer me,"

He I

" Say, yes."

I cried.

answered, " Yes," like a feeble echo.

shouted out with a loud voice

never allow you.

I shall

If I fail in this, then

why

your wife, and

save you from this great

I shall

disaster, this dreadful sin.

why am

did I ever worship

my God?" The room remained on the " I

and clung to

floor,

What

another wife?

Tell

are

dropped

truly.

Where have

Why

do you want

afraid of you.

enclosed you In entrance.

husband's knees.

husband said slowly: "I

truth.

You

as a stone.

have I done? " I asked.

been lacking?

still

Its

fortress,

will tell

Your and

you the

blindness has

have now no

To me you are no longer a woman. awful as my God. I cannot live my every-

VISION day

with you.

life

woman

nary

want

— whom

165

woman

—

just an ordi-

can be free to chide and

coax and pet and scold."

Oh, tear open but that,

—

girl that I

with

all

was when

was newly wed,

recollect exactly the

only remember

this

the

a girl

may God

words that

uttered.

that I said: " If I be a true wife,

you

witness,

never do

shall

wicked deed, you shall never break your oath.

Before you commit such sacrilege, either

come

widow, or HemanginI

Then I

—

else

her need to believe, to confide, to worship.

do not

then,

What am I woman? I am

heart and see

an ordinary

just

same

came

silent.

I fell

down on

to myself,

shall die."

the floor in a swoon.

was

still

The

dark.

When

birds were

husband had gone.

All that day at the

I shall be-

I sat at

household shrine.

worship

in the

sanctuary

In the evening a fierce

storm, with thunder and lightning and rain, swept

down upon

the house and shook

before the shrine,

did not ask

it.

my God

crouched

to save

husband from the storm, though he must have been at that time in peril

on the

whatever might happen to me, saved from

this great sin.

river.

prayed that

husband might be

VISION

The whole

Night passed.

of the next day I kept

When

seat at worship.

was evening there

was the noise of shaking and beating

When

was broken open, they found me

the door

on the ground, and carried me

lying unconscious

at the door.

room.

When

came

whispering in I

to myself at last, I heard

found that

some one

ear: "Sister."

was

my room with my head When my head moved, I

lying in

on Hemangini's

lap.

heard her dress

rustle.

was the sound of bridal

silk.

ray

God,

heeded!

my God! husband has

prayer has gone un-

fallen!

Hemangini bent her head low, and whisper blessing

" Sister, dearest, I

said in a sweet

have come to ask your

on our marriage."

first

whole body

stiffened like the

a tree that has been struck by lightning. sat up,

and

the words:

said, painfully, forcing

"Why

should

trunk of

Then

myself to speak

not bless you?

You

have done no wrong."

Hemangini laughed her merry laugh.

"Wrong!" was

right;

said she.

and when

"When

marry, you

you married call

wrong!

VISION I tried to

my mind

this

upon in

God

smile in answer to her laughter. :

His

world.

prayer

will

head; but

May

may

not the

final

I said

thing in

Let the blows descend

all.

they leave

faith

and hope

untouched."

Hemangini bowed "

167

and touched

to me,

you be happy," said

feet.

blessing her, " and

enjoy unbroken prosperity."

Hemangini was "

Dearest

You

unsatisfied.

sister," she said, " a blessing for

You must make

not enough. plete.

still

our happiness com-

must, with those saintly hands of yours,

accept into your

home my husband

also.

Let

bring him to you." I said:

few

" Yes, bring him to me."

moments and

footstep,

the

later

heard

question,

Kumo,

familiar

how

are

you?" I

started up, and

bowed

to the ground,

and cried:

"Dada!" Hemangini burst out laughing. "

"You still call him elder Call him What nonsense

and pull

his ears

me, your younger

brother?" she asked. younger brother now,

and tease him, for he has married sister."

VISION

Then from I

My husband had been saved

understood.

that great sin.

had not

fallen.

knew my Dada had determined never

And,

since

my mother had

was no sacred

died, there

wish of hers to Implore him to wedlock. sister,

sore need had brought

had married for

Dada

cheeks.

I tried,

eyes,

but I could not stop them.

hair.

bed for the best part of

could not imagine

and poured

the night, waiting with straining anxiety for

band's return.

his

and went on laughing.

to me,

was lying awake

to pass.

slowly passed his fingers through

Hemangini clung I

But

sake.

Tears of joy gushed from

down my

to marry.

how

hus-

he would

bear the shock of shame and disappointment.

When It was long past my door opened. I

slowly

listened.

sat

my hand

Your Dada,"

destruction.

up on

the footsteps of

heart began to beat wildly.

bed, held "

They were

the hour of midnight,

my my

bed, and

husband.

came up

in his.

said he,

" has

saved

me from

was being dragged down and down

by a moment's madness. me, from which

Infatuation

seemed unable

alone knows what a load

had seized

to escape.

God

was carrying on that day

VISION when

The storm came down on

entered the boat.

and covered the

the river,

had

fears I

which

There

had

In the midst of

sky.

secret wish in

drowned, and so disentangle in

169

tied

it.

life

with what joy and shame

board the boat again.

In that

cept with you. I

Icnot

heard

Your

free.

cannot I

it.

tell

you

hastened on

moment

self-

that I could have no happiness ex-

You

are a Goddess."

laughed and cried at the same time, and said:

No, no, no

longer. just

from the

set

brother had married Hemangini.

knew

heart to be

reached Mathurganj.

heard the news which

revelation I

all

not going to be a Goddess any

simply your

own

little

wife.

an ordinary woman."

" Dearest," he replied, " I have also something I

want

to say to you.

by calling

Never again put me

shame

me your God." little

town became joyous with

the sound of conch shells.

But nobody made any

the next day the

reference to that night of madness,

nearly

lost.

when

all

was so

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE I

Once upon

Babus of Nayanjore were

a time the

They were noted

famous landholders.

They would

extravagance.

princely

for their

tear off

the

rough border of their Dacca muslin, because rubbed against their

They

skin.

a certain grand occasion

to turn night into

and showered

The

silver threads

flood came.

kitten.

alleged that in order

day they lighted numberless lamps

Those were

sunlight.

it is

many

could spend

thousands of rupees over the wedding of a

The

from the sky

to imitate

the days before the flood.

line

of succession

among these

old-world Babus, with their lordly habits, could not continue

for long.

wicks burning, the light

went

Like a lamp with too many oil flared

away

and the

out.

Kailas Babu, our neighbour,

the last rehc of

Before he grew up,

this extinct magnificence.

family

quickly,

had very nearly reached 173

its

lowest

his

ebb.

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

174

When

was one dazzHng

his father died, there

out-

burst of funeral extravagance, and then insolvency.

The property was

ready money was

little

sufficient to Iceep

Kailas cutta.

Babu

What

sold to liquidate the debt.

over was altogether

left

in-

up the past ancestral splendours. Nayanjore, and came to Cal-

left

His son did not remain long

of faded glory.

world

in this

died, leaving behind

him an

only daughter.

In Calcutta

are

Curiously enough our

opposite to his.

own

Kailas

own

Babu's neighbours.

family history

father got his

owe him

display,

in the world.

a self-made

are dearer to

and

gratitude for that.

very best education, and

His

his

man.

was able

clothes

hands

never had any inclination to earn the

Babu by extravagant son,

money by

more than was needed.

were those of a working man, and

just the

and prided himself on never spend-

exertions,

ing a penny

also.

title

myself his only

He to

gave me the

make my way

not ashamed of the fact that Crisp bank-notes in

than a long pedigree

safe

an empty

family chest. I believe

this

Babu drawing

his

was why

disliked seeing Kailas

heavy cheques on the public

credit

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE from the bankrupt bank of tion.

his ancient

Babu reputa-

used to fancy that he looked

down on me,

because

175

father had earned

money with

his

own

hands.

ought to have noticed that no one showed any

vexation towards Kailas Babu except myself.

deed

who

would have been

did less

harm than

with his kindly

sorrow and

difficult to find

acts

little

joy.

he.

an old

man

was always ready

of courtesy in times of

would join

monies and religious observances of

the cere-

all

his neighbours.

His familiar smile would greet young and old

His

In-

alike.

politeness in asking details about domestic af-

was

fairs

The

untiring.

friends

who met him

the street were perforce ready to be button-holed,

while a long string of questions of this kind followed

one another from "

My dear friend,

you quite well? he

his lips

all

right?

How

Have you heard?

you know,

ill.

—

er,

Dada —

I've only just

fever.

How

And Hari Charan

have not seen him for a not

Shashi? and

Madhu's son has got

that

long time —

he?

Babu — hope he

are the ladies of your family?

heard is

What's the matter with Rakkhal?

how

Are

delighted to see you.

I is

And,

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

176

Kailas Babu was spotlessly neat in his dress on all occasions,

limited.

vests

though

his supply of clothes

Every day he used

and coats and trousers

was sorely and

to air his shirts

carefully,

and put them

out in the sun, along with his bed-quilt, his pillowcase,

and the small carpet on which he always

sat.

After airing them he would shake them, and brush them, and put them on the rock. furniture

made

that there was often, for

his small

little

and linen with menial tasks.

door and receive

Though his

room

left.

Very

needed.

Then he would his

own

After

and hinted

decent,

in reserve

his

Iron out his

hands, and do other

this

he would open his

his friends again.

had

Kailas Babu, as I have said,

landed property, he had

looms

little bits

want of a servant, he would shut up

house for a while. shirts

His

There was a

still

lost all

some family

heir-

silver cruet for sprinkling

scented water, a filigree box for otto-of-roses, a small

gold salver, a costly ancient shawl, and the oldfashioned ceremonial dress

and ancestral turban.

These he had rescued with the greatest

from the money-lenders' able occasion he

clutches.

would bring them out

difficulty

every

In state,

suit-

and

thus try to save the world-famed dignity of the Babus

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE of Nayanjore.

in his daily speech

owed

177

heart the most modest of men,

he regarded

as a sacred duty,

to his rank, to give free play to his family

pride.

His friends would encourage

this trait in his

character with kindly good-humour, and

gave them

great amusement.

The neighbourhood soon Thakur Dada.^ sit

him

learnt to call

They would

their

and

flock to his house,

with him for hours together.

prevent his

in-

curring any expense, one or other of his friends "

would bring him tobacco, and say: this

Thakur Dada,

morning some tobacco was sent

Gaya.

take

it,

and see how you

Thakur Dada would take

cellent.

like it."

and say

it,

would then go on

me from

was

ex-

to tell of a certain

exquisite tobacco which they once

smoked

in the

old

days at Nayanjore at the cost of a guinea an ounce. " I wonder," he used to say, "

one would can get

like to try

now.

wonder

have some

any

left,

and

at once."

Every one knew

somehow or

that, if they

asked for

it,

then

other the key of the cupboard would

be missing; or else Ganesh, his old family servant,

had put ^

away somewhere.

Grandfather.

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

178 "

You

never can be sure," he would add, " where

when

things go to

Now,

servants are about.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I can't

Ganesh of mine,^

tell

this

you what a fool he

is,

but I haven't the heart to dismiss him."

Ganesh, for the credit of the family, was quite ready to bear

One "

the blame without a word.

all

of the company usually said at this point:

Never mind, Thalcur Dada.

to look for

quite well.

This tobacco we're smoking will do

it.

The

other would be too strong."

Then Thakur Dada would down

again,

When

Please don't trouble

be relieved, and

and the talk would go

his guests got

would accompany them on the door-step

on.

up to go away, Thakur Dada to the door,

and say to them"

" Oh, by the way, "

when

coming to dine with me?

all

One or other yet,

settle

of us would answer:

Thakur Dada, not

are you

just yet.

We'll

"Not

just

day

fix

later."

" Quite right," he

would answer.

had much better wait

too hot now.

And

till

" Quite right.

the rains come.

It's

a grand rich dinner such as I

should want to give you would upset us

weather

like this."

But when the rains did come, every one was very

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE careful not to remind subject

him of

his promise.

If the

was brought up, some friend would suggest

gently that

was very inconvenient

the rains were so severe, that to wait

179

till

they were over.

to get

about when

would be much better

And

so the

game went

on.

His poor lodging was much too small for tion,

and we used

friends

to condole with

would assure him they

difficulties:

was next

house in Calcutta.

him about

his posiit.

His

quite understood his

to impossible to get a decent

Indeed, they had

all

been look-

ing out for years for a house to suit him, but, I need

hardly add, no friend had been foolish enough to find one.

Thakur Dada used

sigh of resignation:

have to put up with

" Well, well, this

suppose

house after

would add with a genial smile I

to say, after a long

That

Then he

all."

" But, you know,

could never bear to be away from

must be near you.

I shall

friends.

really compensates

for

everything."

Somehow

felt all this

very deeply indeed.

suppose the real reason was, that when a

young

stupidity appears to

man

I is

him the worst of crimes.

Kailas Babu was not really stupid.

In ordinary

business matters every one was ready to consult him.

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

i8o

But with regard to Nayanjore

common

certainly void of

amused

affection for him,

his utterances

were

Because, out of

sense.

no one contradicted

his

Impossible statements, he refused to keep them in

When

bounds.

people recounted

in his

hearing the

glorious history of Nayanjore with absurd exaggerations he

would accept

gravity,

and never doubted, even

they said with the utmost

all

any one could disbelieve

In his

dreams, that

it.

When

I sit

down and

and feelings that that there I will

was

now

Though

still

when less.

see

dislike.

the son of a rich man, and might at college,

my M.A.

In addition, if

my I

industry

was such

degree in Calcutta University

quite young.

handsome, that It

deeper reason for

explain.

have wasted time that I took

had towards Kailas Babu

try to analyse the thoughts

moral character was

flaw-

outward appearance was so

were

to call myself beautiful.

might be thought a mark of self-estimation, but

could not be considered an untruth.

There could be no question

men

of Bengal

that

among

the

young

was regarded by parents generally

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE as a

very

eligible

match.

was myself

quite clear

on the point, and had determined to obtain value in the marriage market.

When

had before my mind's eye

choice, I

i8i

pictured

full

a wealthy father's

only daughter, extremely beautiful and highly edu-

Proposals came pouring

cated.

and near; large sums weighed these

no one

fit

to be

me from

were

far

offered.

with rigid impartiality, in the

offers

delicate scales of

cash

in to

my own estimation. But there was my partner. I became convinced,

with the poet Bhabavuti, that

In this world's endless time and boundless space .

Onp mny

But

in this

m atch my

puny modern age, and it

sove reign grace this contracted

was doubtful

the peer-

creature existed as yet.

Meanwhile my and

last to

modern Bengal,

space of less

hnrn at

he.

praises were sung in

in different metres,

Whether

tunes,

by designing parents.

was pleased with

their daughters or

worship which they offered was never un-

not, this

pleasing.

cause I

many

used to regard

was so good.

proper due, be-

are told that

when

gods withhold their boons from mortals they

the still

expect their worshippers to pay them fervent honour,

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

i82

and are angry

if it is

withheld.

had that

divine

expectance strongly developed in myself. I

have already mentioned that Thakur Dada had

an only grand-daughter.

had seen her many

had never mistaken her for

but

thought had ever entered

Kailas

Babu would

an oblation at secret of

that he I

quite certain to

that

dislike

had not done

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it

heard he had told

would

that she

All the same,

some day or other

offer her, with all

Indeed

shrine.

beautiful.

my mind

be a possible partner for myself.

seemed

times,

due worship,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

was the

this

was thoroughly annoyed

already.

his friends that the

Nayanjore never craved

a boon.

Even

Babus of

the girl

remained unmarried, he would not break the family tradition.

angry.

But

time.

was

this

arrogance of his that

made

indignation smouldered for some

remained perfectly

silent,

and bore

with the utmost patience, because I was so good.

lightning accompanies thunder, so in

ter a flash of

ings of

humour was mingled with

wrath.

charac-

the mutter-

It was, of course, impossible for

to punish the old

man merely

rage; and for a long time

to give vent to

did nothing at

all.

my But

suddenly one day such an amusing plan came into

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE my

head, that

carrying I

183

could not resist the temptation of

into effect.

have already said that many of Kailas Babu's

friends used to flatter the old man's vanity to the

One, who was a retired Government servant,

full.

had told him that whenever he saw the Chota Lord Sahib he always asked for the latest news about the

Babus of Nayanjore, and the Chota Lord had been heard to say that

in all

Bengal the only really

Maharaja of

spectable families were those of the

Burdwan and

the

re-

When

Babus of Nayanjore.

this

monstrous falsehood was told to Kailas Babu he was extremely gratified, and often repeated the story.

And wherever servant in

after that he

company he would

met

this

Government

ask, along with other

questions "

Sahib?

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by

the way,

she

Quite well, did you say?

so delighted to hear is

how

quite

children

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

well

Kailas

too?

And

when you

Ah,

the dear

yes,

Mem

Ah, yes

Be sure and give them

Sahib,

Ah, yes! and the

are they quite well also

very good news pliments

it!

Lord

the Chota

little

that's

com-

see them."

Babu would

constantly express his intention

of going some day and paying a

visit to the Sahib.

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

But

may

be taken for granted that

many Chota

would come and

go,

and much water would pass down the Hoogly,

be-

Lords and Burra Lords

also

would be

fore the family coach of Nayanjore

nished up to pay a

One day

Government House.

took Kailas Babu aside, and told him "

whisper:

in a

visit to

Thakur Dada,

yesterday, and the Chota

Babu had come

to town.

terribly hurt because

was

told

you hadn't

Levee

mention

him that Kailas

you know, he was

called.

he was going to put etiquette on one

side,

told

and pay

a private visit himself this very afternoon."

Anybody

else

could have seen through this plot

of mine in a moment.

And,

if it

derstood the joke. his friend the

But after

Government

exaggerations, a

visit

had been directed

Babu would have

against another person, Kailas

own

at the

Lord happened

the Babus of Nayanjore.

you

fur-

all

un-

he had heard from

servant,

and after

all his

from the Lieutenant-Gov-

ernor seemed the most natural thing in the world.

became highly nervous and excited

Each

detail of the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; most of

all his

on earth was that

coming

own

visit

exercised

him greatly

ignorance of English.

difficulty to

there was no difficulty at all:

be met? it

was

news.

How

told

him

aristocratic not

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE know

iSj

English: and, besides, the Lieutenant-Gov-

ernor always brought an interpreter with him, and he

had expressly mentioned that

this visit

was

to be

private.

About mid-day, when most of our neighbours at

are

work, and the rest are asleep, a carriage and pair

stopped before the lodging of Kailas Babu. flunkeys in livery

came up the

loud voice, "

in a

rived." in his

Kailas

stairs,

The Chota Lord

Babu was

and announced Sahib has ar-

ready, waiting for him,

old-fashioned ceremonial robes and ancestral

turban,

and Ganesh was by

his side, dressed in his

When

master's best suit of clothes for the occasion. the

Two

Chota Lord Sahib was announced, Kailas Babu

ran panting and puffing and trembling to the door,

and led

in a friend of mine, in disguise, with repeated

salaams, bowing low at each step, and walking back-

ward

as best he could.

had

his old family

shawl

spread over a hard wooden chair, and he asked the

Lord Sahib

to be seated.

flown speech

the Sahibs,

then

made

a high-

Urdu, the ancient Court language of

and presented on the golden salver

string of gold mohurs, the last relics of his broken

fortune.

The

old family servant Ganesh, with an

expression of awe bordering on terror, stood behind

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

with the scent-sprinkler, drenching the Lord Sahib, touching him gingerly from time to time with the

from the

otto-of-roses

Kailas

filigree

box.

Babu repeatedly expressed

being able to receive His

Honour Bahadur with

the ancestral magnificence of his at

Nayanjore.

own

all

family estate

There he could have welcomed him But

properly with due ceremonial.

was

his regret at not

mere stranger and sojourner

in Calcutta

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

in fact a fish

out of water.

IMy

friend, with his tall silk hat on, very gravely

nodded. lish

custom the hat ought to have been removed

room.

inside the it

off

need hardly say that according to Eng-

But

friend did not dare to take

for fear of detection; and Kailas

Babu and

his

old servant Ganesh were sublimely unconscious of the breach of etiquette.

After a ten minutes' interview, which consisted chiefly of

nodding the head,

to depart.

The two

friend rose to his feet

flunkeys in livery, as

planned beforehand, carried

off

had been

in state the string

of gold mohurs, the gold salver, the old ancestral shawl, the silver scent-sprinkler, and the otto-of-roses filigree

box; they placed them ceremoniously In the

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

Kailas Babu regarded this as the usual

carriage.

Lord

habit of Chota I

was watching

When

the while from the next room.

could hold myself in no longer,

Into a further ner, a

all

Sahibs.

were aching with suppressed laughter.

sides

When

187

young

room, suddenly to discover,

girl

she saw

sobbing as

rushed

In a cor-

her heart would break.

uproarious laughter she stood up-

right In passion, flashing the lightning of her big

dark eyes " Tell to

mine, and said with a tear-choked voice

What harm

Why

you?

Why have you

has

grandfather done

have you come to deceive him?

come here ?

She could say no more.

Why

She covered her face

with her hands, and broke Into sobs.

My laughter vanished in a moment. occurred to

that there

premely funny joke discovered that tenderest

little

rose up to

In this act

silence, like a

Hitherto

a su-

of mine, and here

cruelest pain to this

All the ugliness of

condemn me.

had never

was anything but

had given the

heart.

slunk out of the

cruelty

room

kicked dog.

grand-daughter

had only looked upon Kusum, the of

Kailas

Babu,

somewhat

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

worthless commodity in the marriage market, wait-

But now

ing in vain to attract a husband.

I found,

with a shocii of surprise, that in the corner of that

room

human

The whole

heart was beating. night through I

mind was

in a tumult.

early in the morning, I took

had very

little sleep.

the next day, very

all

those stolen goods

back to Kallas Babu's lodgings, wishing to hand them over

in secret to the servant

Ganesh.

side the door, and, not finding

to Kailas Babu's

Kusum voice:

room.

waited out-

any one, went upstairs

heard from the passage

asking her grandfather in the most winning " Dada, dearest,

Chota Lord Sahib said

leave out a single word.

tell

that the

all

Don't

you yesterday.

dying to hear

it all

over again."

And Dada needed no beamed over with pride of praises, which the

enough

encouragement.

His face

as he related all

manner

Lord Sahib had been good

to utter concerning the ancient families of

Nayanjore.

The

girl

was seated before him, look-

ing up into his face, and listening with rapt attention.

She was determined, out of love for the old man, to play her part to the

full.

heart was deeply touched, and tears came to

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE my

eyes.

189

stood there In silence in the passage,

Dada finished all his embellishments Chota Lord Sahib's wonderful visit. When

while Thakur

the

left the

them a

room

at last, I

took the stolen goods and laid

and came away without

at the feet of the girl

word. Later

day

in the

I called

again to see Kailas Babu

himself.

According to our ugly modern custom,

had been

in the habit

to this old

man when made

this

day

convinced the old

my new

it,

and an

His

into the

room.

man

thought that the coming

to his house

He was

politeness.

all

But on

a low bow, and touched his feet.

air of

friends

came

Lord Sahib

of t he Chota of

of making no greeting at

was the cause

highly gratified by

benign severity shone from his eyes.

had flocked

In,

and he had already begun

to tell again at full length the story of the Lieuten-

ant-Governor's a

most

visit

with

The

fantastic kind.

becoming an

epic,

both

still

further adornments of

was already

interview

in quality

and

in length.

When the other visitors had taken their leave, I made my proposal to the old man In a humble manner.

I told

him

moment hope

that, "

to be

though

could never for a

worthy of marriage connection

with such an illustrious family, yet

etc. etc."

THE BABUS OF NAYANJORE

190

When

made

clear

proposal of marriage, the

man embraced me, and broke out in a tumult of " I am a poor man, and could never have exjoy: old

pected such great good fortune."

That was Kailas the

the

first

and

Babu confessed

first

and

last

time in his

to being poor.

time in his

life

that

was

also

that he forgot,

only for a single moment, the ancestral dignity that

belongs to the Babus of Nayanjore.

LIVING OR DEAD?

LIVING OR DEAD? The widow

house

the

of Saradasankar,

the

Ranihat zemindar, had no kinsmen of her father's

One

family.

after another all

had

Nor had

died.

she in her husband's family any one she could call

her own, neither husband nor son.

The

child of

her brother-in-law Saradasankar was her darling.

For a long time

after his birth, his

mother had been

very^ ill7~andr"the widow, his aTrnt~KadambinT7- had-

fostered him.

If a

her love for him

woman

is all

no claim upon him

fosters another's child,

the stronger because she has

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; no

claim of kinship, that

but simply the claim of love. its

is,

Love cannot prove

claim by any document which society accepts,

and does not wish

with double passion

Thus wards

all

prove

it;

life's

its

merely worships

uncertain treasure.

the widow's thwarted love went out to-

this

little

child.

Kadambini died suddenly. heart stopped beating.

One

night

Srahan

For some reason her

Everywhere 193

else the

world

LIVING OR DEAD?

194 held on

its

course; only in this gentle

suffering with love, the

breast,

little

watch of time stood

still

for

ever.

Lest they should be harassed by the police, four of the zemindar's Brahmin servants took away the

The

body, without ceremony, to be burned.

burn-

ing-ground of Ranihat was very far from the

There was

lage.

near

it,

a hut beside a tank, a

and nothing more.

vil-

huge banian

Formerly a

river,

now

completely dried up, ran through the ground, and

had been dug out

a part of the watercourse a tank for the

performance of funeral

make

rites.

The

people considered the tank as part of the river and reverenced

as such.

Taking the body

down

into the hut, the four

to wait for the

wood.

The

long that two of the four grew to see

why

did not come.

men

sat

time seemed so

restless,

and went

Nitai and Gurucharan

being gone, Bidhu and Banamali remained to watch

over the body.

hung the

Heavy clouds The two men sat silent in

was a dark night of Srahan.

in a starless sky.

dark room.

useless.

Their matches and lamp were

The matches were damp, and would not

light, for all their efforts,

and the lantern went

out.

LIVING OR DEAD? After a long be

good

silence,

we had

one said:

195

" Brother,

bowl of tobacco.

would

In our hurry

we brought none."

The

" I can run