"There are fears the want of which is cowardice. In the name of those fears, I tell you, Sandip, you must go. In five days I shall be starting for Calcutta. I want you to accompany me. You may of course stay in my house there--to that there is no objection." "All right, I have still five day's time then. Meanwhile, Queen Bee, let me hum to you my song of parting from your honey-hive. Ah! you poet of modern Bengal! Throw open your doors and let me plunder your words. The theft is really yours, for it is my song which you have made your own--let the name be yours by all means, but the song is mine." With this Sandip struck up in a deep, husky voice, which threatened to be out of tune, a song in the Bhairavi mode: /* "In the springtime of your kingdom, my Queen, Meetings and partings chase each other in their endless hide and seek, And flowers blossom in the wake of those that droop and die in the shade. In the springtime of your kingdom, my Queen, My meeting with you had its own songs, But has not also my leave-taking any gift to offer you? That gift is my secret hope, which I keep hidden in the shadows of your flower garden, That the rains of July may sweetly temper your fiery June." */ His boldness was immense--boldness which had no veil, but was naked as fire. One finds no time to stop it: it is like trying to resist a thunderbolt: the lightning flashes: it laughs at all resistance. I left the room. As I was passing along the verandah towards the inner apartments, Amulya suddenly made his appearance and came and stood before me. "Fear nothing, Sister Rani," he said. "I am off tonight and shall not return unsuccessful." "Amulya," said I, looking straight into his earnest, youthful face, "I fear nothing for myself, but may I never cease to fear for you." Amulya turned to go, but before he was out of sight I called him back and asked: "Have you a mother, Amulya?" "I have." "A sister?" "No, I am the only child of my mother. My father died when I was quite little." "Then go back to your mother, Amulya." "But, Sister Rani, I have now both mother and sister." "Then, Amulya, before you leave tonight, come and have your dinner here." "There won't be time for that. Let me take some food for the journey, consecrated with your touch." "What do you specially like, Amulya?" "If I had been with my mother I should have had lots of Poush cakes. Make some for me with your own hands, Sister Rani!" ------ 25. Of the __Ramayana__. The story of his devotion to his elder brother Rama and his brother's wife Sita, has become a byword. Chapter Ten Nikhil's Story XII I LEARNT from my master that Sandip had joined forces with Harish Kundu, and there was to be a grand celebration of the worship of the demon-destroying Goddess. Harish Kundu was extorting the expenses from his tenantry. Pandits Kaviratna and Vidyavagish had been commissioned to compose a hymn with a double meaning.