Whenever Bee comes into Nikhil's room, I somehow get to know of it from mine. There are the tinkle of bangles and other little sounds; the door is perhaps shut with a shade of unnecessary vehemence; the bookcase is a trifle stiff and creaks if jerked open. When I enter I find Bee, with her back to the door, ever so busy selecting a book from the shelves. And as I offer to assist her in this difficult task she starts and protests; and then we naturally get on to other topics. The other day, on an inauspicious [13] Thursday afternoon, I sallied forth from my room at the call of these same sounds. There was a man on guard in the passage. I walked on without so much as glancing at him, but as I approached the door he put himself in my way saying: "Not that way, sir." "Not that way! Why?" "The Rani Mother is there." "Oh, very well. Tell your Rani Mother that Sandip Babu wants to see her." "That cannot be, sir. It is against orders." I felt highly indignant. "I order you!" I said in a raised voice. "Go and announce me." The fellow was somewhat taken aback at my attitude. In the meantime I had neared the door. I was on the point of reaching it, when he followed after me and took me by the arm saying: "No, sir, you must not." What! To be touched by a flunkey! I snatched away my arm and gave the man a sounding blow. At this moment Bee came out of the room to find the man about to insult me. I shall never forget the picture of her wrath! That Bee is beautiful is a discovery of my own. Most of our people would see nothing in her. Her tall, slim figure these boors would call "lanky". But it is just this lithesomeness of hers that I admire--like an up-leaping fountain of life, coming direct out of the depths of the Creator's heart. Her complexion is dark, but it is the lustrous darkness of a sword-blade, keen and scintillating. "Nanku!" she commanded, as she stood in the doorway, pointing with her finger, "leave us." "Do not be angry with him," said I. "If it is against orders, it is I who should retire." Bee's voice was still trembling as she replied: "You must not go. Come in." It was not a request, but again a command! I followed her in, and taking a chair fanned myself with a fan which was on the table. Bee scribbled something with a pencil on a sheet of paper and, summoning a servant, handed it to him saying: "Take this to the Maharaja." "Forgive me," I resumed. "I was unable to control myself, and hit that man of yours. "You served him right," said Bee. "But it was not the poor fellow's fault, after all. He was only obeying his orders." Here Nikhil came in, and as he did so I left my seat with a rapid movement and went and stood near the window with my back to the room. "Nanku, the guard, has insulted Sandip Babu," said Bee to Nikhil.