My thanks are due to Mr. Surendranath Tagore, who very kindly made the final corrections and revisions for this translation. Any merits it possesses arc due to his painstaking efforts to rectify my mistakes.— Translator.
CHAPTER 1 It was the rainy season in Calcutta; the morning clouds had scattered, and the sky overflowed with clear sunlight.
Binoy-bhusan was standing alone on the upper verandah of his house, watching in leisurely idleness the constant ebb and flow of the passers-by. He had finished his college couiso some time before, but had not yet started any regular work. Ho had written a little for the papers, it is true, and had organised meetings,— but this had not satisfied his mind. And now, this morning, for want of anything in particular to do, he was beginning to feel restless.
In front of the shop opposite, a Baul mendicant was stand¬ ing, dressed in the motley robe of those wandering minstrels, and singing:, Into the cage flics the unknown bird.
It comes I know not whence.
Powerless my mind to chain its feet.
It goes I know not whore.
Binoy felt that he would like to call the Baul upstairs and take down this song about the unknown bird. But, just as in the middle of the night, when it turns suddenly cold, it is too much exertion to reach for an extra blanket, so the Baul remained uncalled, the song of the unknown bird remained unwritten, and only its strains kept echoing through Binoy a Just then an accident occurred in front of his house. A hackney-cab was run into by a grand carriage and pair, which went off at full speed taking no notice of the half-overturned gharrv which it had left in its trail.
Running out into the street, Binoy saw a youfig girl getting out from the cab, and an oldish gentleman trying to descend He rushed to their assistance, and seeing how pale the old man looked, he asked him: “ You are not hurt, sir. I hope?
2 GORA cha> “ No, it's nothing,” he answered with an attempt to laug it off, but his smile died away and it was easy to see that h. was on the point of fainting..._ Binov seized hold of his arm, and turning to the anxiom girl, said: “ This is my house, just here, do come in When they bad placed the old gentleman on a had, the art looked round for some water, and taking a pitcher sprinkled some on his face and began to fan him. saying meanwhile to Binoy: “ Can you send for a doctor V As a doctor lived near by, Binoy sent off his servant at once to call him.
There was a mirror in the room, and standing behind tin girl Binoy gazed at her reflection. From childhood he hat. been busy with his studies in his Calcutta home, and what little knowledge he had of the world ho had gained from books He had never known any womenfolk outside Ins own family circle, mid the picture ho now saw in the mirror fascinated him. He was not skilled in scrutinising the details of feminine features, but in that youthful face, bowed in affectionate anxiety, it seemed to Binoy as if a new world of tender brightness had been unfolded before him.
When, after a while, the old man opened his eyes and sighed, the girl bent down towards him and asked in a tremulo-.s whisper: “ Father, are you hurt? ” “Where am II ” asked the old man, attempting to sit u But Binoy hastened to his sido saying: Don fc mo\ please, till the doctor comes.”,,.
As he was speaking the doctor’s footsteps were heard, and presently he entered. But as, on examining the patient, ho found nothing seriously wrong, he left after prescribing somo brandy to be given with warm milk...On his departure the girl’s father showed signs of agitation and concern, but his daughter, guessing the cause, quieted him with the assurance that she would send on the doctor s fee and the cost of the medicine when they got home. Sho then turned to Binoy. 4..., What wonderful eyes 1 It never ocourrcd to mm to asK whether they were largo or small, black or brown. At the very first glance they gave an impression of sincerity. I hey had no trace of either shyness or hesitation, but were full of a serene strength. „.,,.,, Binoy ventured haltingly: Oh! the doctor a fee is But the girl’s eyes, which were on him, not only prevented GORA 3 i •-him from finishing his sentence, but made it certain that he ‘would have to accept the cost of the doctor’s visit.
When the old man protested against sending for the brandy, ‘his daughter insisted, saying: “But, father, the doctor ordered it! ”, To this he replied: “ Doctors have a bad habit of ordering brandy on the slightest pretext. A glass of milk will be quite enough for my little weakness.” And after drinking some milk he turned to Binoy and said: “ Now we must be going. We have put you to a lot of trouble, I’m afraid.
The girl now asked for a cab, but her father exclaimed 'dillident ly: “ Why put him to more > inconvenience? Our house is so close that I can easily walk."
. But she refused to allow this, and as her father did not /persist, Binoy himself went to call a cab.
Before leaving, the old gentleman asked the name of his host, and on being told “ Binoy-bhusan Chattcrji, ho gave his own in return as “ Paresh-chandra Bhattacharya, saymg that lie lived close by, at No. 78 in the same street. Me added: “ Whenever you have time to spare, we shall be delighted if you will call.” And the eyes of the girl gave a silent consent to this invitation.
m. Binoy felt that he wanted to accompany them home then *.id there, but as lie was not quite sure whether that would be •Hod manners, he stood hesitating, and just as their carnage .»as about to start, the girl gave a slight bow, which took Binoy so unawares that in his confusion he omitted to return Back in his room, Binoy reproached himself again and again for this trifling omission. He mentally reviewed every detail of his behaviour from the time he had met them to the moment of parting, and he felt that from start to finish his manners had been atrocious. What he ought to have done and what he ought not to have done, what he ought to have said and what he ought not to have said, m the different situations, he was trying in vain to settle in his mind, when his eyes suddenly fell on a handkerchief which the girl had been using and had left lyine on the bed. As he hurriedly snatched it up the refrain of that Baul s song haunted him: Into the capo fliea the unknown bird, It cornea I know not whence.
The hours passed and the sun’s heat became intense. The stream of gharries began to flow swiftly officewards, but GORA Binoy could not tiny home and tl seemed to him an the July sun burnt into his brain and coursed0 through his veins,— screening from his inner mind all the pettiness' of his everyday life with a curtain of blazing light.
Just then he noticed a seven- or eight-year-old bov standing outside peering at the numbers on the 'doors. Somehow ho had not the least doubt that it was his house the bov was looking for, so he called out to him: “ This is the house nil right," and, quickly running down into the street, almost dragged the little fellow indoors. He eagerly scanned the boy’s face as he handed him a letter, on which lie buw his name written in English in a woman’s clour hand. The bov said: “ My sister sent me with this." The envelope contained no letter, only sonic money.
The boy then turned to go, but Binoy insisted on taking him upstairs to his room. He was darker than his sister, but still there was a strong resemblance, and Binoy, witli a sense of gladness at heart, felt greatly attracted to him.
The youngster was clearly quite self-possessed, for on entering the room he pointed to a portrait hanging on the wall and asked: whose picture is that? ” “ It is the picture of a friend of mine,” replied Binoy.
A friend s picture! ” exclaimed the boy. “ Who is “ Oh, you won’t know him,” said Binoy, laughing. “ His name is Gourmohan. _ But I call him Gora. We’ve bcon to school together ever since we were children.”
“ Do you still go to school? ” “ Have you really? Finished your -? ” Binoy could not resist the temptation of winning the admiration of this little messenger, and said: “ Yes I’ve finished everything! ” ’ The boy looked at him in wide-eyed wonder and gave a sigh. He doubtless thought that some day he too would attain to such heights of learning.
On being asked his name the boy replied: “ My name i* Master Satish- chandra Mukerji.” 3 V r“e" “ Mukei'i? ” repeated Binoy blankly.
out that Paresh Babu was not their own father, but had brought them up from childhood. The sister’s name had GORA formerly been Radharani, but Paresh Babu’s wife had changed it to the leas aggressively orthodox name of Sucharita.
When Satish was about to go, Binoy asked him: “ Can you go all alone? ” to which the little fellow answered with Injured prido: “ I always do! " When Binoy said: “ Lot mo see you home,” he became quite distressed at such a slight on his manliness, and said: “ Why should you ’ I can easily get along by myself,” and he began to give all kinds of pre¬ cedents to show how usual it was for him to go about alone.
Why Binoy should nevertheless insist on going with him to the door of' his house was more than the boy could fathom.
Further, when Satish asked him to come in with him Binoy resolutely refused, saying: “ No, not now. I will como On returning home Binoy took out the envelope and read and re-rcad the address written on it so minutely that ho soon knew every stroke and flourish of it by heart, lhen he placed it, together with the contents, in his box with such carc _0nc could feel sure that there was no chance of this money ever being used, even in tlio direst emergency.
CHAPTER II CHAPTER II Os a dark evening, during the rains, the sky lowered heavy with its load of moisture. Beneath the silent sway of the dull, drab stretch of cloud, the city of Calcutta lay motionless Wee a huge disconsolate dog curled up with its head resting on its tail. Since the previous night it had been drizzling steadily, persistently enough to make the streets muddy, yet not with sufficient determination to wash the mud away ^he ram had ceased at four o’clock that afternoon, but still the clouds looked threatening. It was in this gloomy state of the weather, when it was as unpleasant to stay indoors as it was unsafe to venture out, that two young men were seated.on wicker stools on the damp roof-terrace of a three-storied bU,^8this terrace, when they had been small, these two friends had played together on return from school; belorc their examinations it was here that they had loudly committed their lessons to memory, pacing up and down as though in a frenzy; and in the hot weather it was here that the) used to take their evening meals on returning from college, often 6 GORA chap.
6 GORA chap.
arguing till two o’clock in the morning, waking up startled when the sun arose to find that they had fallen asleep together on the mat. When they had no more college examinations to pass then it was on this roof that the meetings of the Hindu Patriots’ Society were held once a month with one ot tut friends as Chairman and the other as Secretary.
The name of the Chairman was Gourmohan, called by his friends and his relations Cora. He seemed to have utterly outgrown all around him. One of Ins college 1 rofexsnrs used to <5dl him the Snow Mountain, for lie was outrageously white, his complexion unmellowed by oven the slightest tinge of pigment. He was nearly six feet tall, with big bom*, and lists like the paws of a tiger. The sound o Ins voice was so deep and rough that you would be starded if you suddenly heard him call out, “ Who is there? ’ Hi* face seemed need- ./ lessly large and excessively strong, the bones of his jaws and chi/ being like the massive bolts of a fortress. He had practically no eyebrows, his forehead sloping broadly to the ears. His lips were thin and compressed Ins nose projecting over them like a sword. His eyes, small but keen, seemed to be aimed at some unseen distant object like the point of an arrow, yet able to turn in a flash to strike something near at hand. Gourmohan was not exactly good-looking, but it was impossible to overlook him, for he would have been conspicuous 1D His 'frien^Binoy was modest and yet bright, like the ordinary run of educated Bengali gentlemen. X he delicacy of his nature and the keenness of his intellect combined to give a special quality to the expression of his face. At college he always got high marks and won scholarships, while Gora had been quite unable to keep pace with him, not having the same taste for reading. He could not understand things so quickly as Binoy, nor had he such a good memory. So Binoy as his faithful steed, had to bear Gora along with lnraself through all their college examinations.
This was the conversation which engrossed the two friends that wet August evening.. __..., “Let me tell you,” Gora was saying. VShen Abinash abused the Brahmos the other day, it only showed what a healthy moral vigour he enjoys. What made you flare up at him like that? ” - “What nonsense!” replied Binoy. “Surely there can b** no two opinions about his taste! ” “ If you think so, the evil must be m your own thoughts.
GORA 7 You cannot expect of society that while some of its renegade members are trying to overturn it, by insisting on doing just as they please, it should calmly look on, making sweetly reasonable allowances. Society is naturally bound to mis¬ understand such people and regard as crooked that which they might be doing quite sincerely. If society cannot help looking upon their ' good ' as evil, that is but one of the many penalties which must fall on those who wilfully flout it ” ' “ It may be natural," said Binoy, “ but I cannot agree that nil that is natural is good.”
“ Oh, bother the good! " broke out Gora. The world is welcome to the few really good people it may contain For me, let the rest be but natural! Otherwise work would not abused by nou-Brabmos. To have your opponent? applause while you strut about like a peacock, is too much to ask ot this world,— if that did happen, the world would be a mighty P<><“ 1 hove no objection to any sect or party being re¬ viled," explained Binoy. “ But when the abuse becomes PC,“0\Vhat is the point in reviling the sect? That only amounts to criticising their opinions. I want to show up individuals. As for you^O saint, have you never indulged in personalities yourself? ” • „.. T _ Indeed I have,” avowed Binoy. Very often, I am afraid. And I am heartily ashamed of it too.
" No, Binoy! ” exclaimed Gora with a sudden excitement.
•“ This will not do. Never 1 ”.
Binoy was silent for a moment. Why, what( is the matter? ” he asked at length. “ What alarms you?
“ I see clearly enough that you are treading the path ot ™kWeakness indeed!" Binoy exclaimed irritably." You know well enough that I could go to their house this very moment if I wanted to— they have even invited me— and yet you see I do not go.".
“ Yes I know. But you never seem able to forget that you are keeping away. Day and night you on it to yourself: ‘ I do not go. I do not go 5 Better far to go and be done with it! ” 8 GORA “ Do you seriously moan to advise me to go, then? ” Gora thumped his knee as he replied: No, I do not advise you to go. I can put it down in black and white that the day you do go to their.house, you will go over there completely. The very next day you will begin to take your meals with them; and then down goes your name as a militant preacher of the Brahmo Samaj I" “ Indeed! and what next, pray? ” smiled Binoy.
“What next?" rejoined Gora bitterly. “There is no * next ’ after you are dead and gono from your own world. You, the son of a Brahmin,.will throw away all sense of restraint and purity and will end by being thrown on the refuse heap like some dead animal. Like a pilot with a broken compass you will lose your bearings, and it will gradually seem mere superstition and narrowness to guide the ship into port, — your idea of the best method of navigation will bo reduced to drifting anyhow. But I have not the patience to go on bandying words 'frith you. So I simply say: go and be done with it, if you must. But do not keep racking our nerves by this con#nual hesitation on the brink of inferno.”
Binoy burst out laughing. “ The patient who has been given up by the doctor does not necessarily die,” said he. F‘ I cannot detect any sign of my approaching end.”
" You cannot? ” sneered Gora.
“ You don’t find your pulse failing? ” “ By no means. There’s plenty of strength left in it yet.”
“ It doesn't seem to you that if a certain fair hand were to serve you the food of an outcasts, that might make it a feast fit for the gods? ” “ That will do, Gora I ” said Binoy, blushing deeply.
“Why?” protested Gora. "I intended no insult. The fair lady in question docs not pride herself on being ' invisible even to the sun.’ 1 If the least allusion to her tender petal of a hand, which any male person is at liberty to shake, strikes you as a desecration, then indeed you’re as good as lost 1 ” “ Look here, Gora, I reverence Woman, and in out scrip¬ tures also - ”, “ Don’t quote scripture in support of the kind of sentiment, you feel. That’s not called reverence, but goes by another 1 A Sanskrit phrwe for those women who observe very strict purdah.
GORA 9 % name which it would make you still angrier to hear me mention.”
“ It pleases you to be dogmatic,” said Binoy with a shrug.
“ The scriptures tell us," persisted Gora, “ that Woman is deserving of worship because she gives light to the home, — the honour which is given her by English custom, because she sets fire to the hearts of men, had better not be termed worship.”
“ Would you contemptuously dismiss a great idea becausi it occasionally gets clouded over? ” asked Binojp.
“ Binu,” answered Gora impatiently. “!Now that you have clearly lost your own power of judgement you ought to be guided by me. I affirm that all the exaggerated language about women that you find in English books has at bottom merely desire. The altar at which Woman may be truly worshipped is her place as Mother, the seat of the pure, right- minded Lady of tne House. There is some insult hidden in the praise of those who remove her from there. The cause of your mind hovering about Paresh Babu’s house, like a moth round a candle, is in plain language what the English call ‘ Love ’; but for God’s sake don’t ape the English cult by placing this love above all other considerations, as the one object of man’s worship.”
Binoy jumped up like a fresh horse under a whip. “ Enough, enough I ” he cried. “ You go too far, Gora 1 ” “ Too far? ” retorted Gora. “ I haven’t even come to the point^yct. Simply because our sense of reality about the true relations of man and woman is bemisted by passion, we needs must make it a subject for poetising.”
“ If it is our passion which besmirches our idea of the right relationship of man and woman, is the foreigner alone to blame? Is it not the same passion which leads our moralists to exaggerated vchemenco when they preach that woman is an evil to be shunned? These are merely two opposite aspects of the same attitude of mind in two different types. If you abuse the one, it will not do to excuse the other.”
“ I misunderstood you, I see! ” smiled Gora. “ Your con¬ dition is not so hopeless as I feaied. So long as philosophy finds scope in your brain, you may make love without fear. But take care that you save yourself before it is too late, — that is the prayer of your well-wishers.’4 w “ You have gone quite crazy, my dear fellow! ” Binoy expostulated. ‘What have I to do with love? To ease your mind I will confess that, from what I have heard and 10 GORA CHAP.
Been of Paresh Babn and his family, I have come to entertain a great respect for them. Maybe, for that reason, I have a certain attraction for seeing what their home life is like.”
Attraction ’ let it be, if you prefer it; but of that attraction you must beware. What harm if your zoological researches remain uncompleted? This much is certain, that they belong to the genus predatory; and if your studies lead you too near them, you will go so far in that not even the tip of your tail will be visible.”
“ You have one great fault, Gora,” objected Binoy. “ You eeem to believe that all the strength God had to give was bestowed on you alone, and that the rest of us are mero weaklings.”
This remark seemed to strike Gora with tho force of a new idea. "Right!” he shouted, giving Binoy an enthusiastic thump on the back. ‘ Quite right 1 That is a great fault of mine.”
" Lord! ” groaned Binoy. “ You have a still greater fault, Gora, and that is your utter inability to estimate tho foroo of concussion which the ordinary spinal cord is able to bear.”
At this moment Gora’s elder stepbrother, Mohim, came upstairs, stout and panting, and called out, “ Gora! ” Gora at once left his seat and stood up respectfully as he answered, " Sir? ”, J " I just came,” said Mohim, “ to see if the thunder-olonds had burst on our roof, that’s the excitement to-day? I suppose by now you have driven the English half-way across the Indian Ocean! I haven’t noticed much loss to the Englishmen, but your sister-in-law below is lying in bed with a headache, and your leonine roaring is somewhat of a trial to her.
With this Mohim left them and went back downstairs.
CHAPTER HI Just as Gora and Binoy were about to go down from the roof, Gora s mother arrived there, and Binoy respectfully saluted her, taking the dust of her feet.
To see Anau&moyi no one would think she was Gora’s mother. She had a slender but well-knit figure: and though her hair was grey in places, it did not show. At first sight you would take her for under forty. The curves of her faoe m GORA 11 m GORA 11 were very tender, seemingly chiselled by a master hand with the utmost care. Her spare contour was devoid of all exag¬ geration, and her face had the impress of a pure and keen intelligence. Her complexion was dark, without the least resemblance to that of Gora. One thing about her struck all her acquaintances, namely, that with her sari she wore a bodice. At the time of which we are speaking, though certain modern young women had begun to adopt it as part of their dress, ladies of the old school looked askance at the wearing of a bodice as savouring of Christianity. Anandamoyi’s husband, Ivrishnadayal Babu, had held a post in the Com¬ missariat Department, and Anandamoyi had spent most of hor days with him, from childhood, away from Bengal. So she had not the idea that to cover the body properly was a matter to be ashamed of, or to laugh at. In spite of her devotion to household work, from scrubbing the floors and doing the washing to sewing, mending, ana keeping the accounts, and her practical interest in all the members of her own family as well as those of her neighbours, she never seemed too fully occupied.
Anandamoyi acknowledged Binoy’s salutation, saying: “ When Gora’s voice reaches down to us below, then we are certain that Binu has come. The house has been so quiet all these days that I was wondering what was the matter with you, child. Why haven’t you been for so long? Have you " No,” replied Binoy rather hesitatingly. “ No, mother, I’ve not been ill, but iust think of the heavy rain! ” “ Rain indeed! ” broke in Gora. “ And when the rainy season is over Binoy will make the sun his excuse! If you put the blame on the outside elements they cannot defend themselves, but the real reason is known to his inner conscience.”
" What nonsense you talk, Gora! ” protested Binoy.
“ That’s true, child,” agreed Anandamoyi. ' “ Gora shouldn't have put it like that. The mind has its moods, sometimes sooiable, sometimes downcast, it cannot always be the same. It is wrong to tax people about it. Come, Binoy, come to my room and have something to eat. I have kept your favourite sweetmeats ready for you.”
Gora shook his head vehemently as he said: “ No, no, mother, none of that, please 1 I capnot allow Binoy to eat in your room.”
/(P Don’t be absurd, Gora,” said Anandamoyi. “I never 14 GORA CHAP.
" What an idea! ” exclaimed Anandamoyi. “ Why should I be angry? You know not what vou do. let me tell you that much. It is my sorrow that I should nave brought you up. and yet — anyhow, however that may be, it is impossible for¬ me to accept what you call your religion. What if you will not eat in my room, it is enough for mo that I should havo- Cwith me mornings and evenings. — Binoy dear, don’t : so sad. You are too sensitive; you think that I am hurt* but I am not really. Don’t worry, child! I shall invite you some other day and have your food prepared by a rcgulur Brahmin 1 But os for myself, I givo you all notice I intend, to go on taking water from Lachmi’s hand I ” And with that she went downstairs.
Binoy stood silent for a time, and then he turned and said) slowly: " Isn’t this going a little too far, Gora? ” “ Who is going too far? ” “ Not by a hair’s breadth 1 ” said Gora emphatically. " I am for each one of us keeping to our limits; once you yield a pin’s point of ground, there is no knowing where you will end.”
“ But she is your mother! ” protested Binoy.
“ I know what a mother is,” answered Gora; “ you needn't remind me of that! How many possess a mother like mine f But if I once begin to show disrespect for tradition, then one day perhaps I shall cease to respect my mother also. Look here, Binoy, I have one word to say to you: the heart is a. good thing, but it is not the best of all.”
After a pause Binoy said hesitatingly: "Listen, Gora. To-day, as I heard your mother’s words, I felt somehow strangely disturbed. It seemed to me as if there is something on your mother’s mind which she cannot explain to us, and that hurts her.”
“ Ah, Binoy! ” said Gora impatiently, " don’t give so much rein to your imagination — it does no good and only wastes, your time.”
" You never give heed to what is going on around you,’* replied Binoy, " and so you dismiss as imaginary what you fail to see. But I assure you that I have often noticed that your mother seems to have some secret on her mind — some- Sthat she feels is out of tune with her surroundings and makes her home life sad. Gora, you ought to give- more careful ear to her words.”
“ I am careful enough about wbat the eur can toll.’’ replied IV GORA 15 Gora. “ If I do not try to go deeper, that ia because I fear to deceive myself.”
CHAPTER IV Abstract ideas are all very well as opinions, but when applied to persons they cease to have the same forco of certainty, — at any rate that was so in the case of Binoy, for he was largely "N* guided by the heart. Therefore, however loud he might bo in support of a principle in argument, when it was a question of dealing with men, human considerations would prevail. So much so that it was difficult to say how far ho accented the principles Gora preached for their own soke and how far because of his great friendship for him.
On his return from Gora’s nouse, as he walked slowly along the muddy streets on that rainy evening, a struggle was going on in his mind between the claims of principle and his personal feelings.
When Gora had contended that, to save society at the present time from various kinds of open and hidden attack, it was necessary to be constantly on the alert on matters relating to eating and caste, Binoy had easily assented. He had even argued the point hotly with those who disagreed. He had said that when the enemy attacks a fortress from all sides it shows no lack of a liberal mind to guard with your very life every road, lane, door, window, and even crack leaning into the fortress.
But Gora’s refusal to let him take food in his mother’s . room was a blow which hurt him intensely.
Binoy had no father, and he had lost Ins mother also at an early age. He had an uncle in the country, but from boyhood ho had lived a lonely student-life in Calcutta, and from the very day he had been introduced to Anandamoyi, by his friend Gora, he had called her “ Mother.”
Often had he gone to her room, and teased her till she would make for him his favourite confections. Many a time had he pretended to be jealous of Gora, accusing his mother of showing partiality to him when serving the food. Binoy knew quite well if he omitted to visit her for two or three days how anxious she would get in the hope of watching him do justice to her delicacies, — how impatiently she would wait for their meetings to break up. And to-day in the name of 18 GORA ciiap.
He stopped and looked steadily at Binoy, who remained silent, lost m thought.,,,,,