“ You know, my dear child,” replied Parcsh Babu, “ I have always wanted you girls to think for yourselves, and not simply to take my opinions, or any one. elsc’s, at second hand. To offer instruction on any question before it has really arisen in the mind is like giving food before one is hungry, — it spoils the appetite and leads to indigestion. But whenever you ask me any question, I am always ready to tell you wlmt I know about it.”
“ Well, then,” said Sucharita, “ I am asking yon a question. Why do we condemn caste distinctions? ” “ There’s no harm in a cat sitting by and eating right beside you,” explained Paresh Babu, “ but if certain men so much as enter the room, the food has to be thrown away \ How can one not condemn the caste system which has resulted in this contempt and insult of man by man? If that is not unrighteous, I do not know what is. Those who can despise their fellow-men so terribly can never rise to greatness; for them, in turn, shall be reserved the contempt of others.”
“ The present degenerate condition of our society has bred many faults,” said Sucharita, repeating something she had heard from Gora’s lips, “ and these faults have found their way into every aspect of our life, but are we therefore entitled to blame the real thing itself? ” “ I could have answered you,” replied Paresh Babu with his usual gentleness, “ had I known where the real thing is to be found. But what I actually see before me is the in¬ tolerable aversion of man for man in our country, — and how this is dividing and subdividing our people. Can we gain any consolation in such circumstances by trying to dwell on some imaginary ‘ real ’ thing? ” " But,” asked Sucharita, again echoiug Gora’s words* XXIII CORA 121 <4 was it not one of the ultimate truths of our country to look •on all men with impartial vision? ” “ That impartial vision,” said Paresh Babu, “ was an intellectual achievement, — it had nothing to do with the heart. In it there was room for neither love nor hate, it transcended likes and dislikes. But man’s heart can never find its rest iu an abstraction so empty of the heart’s requirements. So an spite of the existence of this philosophical equality in our -country, we sec that the low caste is not allowed entry oven into God’s temple. If equality be not observed even on •God's own ground, what matters it whether its conception is to be found in our philosophy or not? ” Suobarita silently revolved Paresli Babu’s words m her own mind, trying to understand them, and at length she asked: “ Why then, father, didn’t you explain all this to Biuoy Balm and his friend 1, Paresli Babu smiled a little as he answered: they do not understand, not because they lack the intelligence,- -•they are, rather, too clever to want to understand; they prefer explaining to others! When once the desire comes to them reallv to understand from the point of view of the highest truth,— that is, of righteousness,— they won’t have to depend on your father’s intelligence for the explanation. At present they view it from quite a different standpoint, and nothing that I can say will be of any use to them.’’
Although Sucharita had listened to Gora’s talk with respect, the divergence of his standard from her own had nevertheless pained her, and prevented her finding consolation in his con¬ clusions. As Parcsh Babu was speaking, she felt for the time relieved of her internal conflict. She would never admit for a moment the idea that Gora, or Binoy, or for that matter anybody at all, could understand any subject better than Parcsh Babu. On the contrary, she had never been able to help feeling angry with any one whose opinions did not con¬ form to his. Lately, however, she had not been able to •dismiss Gora’s opinions with such ready contempt as of old. It was for the same reason that she now felt this restless desire an her heart to be constantly taking shelter under Paresli Babu’s wing, as she had done when a child.
She rose from her seat, and went as far as the door; then she came back and, resting her hand on the back of Paresh Babu’s chair, said: “ Father, will you let me sit with you at your evening meditation to-day? ” “ Certainly, my dear,” said Paresh Babu.
E GORA CHAP.
After this Sucharita finally retired into her bedroom and, closing the door, sat down and tried hard to reject all that Gora had said.
But at once Gora’s face, radiant with confident assurance, rose before her, and she thought to herself: “ Gora’s words are not mere words, they are Gora himself. His speech has form and movement, it has life; it is full of the power of faith and the pain of love for his country. His are not opinions that can bo settled by contradicting them. They are the whole man himself — and that, too, no ordinary mun.”
How could she have the heart to raise her hand against him in rejection? Sucharita felt a tremendous struggle going on within her, and she burst into tears. That lie could throw- hcr into such a plight, and yet have no compunction in desert¬ ing her like this, made her heart ache, and because it ached she was woefully ashamed.
e CHAPTER XXIV It had been decided that Binoy should recite in a dramatic style Dryden’s poem on “ The Power of Music,” and that the girls in suitable costumes should present tableaux illustrative of the subject of the poem. In addition to this, songs and English recitations were to be given by the girls as well.
Mistress Baroda had repeatedly assured Binoy that they would prepare him well for the day, for although she herself knew very little English, she depended for help on one or two of her circle who were well versed in the languago. But when the rehearsal took place Binoy astonished these expert friends of hers by his recitation, and Baroda was completely cheated of the pleasure of training up this newcomer. Even those who formerly had not regarded Binoy as any one in particular, were compelled to respect him when they found how proficient he was in English. Haran himself requested Binoy to con¬ tribute occasional articles to his paper, and Sudhir began to press him to deliver English lectures at his Students’ Society.
As for Lolita, she was in a strange state of mind. She was pleased, in a way, that Binoy should be independent of any one else’s help, and yet she also felt piqued. It upset her to think that Bmoy, now conscious of Ins own powers, might give up expecting to learn anything from them.
What exactly Lolita wanted of Binoy, and in what event XXIV GORA she would regain her former peace of mind1, she was herself at a loss to understand. As a result, her discontent began to show itself in every little thing, and every time it had Binoy.’ for its target. Lolita could see well enough that this was- neither fair nor polite to Binoy; this hurt her, and she tried hard to restrain herself, but on the slightest pretext some inward resentment would suddenly get the better of her and burst out unreasonably in a way she could not account for.
Just as she had at lirst pestered Binoy till he had consented- to take part in tins affair, so now she worried him to withdraw. But how could Binoy escape at this stage without upsetting all their plans? Besides, probably with the discovery of his now powers, he himself seemed to have become quite keen about it.
Finally, one day Lolita said to her mother: “ L really can’t1 go on with this performance any longer! ” Mistress Baroda knew this second daughter of hers only, too well, so she asked in dismay: “ Why, what’s the trouble?
“ I simply can’t do it,” repeated Lolita.
As a matter of fact, from the time it was no longer possible- to regard Binoy as a novice, Lolita had been quite unwilling to recite her piece, or rehearse her part, in his presence. She practised alone by herself, to the great inconvenience of every one else; but it was impossible to do anything with her, and. at length they had to yield and carry on the rehearsals without, her.
But when, at the last moment, Lolita declared her'intention- of withdrawing altogether, Baroda was nonplussed. She knew well enough that nothing she could say or do would bo any good at all, so she was driven to ask Paresh Babu’s help.
Though he never meddled in the matter of his daughters’ likes or dislikes in unimportant matters, yet as they had given, a promise to the Magistrate, and there was very little timo- left for making other arrangements, Paresh Babu called Lolita to him and, putting his hand on her head, said: “ Lolita, would- it not be wrong if you withdrew now? ” “ I can’t do it, father,” said Lolita with suppressed tears- in her voice. “ It’s quite beyond me.”
“ It won’t be your fault if you can’t do it well,” said Paresh. Babu. “ But if you don’t do it at all, that will really be- wrong of you.”
LoJita hung her head as her father went on: “ My dear, when you have once taken up a responsibility, you must see it through. This is not the time to try and escape, merely G011A CHAP.
because your pride is hurt. What if your pride docs suffer, can you not bear that in order to do your duty? Won t you try, dear? ^ ag gllc hcr face to her father’s.
That very evening she made a special effort, and throwing •off all hesitation due to Binoy’s presence, she entered into her part with zest, almost with defiance. It was the first ■ t ue that Binoy had heard her recite, and he was really astonishc< at the vigour and clearness of her enunciation, the unhesitating force with which she interpreted the meaning of the poem. He was delighted beyond his expectations, and hcr voice sounded in his ears for long after the recitation was over. A good reciter exercises a peculiar fascination over the hearer, the poem lends its own charm to the reciter 8 mind, as do flowers to the branches on which they bloom. And from that moment Lolita, for Binoy, became enveloped in poetry.
Hitherto Lolita had all the time kept Binoy goaded by her sharp tongue; and just as one’s hand constantly socks only the painful spot, so had Binoy been unable to discern anything of Lolita save hcr stinging words and hcr ironical smiles. All his thoughts about her had been confined to trying to discover what made her say this or do that, and the more mysterious had seemed her displeasure the busier had ho been kept worrying about it. It had often been his first waking thought, and, every time he started for Parcsh Babu’s house, he had anxiously wondered what Lolita’s mood would be. Whenever he had found hcr gracious, an immense load seemed to be lifted from Binoy’s mind, and then his problem had been how to contrive to make this mood permanent,— a problem, liow- • ever, of which the solution was clearly beyond his powers.
That is why, after the mental disquiet of all these days, Lolita’s recitation of this poem stirred him in a strangely forcible way, so much so that ho was at a loss to find any words to express the pleasure he felt. But he did not daro to make any remark to Lolita, for there was no knowing whether his praise would please her, whether such usual sequence of. cause and effect would apply to her at all,— the . chances were it wouldn’t, just because it was usua! be jBinov went over to Mistress Baroda, and to her unburdened himself • of his admiration for Lolita’s performance, whereupon Baroda s opinion of Binoy’s wisdom and intelligence became higher than ever.
The effect on the other side was no less curious. As soon as Lolita felt that her elocution had been a success, that she XXIV GORA had ridden vlie waves of her difficulties like a good seaworthy boat, all her irritation against Binoy vanished, and no vestige of her desire to annoy him remained. Thenceforth she became quite keen about the rehearsals, and in the process was drawn closer to Binoy. She even had no compunction in asking Binoy’s advice.
At this change in Lolita's attitude towards him, Binoy felt as if a stone had been rolled off his breast. He felt so light¬ hearted that he wanted to go to Anandamoyi and play his old childish pranks with her. Many ideas crowded into his mind which he felt he wouid like to talk over with Suclmrita, but he hardly ever saw her nowadays.
Whenever Binoy got the chance of a chat with Lolita lie took it, but yet he felt he still would have to be very careful. He knew how critically he and his friend would be judged In¬ ker, so that his conversation did not flow with its natural speed, Sometimes Lolita would say to him: “ Why do you talk as though you were speaking out of a book? ” to which Binoy would answer: ".I've spent all my time reading, so I suppose my mind must have become like a printed page.”
Then again Lolita would say: “ Please don’t try to talk so well,— just say whatever you really think. You talk so beautifully that 'one suspects you are merely expounding somebody clso's ideas.”
For this reason, whenever any idea occurred to Binoy’s orderly mind, in an appropriate, well-finished phrase he would, before expressing it to Lolita, try to condense and simplify it, and if a chance metaphor happened to escape him he felt abashed.
Lolita herself shoue out as if after the passing of some inexplicable cloud. Even Mistress Baroda was astonished to see the change in her. She no longer turned contrary, as of old, making objections to anything and everything, but joined heartily in what they were doing, rather overwhelming them with the abundance of her ideas and suggestions for the coming play. In this matter Baroda’s own exuberance was somewhat tempered by her love for economy, so she was now as embarrassed at her daughter's keenness as she had formerly been at her lack of it.
Lolita, full of her newborn zeal, would often seek out Sucharita with an eager expectation, but although Sucharita laughed and talked with her, Lolita somehow felt herself checked in her presence, and had to come away every time with a sense of disappointment.
GORA chap.
One day she went to Paresh Babu and said: “ Father, it's not fair that Didi should be sitting alone with her books while we arc slaving away at the performance. Why shouldn’t she join us? ” Paresh Babu himself had noticed that Sucharita seemed to be holding aloof from her companions, and had been fearing that such moodiness was not healthy for her. Now, at Lolita’s words, he came to the conclusion that unless she was induced to join in the amusements of the others, this might become a habit. So lie said to Lolita: “ Why don’t yon speak to your mother about it? ” “ I will speak to mother,” said Lolita, “ but you will have to do the persuading, or else Didi will never agree.”
When finally Paresh Babu did speak to Sucharita, ho was agreeably surprised to find that she had no excuse to make, but at once came forward to do her allotted duty.
As soon as Sucharita came out of her seclusion Binoy tried to get on the same intimate terms with her as before, but something seemed to have happened meanwhile which pre¬ vented his reaching up to her. There was such a far-away look in her eyes, such detachment in her expression, that he shrank from thrusting himself on her. There had always been a kind of distance in her manner which now became more pronounced, in spite of her joining the rehearsals. She would get through just her own part, and then leave the room. And in this way she receded farther and farther away from Binoy.
Now that Gora was away, Binoy was free to become more intimate than ever with Paresh Babu’s household, and the more he relapsed into his own true nature the more were they all drawn to him, and the better pleased was he with himself at experiencing this expansive freedom, hitherto unknown. It was at this juncture that he found Sucharita drifting away from him. At any other time he would have found the pain of such loss hard to bear, but now he easily rose abovo it.
The strange thing was that Lolita, though noticing this change in Sucharita, made no grievance of it, as she would have done before. Was it because enthusiasm for the play and her recitations had taken such complete possession of her?
Haran, for his part, finding Sucharita taking part in the entertainment, also waxed enthusiastic over it. Ho himself offered to recite a passage from Paradise Lost, and deliver a short lecture on the Charms of Music as a kind of prelude to XXIV GORA ,°f D7dTcn’.s P°cra- This suggestion annoyed Hnlfri8’,and ^°llta t0°,was far from pleased; but 2S3 5“ *««« to the Magistrate about it and sett cd the matter. So when Lolita hinted that the Magistrate WghWbJC* 0,thcA,rocccdjn8s hcmS wo long, Haran silenced 4>^..<?nc kn?" whe“ Gora would be coming back from his expedition. Although Sucharita had determined that she wouW dismiss the matter from her thoughts, every day the hope was born afresh m her mind that perhaps this would be ?ay.;f 1,13 wturn. Just when she was feeling keenly both this mdiiTercnco of (.ora’s and the unruliness of her own mind, and was anxiously seeking for some way of extricating herself Irom such a predicament, Haran came and once more requested Purcsli Babu to celebrate, m God’s name, his betrothal cere¬ mony with buchanta.
“There is still a long time before the marriage can take place, objected Paresh Babu. “ Do you think it wise to bind yourselves so soon? ” „ “ \ think. ifc y?ry essential for both of us,” answered Haran, that wc should go through a period of being thus bound to each other before marriage. It will be good for our souls to have tins kind of spiritual relationship as a bridge between our first acquaintance and the married state,— a tic without the bondage of duties.”
Parlsh°Babud ^ Wh&t Sucharita has to *®y»” suggested “ But she has already given her consent,” urged Haran.
Paresh Babu, however, was still in doubt as to Sucharita’s real feelings for Haran, so he called her himself and told her about Haran s proposal.
Sucharita had come to the point of clutching at any support- for setting at rest her distracted condition, so she agreed so readily and unhesitatingly that all Paresh Babu’s doubts- were dispelled. Ho again asked Sucharita to consider well all the responsibilities attaching to a long engagement, and when, even then, she had no objection to raise, it was settled that, as soon as Mr. Brownlow’s entertainment was over a day should be fixed for the betrothal ceremony.
After this Sucharita felt for a time as though her thoughts- had been reposed from some devouring dragon, and she made up her mind that she would prepare herself sternly for serving; the Brahmo Samaj on marrying Haran. She decided to have- GORA CHAP.
daily readings with Haran, from English books on religious subjects, so as to be able to shape her life according to his ideas; and she felt a sense of uplift in having thus accepted a difficult, even unpleasant, burden.
Of late she had not been reading the paper of which Haran was editor. The day after her decision she received a copy fresh from the press, sent probably by the editor’s own hand. Sucharita took the paper to her room and sat down to read it from start to finish, as a kind of religious duty, prepared like a devoted pupil to take to heart all the instruction it offered.
But instead, like a ship in full sail, she ran against a rock. There was an article entitled “ The Mania for Looking Back,” which consisted of a bitter attack on those people who, although living in modern times, persistently turn their faces towards the past. The reasoning was not unsound — in fact Sucharita had been searching for just such arguments, — but as soon as she read the article she could see that the object of the attack was Gora. There was, indeed, no mention of his name nor any reference to his writings, but it was evident that just as a soldier takes pleasure in seeing every bullet fired from his gun kill a man, so a spiteful joy expressed itself in this article because every word wounded a living person.
The whole spirit of the paper was intolerable to Sucharita, and she wanted to tear every one of its arguments into shreds. She said to herself: “ Gourmohan Babu could have powdered this article into dust! ” And as she did so his radiant face shone out before her eyes, and his powerful voice rang in her ears. In the presence of this image and in contrast with the uncommon quality of his speech, this article and its writer appeared so contemptibly trivial that she threw the paper on the floor.
For the first time after many days Sucharita then came and sat by Binoy, and in the course of her talk she said: “ What has happened to tho copies of the paper in which your writings, ana your friend’s, appear? Didn’t you promise to give me them to read? ” Binoy did not tell her that he had not had the courage to keep his promise because of the change he hod noticed in her. so he merely said: “ I’ve kept them all ready for you, and will bring them to-morrow.”
Next day Binoy brought with him an armful of magazines and newspapers and left them with Sucharita. But, when she thus got them, she would not read them, and put them away in a box. She did not read them simply because she r xxv GORA!29 was so eager to do so. Once more she sought peace for her rebellious heart by refusing to allow it to be distracted and forcing it to accept Haran’s undisputed sway.
CHAPTER XXV On a Sunday morning Anandamoyi was preparing pan, and Sasi, seated beside her, was slicing piles of betel-nut, when Bmoy entered the room. Sasi bashfully made her escape scattering the nuts on her lap all over the floor. Anandamovi smiled. J Binoy had the habit of making friends with everybody all round, and had always been on specially good terms with Sasi They were always teasing each other. Sasi had hit upon the device of hiding away Binoy’s shoes and returning them onlv on his promising to tell her a story, while Binoy in revenge would invent stones based on highly coloured versions of actual events from Sasi’s own life. This proved to be condign punishment for her; for she would first try to escape bv accusing the story-teller of falsehood, then by contradicting him in a voice louder than his own, and finally by flyin" from the room in utter rout. Sometimes she would try to retaliate by manufacturing similar stories about Binoy, but she was no match for her opponent in the power of invention.
However that may be, whenever Binoy used to come to the house she would leave everything else and come running to have her fun with him. Sometimes she would pester Binoy so badly that Anandamoyi had to rebuke her, but the fault was not hers alone, for Binoy used to ask for trouble so success¬ fully that it was impossible for her to control herself.
So now, when that same Sasi self-consciously fled from the room at Binoy’s entry, Anandamoyi smiled, it is true, but it was not a smile of happiness.
Binoy himself was so much upset by this trifling incident that he sat for some time without uttering a word. It suddenly made him realise how unnatural these new relations with Sasi really were.
When he had consented to the proposal of marriage he had been thinking only of his friendship with Gora, but he had never visualised clearly what it would mean in other con¬ nections. Besides, as Binoy had so often written in their paper, in our country marriage is mainly a social matter, not GORA OHAP.
a personal one, nor had he indulged in any personal likes or dislikes in his own case. Now that he had seen Sasi retire at the sight of her future husband, overwhelmed with bashfulness, he got a glimpse of what their future relationship would be like.
As he realised how far Gora had dragged him along, against his own nature, he became angry with his friend and also reproached himself. And when he remembered how, from the very first, Anandamoyi had discouraged the proposal, he was filled with an admiration for her, not unraixod with astonishment at her keenness of perception.
Anandamoyi understood what was passing in Binoy’s rnind, and in order to turn his thoughts into other channels she said: “ Binoy, I had a letter from Gora yesterday.”
“ What does he say? ” asked Binoy somewhat absently.
“ Nothing much about himself,” replied Anandamoyi. “ But he writes sorrowfully about the plight of the poorer people in the country. He has a long description of all the wrongs perpetrated by the magistrate in some village called Ghosepara.”
Feeling in a state of excited antagonism towards Gora, Binoy said somewhat impatiently: “ Gora’s eyes are always for others’ faults: he would excuse all the social outrages, which we ourselves arc every day heaping upon our own fellows, and call them virtuous acts! ” Anandamoyi smiled to see Binoy making a stand as champion of the opposite party, in the process of having his fling at Gora, but she said nothing.
Binoy went on: " Mother, you smile and wonder why I have suddenly become indignant. I will tell you what makes me angry. The other day Sudhir took mo to a friend’s houso in the country. When wo started from Calcutta it began to rain, and when the train stopped at the junction I saw a Bengali in European dress holding an umbrella well over himself and watching his wife getting out of the carriage. The woman had a child in her arms and she barely managed to protect her baby with her shawl, as she stood exposed on the open platform, shrinking with cold and diffidence. When I saw that the husband stood there, unabashed, under his umbrella, and the drenched wife also took it uncomplainingly, as a matter of course,— nor did anybody else on the station seem to regard it as in any way wrong, — it seemed to me as if there was not a single woman in the whole of Bengal, whether poor or rich, who had any protection against rain or sun.
XXVI GORA From that moment I vowed novcr again to utter the lie that wc treat our womenfolk with great reverence, as our good angels, our goddesses, and so forth! ” Binoy stopped short as he realised how his feelings had led him to raise his voice. He concluded in his natural tone: “ Mother, you perhaps think I am delivering a lecture to you, as I sometimes do elsewhere. It may be I have got.into the habit of talking as if I were lecturing, but that is not what I am doing now. I have never realised before how much our women mean to our country. I never even gave a thought to them. — But I won't chatter much more now, mother. Because I talk so much no one believes that my words express my own ideas. I shall be more careful in future! ” and, as abruptly as he had come, Binoy departed, full of his new¬ found emotion.
Auandawoyi, calling Mohim, said: “ Binoy’s marriage with Sasi will novcr take place."
“ Why? ” asked Mohim. “ Are you opposed to it? ” “ Yes, I’m against the proposal because I know it will never come off in the cud, otherwise why should I object? ” “ Gora has consented, and so has Binoy, so why shouldn’t it come off? Though, of course, if you disapprove I know that Binoy will never marry her.”
“ I know Binoy better than you do.”
“ Better even than Gora docs? ” “Yes, I know him more thoroughly thanNGora does, and therefore, after considering it from every point of view, I feel I ought not to give my consent.”
“ Well, let Gora come back first.”
“ Mohim, listen to me. If you try and press this matter too fur it will lead to trouble, I can assure you. I do not wish Gora to talk to Binoy on the subject again.”
“ All right, wo’ll sec about that," said Mohim as he stuffed some pan into his mouth and went out of the room.
CIIAPTER XXVI When Gora started on his expedition he had with him four companions. Abinash, Motilal.. Easanta and Ramapati. But they ull found it difficult to keep pace with Gora’s pitiless enthusiasm. Abinash and Basanta returned to Calcutta after the first few days on the plea of ill health. As for the other GORA CHAP.