“ Never! ” exclaimed Gora. “ I know many men with whom I have discussed these subjects for long enough, and they have no doubt at all that they have grasped the ideas perfectly, but I can assure you to your face that not a single one of them has been able to see what you have seen f When I first saw you I felt that you had an exceptionally keen insight, and that is why I have been coming to you so often and talking to you without any reserve. I have not felt the least hesitation in unfolding before you all my life’s hopes.”
“ When you speak like that I feel very uneasy,” expostu¬ lated Sucharita, “ for I cannot comprehend what you hope from me, what I can give, what work I shall have to do, and how I shall be able to express the feelings that arc crowding upon me with such rapidity. My one fear is that one day you will discover your mistake in having had such a belief in me."
“ There can be no mistake there,” shouted Gora in a voice of thunder. “ I will show you what a tremendous power there is in you. You need not be in the least anxious— the burden of proving your worthiness has been taken on my shoulders— you have only to rely upon me! ” Sucharita made no reply to this, but that she was ready to rely upon him to the full was manifest even in her silence. Gora too remained silent, and for a long time there was not a sound in the room. In the lane outside the sound of the hawker’s call could be heard and the jingling noise of the brass vessels he had for sale died gradually away as he passed from in front of the house.
Harimohini was on tho way to the kitchen after having finished her morning devotions, and she had not the least idea that there was any one in Sucharita’s silent room, but when, LXV GORA 3 SI on glancing in as she passed, she saw that Sucharita and Gora were seated together, without apparently exchanging a single word, she suddenly felt as though she had been struck by lightning, her anger was so intense. But, controlling herself as well as she could, she stood at the door and called: “ Radharani! ” When Sucharita got up and came out to her she said sweetly: “ To-day is the day for my lunar fast, and I am not feeling well. Please go to the kitchen and prepare the stove, while I sit with Gourmohan Babu a little.”
When Sucharita saw what was her aunt’s idea she went to the kitchen feeling rather uneasy in her mind, Gora mean¬ while making his obeisance to Harimohini, who sat down without a word. After sitting with her lips pursed up for some minutes she at length broke the silence with: “ You arc not a Brahmo, are you? ” “ No,” replied Gora.
“ Do you respect our Hindu society? ” she asked.
“ Of course I do,” answered Gora.
“ Then what do you mean by this kind of conduct? ” snapped Harimohini.
Not being able to imagine what she was complaining of, Gora remained silent, looking towards her inquiringly.
“ Radharani is grown up.” pursued Harimohini, “ and you are not a relation of hers, so what have you got to talk with her about so much? She is a woman, and has her housework to attend to, so what need has she of spending so much time gossiping? It will only distract her mind. You arc an in¬ telligent person — everybody is praising you — but whenever, in our country, was all this kind of thin*' permitted, and in what Scriptures do you find sanction for such conduct? ” This was a great shock to Gora. for it had never occurred to him that comment of this kind on his relationship with Sucharita could come from any quarter. He was silent for a little, and then explained: “ She is a member of the Brahmo Samaj, and since I have seen her mixing with every one freely liko this I never thought anything of it.”
“ Well, even if she is a member of the Brahmo Samaj, you can never say that all this kind of thing is good,” exclaimed Harimohini. “ A vast number of people in these days have been awakened to consciousness by what you say, and how will they be able to respect you if they see you behaving like this? Last night you were talking with her till quite late, and you haven’t finished your conversation with her yet, but GORA CHAP.
must needs come again this morning! From early this morning she has not been near either the store-room or the kitchen— and the little help she usually gives me on the eleventh day of the moon even that she has forgotten to give— what sort of teaching is this? There are girls in your own home- do you make them leave off all their household tasks and offer them this kind of instruction?— no, of course you don’t, and if any one else did so, would you think it a good thing? ” Gora had nothing to say in self-defence, he merely remarked: “ Because of the teachings with which she has been brought up I never considered the matter from that point of view.”
" Leaving aside all that teaching,” cried Ilarimohini, “ so long as she is living with me and so long as I am alive this kind of thing will not be tolerated. I have managed to get her a part of the way back. When she was in Paresli Babu’s home there was even a rumour that she had become a Hindu through mixing with me. Then when we came to this house there were lengthy discussions with your Binoy which made everything topsy-turvy again. He apparently is going to marry into a Brahmo family! Well, let that be! I have managed to get rid of Binoy after a lot of trouble. And then there is a person called Haran Babu; whenever he used to call I would take Radharani and make her sit with me upstairs, so he got no chance of influencing her. In this way, after no end of trouble, I seem to be getting her back to reasonable opinions again nowadays. When she first came to this house she actually sat and took her meal with the whole of the rest of the family, but now I see that she has given up that nonsense, for she went and brought her own rice from the kitchen yesterday, and forbade the servant to bring her water. Now 1 beg of ’you, with folded hands, that you won’t go and spoil her again. Every one I had in the world has died, and she is the only one I now have left to me — there is no one else whom I can call really my own. Do leave her alone! There arc plenty of grown-up daughters in their house — sec there is Labonya, and Lilia, and they are both intelligent and educated. If you have anything to say, go and say it to them, no one will prevent you.”
Gora sat absolutely dumbfounded, and, after a brief pause, Harimohini continued once more: “ See here, she will have to be married, for she is more than old enough. What do you think, that she will remain for ever unmarried as she is now? Domestic work is a necessity for a woman.”
Generally Gora never had any doubt on this question — his LXV GORA opinion was exactly the same, but he had never applied it to the case of Sucharita. His imagination had never pictured her as a wife, engaged in the task of housekeeping in the zenana of some family man. Ho had pictured her as con¬ tinuing just as she was now.
“ Have you thought at all about your niece’s marriage? ” asked Gora.
“ One has to think about it, of course,” answered Hari- mohini; “ if I didn’t think about it who would? ” “ Will she be able to marry into the Hindu community? ” inquired Gora.
“ Wo shall have to try for that,” said Harimohini. “ If only there is no more trouble, and everything goes smoothly then I shall be able to manage it all right. In fact, I had come to a decision, but so long as she was in this state of mind I had not the courage to take any definite, steps. Now that I havo been noticing for the last two days that her mind is less stubborn I am hopeful again.”
Gora felt that he ought not to ask any further questions on this subject, but be was unable to restrain himself, and he asked: “ Have you thought of any one yet as a bridegroom? ” “ Yes, I have,” replied Harimohini. “ He is an excellent man— Kailash, my youngest brother-in-law. His wife died some time ago — and’ he lias been waiting all this time for a suitable girl of grown-up age; otherwise do you think that such a boy would have remained unmarried? He would just suit Radharani.”
The more keenly the thorn pricked him the more questions Gora asked about this Kailash.
It appeared that of all her brothers-in-law Kailash was the best educated. This had been due to his own efforts, but how far he had progressed in his education Harimohini was unable to say. In any case he was celebrated in his family for hir learning. When the complaint against the village Postmaster had been sent to the General Post Office, Kailash had written it in such wonderful English that one of the heads of the Postal Department had come down to investigate the matter him¬ self. All the inhabitants of his village had felt astonished at Kailash ’s ability. Yet, in spite of such learning, his devotion to matters of religion and the customs of his society had under¬ gone no abatement.
When Kuilash’s whole history had been given Gora got up, made an obeisance to Harimohini, and left the room without a word, and going downstairs saw that Sucharita was engaged GORA CHAP.
in cooking on the other side of the courtyard. When she heard the sound of Gora’s footsteps she came and stood at the door, but when Gora went out, without looking to the right or the left, Sucharita heaved a deep sigh and went again to her work in the kitchen.
Just as he was leaving the lane for the main road Gora ran up against Haran Babu, who gave a slight laugh, and observed: Gora did not reply to this remark, but Haran Babu again asked: "You have 'just been to call there, I suppose? Is Sucharita at home? ” " Yes,” said Gora, and walked away as fast as lie could.
The moment Haran Babu entered the house he sawSucharita through the door of the kitchen. She had no means of escape, and her aunt was nowhere near.
" I have only just this minute met Gourmohan Babi!,’* observed Haran Babu. “ I suppose he has been here till just Without making any answer to this remark Sucharita became suddenly very busy with her pots and pans— sho behaved in fact as if she were so completely engaged that sho had hardly time to breathe. But Haran Babu was not to be Eut off. Standing in the courtyard, outside the kitchen door, e began a conversation, in spite of the fact that Ilarimohini- once or twice gave a warning cough from the stairs. Huri- mohini could easily have appeared before Haran Babu, but she knew for certain that, if she once allowed him to see her, neither she nor Sucharita would have any respite from the irrepressible enthusiasm of this persevering young man. So whenever she caught even the shadow of Haran Babu’s presence she would draw her veil with a caution surpassing that of a newly married bride.
"Sucharita," said Haran Babu, "do you realise what you are doing? Where will you eventually arrive? You have heard, I suppose, that Lolita is going to marry Bitioy according to Hindu rites. You know who is responsible for this?”
Receiving no answer to this oucstion, Haran Babu lowered his voice and said solemnly: “ You are responsible! ” Haran Babu thought that Sucharita would be unable to- bear the shock of such a dreadful charge, but seeing that she went on with her work without so much as looking up, he made his voice even more solemn, and shaking his finger at her, said: “ Sucharita, I say again, you are responsible t lxv GORA 335 Can you say, with your right hand on your heart, that for this you are not blameworthy before the whole Brahmo Samaj? ” Sucharita,, for answer, put the frying-pan on the fire so that the oil began to splutter loudly.
Haran Babu continued: “ It was you who brought Binoy Babu and Gourmohan Babu into your home, and encouraged them to such au extent that now they arc more important in your eyes than all your most honoured friends in the Brahmo Samaj. Do you see what the result of this has been? And didn’t I warn you to be careful from the very beginning? To-day what is the result? Now who can check Lolita? You think I suppose that the danger has ended.with her! But that is not so! I have come to you to-day to warn you! Now it is your turn! Now you arc doubtless repenting for the misfortune that has befallen Lolita, but the day is not far distant when you will not even have the grace to repent at your own downfall! But, Sucharita, there is still time to turn back! Just think for a moment, what great hopes once united us both— how brightly did duty shine before us, and how the whole future of the Brahmo Samaj spread out broadly before us — what resolutions we mado together and how carefully we saved, every day, for the journey of life! Do you imagine that all that has been destroyed? Never? That field of our hopes is even now prepared. Only turn and look back once more! Come back again! ” At this moment the various kinds of vegetables which were frying in the boiling oil began to make a prodigious spluttering, and Sucharita began turning them over with the sheer in the- approved manner; when Haran Babu remained silent, to- see what the result of his summons to repentance was, Sucharita removed the frying-pan from the fire and putting it down, turned her face towards Haran Babu and said firmly: “lam a Hindu I ” “ You are a Hindu 1 ” exclaimed Haran Babu, completely taken aback.
“ Yes, I am a Hindu! ” Sucharita repeated, and she lifted the frying-pan on to the fire again and began to stir the vegetables vigorously.
“ So Gourmohan Babu I suppose has been giving you initiation morning and evening, has he? ” exclaimed Haran Babu in a harsh voice, after recovering from the first effects of the shock.
“ Yes,” replicdt Sucharita without turning round, “ I have, been taking my initiation at his hands; he is my guru! ” GORA CHAP.
Haran Babu bad until now regarded himself as Sucharita’s guru, and if he had heard that, day that she loved Gora the news would not have been so bitter to him — but to hear from Sucharita’s own lips that Gora had snatched away from him his rights as her guru struck him like a lash.
“ However big a man your guru may be, do you imagine that the Hindu society will accept you? ” sneered Haran JJabu.
“ I know nothing about that,” answered Sucharita. “ I do not understand your ‘ society,’ but I know I am a Hindu I ” “ Do you realise that the mere* fact of your having remained so long unmarried is enough to outcast© you from tins Hindu society? ” asked Haran Babu.
“ Do not trouble yourself uselessly over that question,” answered Sucharita, “ but I can toll you one thing, I am a Hindu 1 ” “ You have abandoned all the religious teachings you have received from Parosh Babu at the foot of this new guru of yours, I suppose? " exclaimed Haran Iiubu.
“ The Lord of my heart knows about my religion, and I do not propose to discuss it with any one,” said Sucharita. “ But you can be certain of one thing, namely, that I am a Hindu! ” " Well let me tell you,” exclaimed Haran Babu impatiently, “ that no matter how big a Hindu you may think yourself you won’t get any benefit from that. You haven’t got another Binov in your Gourmohan Babu, so you needn’t hope that you will be able to get Gourmohan Babu even if you shout yourself hoarse by declaring yourself to be a Hindu. It is an easy matter for him to assume the role of a guru and havo you as his disciple, but don’t even in your dreams think that he will take you into his home and set up housekeeping with you as his partner! ” Forgetting in a moment all her cooking Sucharita turned round like a flash of lightning and exclaimed: ‘ What is all this you are saying? ” “ I say,” replied Haran Babu, “ that Gourmohan Babu will never think of marrying you! " Marry me? ” exclaimed Sucharita, her eyes looking dangerously bright. " Did I not tell you that he is my guru? ” “ That you did certainly,” replied Haran Babu, “ but we can understand also what you did not tell us! ” “ Leave this house 1 ” cried Sucharita. “ You shall not LXVI GORA insult me. 1-et me tell you now, once for all, that from to-day I will never come out in your presence again.”
“ Come out before me indeed! ” sneered Haran Babu. “ Now you arc a zenana lady! A proper Hindu housewife! ‘Unseen even by the sun!’ Now is Paresh Babu enjoying the full fruits of his sin! Let him enjoy in his old age the fruits of his own works, I say farewell to you all! ” Suckarita shut the kitchen door with a bang, and throwing herself on the floor tried to stifle the sound of her sobs, while Haran Babu went out of the house with his face dark with anger.
Harimohini had listened to every word of the conversation between the two, and what she had heard from Sucharita’s own lips to-day was beyond her wildest hopes. Her heart swelled with joy and she exclaimed: “ Why should it not be C'ble? What I have prayed for with such single-hearted tion from my god, could that be all in vain? ” And she went then and there to her prayer-room and, falling full length on the floor before her idol, promised that from that. day sho would increase the quantity of her offerings. Her worship, which for many days had been performed very peacefully under the influence of her sorrow, was to-day, in her realisation of a selfish hope, eager, hot, and hungry.
CIIAPTER LXVI Gora had never spoken to any one as he had been speaking to Sucharita. Up to now he had been bringing out before his hearers mere opinions, instructions, and speeches — to-day, before Sucharita, he was expressing his whole self. In the joy of this self-revelation there was not only a feeling of power, all his opinions and resolutions were filled with an emotional quality. His life was enveloped in beauty, and it seemed as though the gods were suddenly showering their nectar upon his religious devotions.
It was under the impulse of this joy that Gora had been visiting Sucharita for so many days consecutively without any thought of the consequences. But to-day, when he suddenly heard Harimohini’s words, he remembered that once he had laughed mercilessly at Binoy and reproached him for a similar infatuation. He was startled at seeing himself landed in the same situation, through his own ignorance.
GORA CHAP.
GORA CHAP.
Gora summoned all the senses at bis command, just as a sleeping person who receives a suddeu shock for which he is not prepared in an unknown place palpitates in dismay. Gora had over and over again preached that there are many powerful nations in this world which have been absolutely destroyed, and that India alone by reason of her restraint and the firmness with which she had kept to her old laws had been able to survive the adverse forces of the centuries. Nowhere would Gora admit the least laxity in these laws, and lie would say that, though India had been plundered of all else, her soul was still lying hidden in the restraint of these inflexible regulations, and no oppressive rulers had the power to touch her body. So long as wo arc subject to some foreign nation we must observe strictly our own laws, and leave the question of their goodness or badness till later. A drowning man, clutching at a straw or any other object with which he can save his life, does not deliberate as to whether it is ugly or beautiful. Gora had over and over again declared himself • thus. To-day also this was what lie felt, and when Hari- mohini had abused him for his conduct he felt like a noble elephant pricked by the goad.
When Gora reached home he found Mohim seated on a bench outside the door without his shirt, smoking, as to-day was an office holiday. He followed Gora indoors, and called out: " Gora, listen to me, I want to have a talk with you.”
“ Do not be angry, brother,” he continued when they were both seated in Gora’s own room, “ but let me first ask you whether you too have caught the same infection as Binoy? You seem to be going pretty frequently to that quarter, and getting very thick with them! ” “ You needn’t be afraid,” said Gora, blushing.
“ There is no sayiug, from tho way I sec things arc going,” observed Mohim. “ You seem to think that it is something eatable which you can swallow without an effort and then come back home again! But that there is a hook in the bait you can see well enough from your friend’s plight! No, don’t run away! I haven't come to the point yet. I’ve heard that it is quite settled that Binoy is to marry into a Brahmo family, and I want to tell you beforehand that from now onwards we can't have anything more to do with him! ” “ That goes without saying,” assented Gora.
“ But,” continued Mohim, “ if mother makes a fuss it will be a nuisance. We are family men and, as we are, we have to break our backs over the task of getting our girls and boys txvi GORA married. If in addition to that a branch of the Brahmo Samaj is established in our house then I shall have to go and live elsewhere.”
“ No, no, there will be no need for that! ” assured Gora.
“ The proposal for Soshi’s marriage is more or less settled,” said Mohim. “ But the future father-in-law will never be satisfied until he gets possession not only of the girl but of more than her weight in gold — for he is well aware that a human being is classed as ‘ Perishable Goods,’ and gold lasts much longer. He has a keener eye for the sugar than for the pill! You lower him by calling him a father-in-law, he is so barefaced iu his demands! It’s going to cost me a pretty penny to be sure, but I’ve learnt a good lesson from him which will come in useful at the time of my own boy’s marriage. I only wish I could be born again at this time, and with my father as go-between, could arrange for my own marriage— you may be sure I would see that I got the fullest benefit of being born a man. This is what is called manliness! To ruin completely a girl’s father 1 Is that a small matter? Whatever you may say, brother, I can’t go about with you singing victory to the Hindu society day and night; my voice all of a sudden becomes weak at the suggestion. My Tiucowry’s age is now only fourteen months — it took my spouse a long enough time to rectify the mistake of giving birth first of all to a daughter— but however that may be, Gora, you must do your best, with all your friends combined, to keep the Hindu society in a thriving state till my son is old enough to be married. After that the country can become Mohammedan, Christian, or any¬ thing else it Hkes, for all I care! ’’ “ So I say,” continued Mohim, on seeing Gora get up to go, 41 that it will never do to invite your Binoy to Soshi’s marriage ceremony, for it would be foolish to give such an opening to more trouble. So you must begin from now to warn mother to be careful.”
On entering Anandamoyi’s room Gora found her seated at the table, with her spectacles on, engaged in making a list in an account book. She closed the book on seeing Gora and, taking ofi her spectacles, said: “ Sit down.”
“ I want to consult you about something,” observed Anandamoyi as soon as he was seated. “ You have heard about Binoy’s coming marriage of course.”
“ His uncle is angry about it,” she continued, seeing that Gora was silent, “ and none of his people will come to the wedding. And it is doubtful whether it can take place at GORA CHAP.
Paresh Babu’s, so Binoy himself will have to make all the arrangements. So I was thinking that it would be most convenient if we could make use of that second storey of our house on the north, the lower storey is rented but the upper one is without a tenant just now."
“ How would it be convenient? ” inquired Gora.
“ Who will look after the arrangements for his wedding if I don’t? ” explained Anandamoyi. “ He will be in a great fix. But if the marriage were to take place in those rooms then I could easily manage everything from here without the least difficulty."
“ That will be impossible, mother,” said Gora, decisively.
“ Why should it be impossible? ” asked Anandamoyi. “ I have obtained the permission of the master of tho house.”
“ No, mother, the marriage can never be celebrated there,” expostulated Gora, “ I assure you. Do listen to me! ” “ Why not? ” asked Anandamoyi. “ Binoy is not getting married according to their rites.”
"That is all useless argument," objected Gora. “ It is no use pleading like that with society. Let Binoy do what he likes, we can’t give our approval to this marriage. There is no lack of houses in Calcutta. He has his own house.”
Anandamoyi knew quite well that there were plenty of houses, but she could not bear to think of Binoy being deserted by all his friends and relations and having to marry like an unfortunate and friendless person managing somehow or other in a hired house. It was for this reason that she had settled in her mind to make use of that part of their house which was lying free, for Binoy’s wedding. She would have been quite satisfied if only she could get the marriage celebrated in her own house without causing any opposition from society.
“ If you are so averse to this idea,” sighed Anandamoyi, " then we must hire a house somewhere else, I suppose. But that will mean a great strain on me. However, never mind that, if ray idea is impracticable what’s the use of thinking any more about it? ” “ Mother, if you attend this marriage ceremony it will not be a good thing,” objected Gora.
“ Whatever are you saying, Gora? ” exclaimed Ananda¬ moyi. “ If I don’t attend our Binoy’s wedding then who will, I should like to know? ” “ No, it will never do, mother,” persisted Gora.
" Gora,” answered Anandamoyi, “ you may not agree with GORA LXVl Binoy in your opinions, but is that any reason why you should become his enemy? ” “ Mother,” exclaimed Gora a little excitedly, “ it is wrong of you to say that. It’s not a happy thing for mo to feel that I can’t rejoice on the occasion of Binoy’s marriage. You know, if no one else does, how much I love him, but, mother, this is not a question of love — friendship or enmity do not aflcct the matter in 'the least. Binoy is doing this with his eyes open to all its consequences. It is not wo who are leaving him, but he who is forsaking us, so he is not receiving any greater blow than he could have been expecting.”
“ Gora,” said Annndamoyi, “ Binoy knows that you will have nothing whatever to do with this marriage of his, that is true enough. But he also knows that I can never desert him at so auspicious a moment of his life. I can tell you for certain that if Binoy knew that I would not give his bride my blessing then nothing would induce him to marry. Do you think that I don’t know Binoy’s mind? ” and as she spoke she wiped a tear away.
The pain that Gora was feeling in his mind on Binoy’s account troubled him greatly, still he remarked: “ Mother, you must remember that you are a member of a society and that you are indebted to that society.”
“ Gora,” exclaimed Anandamoyi, “ haven’t I been telling you again and again that I severed my connection with my society a long time ago? That is why society hates me so much and why I keep myself aloof from it.”
“ Mother,” expostulated Gora, “ that remark of yours hurts me more than everything else.”
“ My child," observed Anandamoyi, her tearful look seeming to take in the whole of Gora’s body, “ God knows that it is beyond my power to save you from that pain! ” “ Very well," said Gora, getting up, “ I will tell you what I must do. I will go to Binoy, and say to him that he must try to manage his marriage so as to avoid your becoming still more divorced from your society, for otherwise it will be very wrong and selfish of him.”
“ All right,” laughed Anandamoyi, “ you do whatever you can. Go and 9pcak to him, and then I will see what happens.”
When Gora had gone, Anandamoyi sat for a long time lost in thought, and then after some time had passed she got up slowly and went to her husband’s uuartors.
To-day it was the eleventh day of the moon, so Krishnadaval had made no preparations for his food. He had got hold of a GORA CHAP.
new Bengali translation of a Hindu religious book, and was engaged in reading it, seated on a deerskin. On seeing Anandamoyi he became much disturbed, but she kept at a respectful distance from him, and seating herself in the door¬ way, remarked: “ Look here, we aro doing very wrong.”