Krishna sat on a stone, and rested his head on his hand. The maiden stood before him, trembling and timid. Meanwhile the dawn began to brighten the sky on the east. The surface of the lake, the palms, and the bamboos were gilded. At the water, rosy herons, blue storks, in the forest, peacocks and bengalee were heard, and these were accompanied by distant sounds of strings stretched over pearl shells, and by words of human song. Krishna awoke from meditation and said,-- "That is Valmiki, the poet, saluting the rising sun." After a while the curtain of purple flowers covering the climbing plants was pushed aside, and Valmiki appeared at the lake. When he saw the incarnate lotus the poet ceased to play, the pearl shell fell from his grasp to the earth, his arms dropped at his sides, and he stood dumb, as if the mighty Krishna had made him a tree at the edge of the water. The god was delighted with this wonder at his work, and said,-- "Awake, Valmiki, and speak." And Valmiki said,-- "I love!" This was the only word that he remembered, and the only word that he could utter. Krishna's face was radiant at once. "Wonderful maiden, I have found for thee a worthy dwelling-place in the world: thou wilt dwell in the heart of the poet." Valmiki repeated a second time,-- "I love!" The will of the mighty Krishna, the will of the deity, began to urge the maiden toward the heart of the poet. The god also made the heart of Valmiki as transparent as crystal. Calm as a summer day, quiet as the surface of the Ganges, the maiden advanced toward the dwelling prepared for her. But suddenly, when she looked into the heart of Valmiki, her face grew pale, and terror surrounded her, as a winter wind. Krishna was astonished. "Incarnate flower," inquired he, "dost thou fear even the heart of a poet?" "O lord," answered the maiden, "where hast thou commanded me to dwell? There in that one heart I see the snowy summits of mountains, the abysses of waters, full of marvellous creatures, the steppe with its whirlwinds and tempests, and the caves of Ellora with their darkness; therefore I am afraid, O lord!" But the good and wise Krishna replied,-- "Calm thyself, incarnate flower. If in the heart of Valmiki there lie lonely snows, be thou the warm breath of spring, which will melt them; if in it there be the abyss of waters, be thou the pearl in that abyss; if in it there be the desert of the steppe, sow flowers of happiness there; if in it there be the dark caves of Ellora, be thou in that darkness the sun-ray--" And Valmiki, who during that time had recovered his speech, added,-- "And be thou blessed!" AT THE SOURCE. I am a student of yesterday; my diploma of doctor of philosophy is not dry yet,--that is true. I have neither wealth nor position. My whole fortune consists of a rather poor little house and a few hundred rubles' income. I can understand, therefore, why Tola's parents refused me her hand; but they did more,--they insulted me.