“ But you used to think differently. Didn’t we agree that neither of us should marry? I thought that was settled.”
“ Well, now let it be settled that you will marry and I won’t.”
“ Why? Why different goals for the same pilgrimage? ” “ It is because I am afraid of different goals that I suggest this arrangement. God sends some men into the world with heavy burdens ready made, while others are let off delightfully light — if you yoke these two kinds of creatures together, one has to be loaded up to pull evenly with the other. We shall be able to keep pace together properly, only after you have been duly weighted down by a spell of married life.” ' “ A11 right I ” smiled Binoy. “ Pile the weight on this side, by all means! ” “ But, as to the particular load itself, have you anv objection? ” J “ Since weighing down is the object, anything will serve equally well— brick or stone— what docs it matter? ” Binoy could divine the exact reason for Gora’s eagerness about this marriage, and was only amused by his evident anxiety to rescue his friend from entanglement with ono of Paresh Babu’s girls.
The rest of the afternoon, after their midday meal, was spent in making up for the loss of their night’s rest by a long nap. There was no further talk between the two friends till the shades of evening had fallen and they had gone on to the roof-terrace.
Binoy looked up into the sky 'and said: “ See here, Gora, I want to say one thing to you. It appears to me that in our xvn GORA 83 flove for °ur country there is one great imperfection. We only tthink of the half of India.” 1 W c look on India only as a country of men; we entirely ■ignore the women, explained Binoy.
“Like the Englishman,” said Gora, “you want to see women everywhere,— in the home and in the world outside; •on the land, the water, and in the sky; at our meals, our •amusements and our work,— with the result that for you the women will eclipse the men, and your outlook will remain just •as one-sided.”
“No, no!” replied Binoy. “ It won’t do for you to dismiss my argument like that. Why raise the question whether I look at things like the English or not? What I say is, that we do not give the women of our country their rightful pluro in our consideration. Take yourself, for instance. I can say, ifor certain, that you never give a moment’s thought to the -women,— for you the idea of our country is womanless, and ■such idea can never be the true one.”
“ Since I have seen and known my mother,” observed •Gora, I have seen, in her, all the women of our country, and •known as well the place they should occupy.”
“ Yo“ are simply making phrases in order to delude your- •«clf, said Binoy. “ The familiarity which one gets in the home with women at their household work, does not make for tauc knowledge. I know that you will only get furious if I •venture to make any comparison between English society and •ours,— and I don’t want to do it either, nor do I pretend to know •exactly to what extent and in what ways our womonfolk may •show themselves m public without overstepping the limits of propriety,— but my point is, that so long as our women remain hidden behind the purdah, our country will be a half-truth to •us, and will not be able to win our full love and devotion.”
“ As time has its two aspects— day and night, so society ihas its two sections— man and \yoman,” argued Gora. “ In .a natural condition of society, woman remains unseen, like night— all her work is done unobtrusively, behind the scenes. •Where society has become unnatural, there night usurps the •province of day, and both work and frivolity are carried on by artificial light. And what is the result? Night’s secret functioning ceases, fatigue increases progressively, recupera¬ tion becomes impossible, and man carries on only by recourse to intoxication. Similarly, if we try to drag our women out onto the field of outside duty, then their characteristic quiet 84 GOEA CHAP- 84 GOEA CHAPwork will be interfered with, the peace and happiness of society will be destroyed, and frenzy will prevail in their stead. At first sight such frenzy may be mistaken for power, but it is a power which makes for ruin. Of the two aspects, of society, man is patent, but not, therefore, necessarily more- patent. If you try to bring the latent force of woman to the- surface, then society will be made to live on its capital and soon, descend towards bankruptcy. I say that, if we men attend; the place of feasting and women keep guard over the stores, then only will the festivity be a success, even though the- women remain invisible. Only intoxication can want alt powers to be spent in one direction, in the same place, and in. an identical manner.”
“ Gora,” said Binoy, “ I don’t want to dispute what you; say — but neither have you disproved what I argued. The real question is - ” “ Look here, Binoy,” interrupted Gora, “ if wc go on* disputing further about this matter it will only lead to a regular wrangle. I confess that women have not thrust themselves- on my consciousness in the way they have recently done on yours. So you can never make me feel about them as you do. Let us for the present agree to differ.”
Gora thrust aside the subject. But a seed cast aside may nevertheless fall to the ground, and there it only waits for an. opportunity to sprout. Up till now Gora had completely shut out women from his field of vision, and had never even dreamt that his life lacked anything, or suffered any loss, thereby. To-day Binoy’s exaltation of feeling had mado real to him the fact of their existence and the extent of their power in society. But as he could not decide what their proper place was, or what special need they served, he felt averse to this discussion with Binoy. He could neither master the subject nor dismiss it as worthless, so he felt he would rather not talk about it at aH.
As Binoy was leaving that night, Anandamoyi called him to her and asked: “ Has your marriage with Sasi been settled?”
Binoy answered with a slightly embarrassed laugh: " Yes, mother, — Gora has played the role of matchmaker! ” “ Sasi is quite a good girl,” said Anandamoyi; “ but don’t, do anything childish, Binoy. I know you well enough, my child. You have hurried yourself into a decision because- you found you could not really make up your mind. There is plenty of time to think it over. You’re old enough to judgg XVIII GORA XVIII GORA for yourself: don’t decide such a serious question without consulting your real feelings.”
As she spoke she patted Binoy gently on the shoulder,, while he, without answering, went slowly away.
CHAPTER XVIII Binoy kept thinkiug over Anandaraoyi’s words on the way home. He had never yet disregarded her advice in the least particular, and ho felt a burden weighing him down the whole- of that night.
Next morning he woke up with a sense of being relieved of all obligation by having paid at last an adequate price for' Gora’s friendship. He felt that the lifelong bond which he- had accepted, by agreeing to this marriage with Sasi, had. earned him the right to loosen his bonds in other directions. This marriage-bond was a surety which would secure him for ever from Gora’s unfounded suspicions as to his being drawn away from orthodoxy by the temptation of marrying into a Brahmo family. So Binoy began to visit Paresh Babu’s house constantly and without any scruples, and for him it- had never been difficult to make himself completely at home- in the house of people whom he liked. Having once disposed, of the hesitation he had felt on Gora’s account, it was not long before he was treated like one of Paresh Babu’s own- family.
At first Lolita was up in arms against Binoy, but this lasted, only so long as she suspected Sucharita to have a liking for him. As soon as she saw clearly that Sucharita had no special • partiality for him, she was no longer in revolt, and allowed nersclf to admit without a struggle that Binoy Babu was an exceptionally nice man.
Even Haran was not antagonistic; on the contrary, ho seemed to desire to emphasise the fact that Binoy had really some notion of good manners, the implication being that Gora. had none. And because Binoy never started an argument with Haran, in which tactics he was abetted by Sucharita, he had never been the occasion of any breach of the peace at the tea-table.
But when Haran was not there, Sucharita would encourage- Binoy to explain his opinions on social matters. She could, not get over her curiosity as to how two educated men like GORA CHAP.
'Gora and Binoy could justify the ancient superstitions of 'their country. If she had not known these two personally, she would have dismissed such attempts with contempt as not worth a thought. But from her very first encounter with Gora she had been unable to dismiss him from her mind with -contempt. So whenever she got an opportunity she always led the conversation round to a discussion of Gora’s mode of life and his opinions, and tried to get further and further into the matter by her questions and objections. Paresli Babu always believed that it w;is a liberal education for Sucharita to hear the opinions of all sects, so lie never put a stop to these discussions out of any fear of their leading her astray.
One day Sucharita asked: “ Now tell me, does Gourmohan Babu really believe in caste, or are his professions merely an exaggerated form of his devotion to his country? ” “ You acknowledge the steps of a staircase, don’t you? ” replied Binoy. “ You don’t object to some having to bo higher than the others? ” “ I don’t object to that, only because I have to go up them. I wouldn’t have acknowledged any such necessity on level ground.”
" Just so,” said Binoy. “The object of the staircase, which is our society, is to enable people to mount up from below — right up to the goal of man’s life. If we had regarded society, or the world itself, as our goal, then there would have been no necessity for acknowledging these differences, then the Europeau social condition of a continual scramble to occupy the maximum space would also have been good enough for us.”
“ I am afraid I don’t understand you very clearly,” objected Sucharita. “ My question is this. Do you mean to tell me you find the purpose, for which you say caste distinctions •were created in our society, to have been successful? ” " It is not so easy to see the face of success in this world,” answered Binoy. “ India offered one great solution to the social problem, namely the caste system — that solution is still being worked out before the eyes of all the world. Europe has not yet been able to give anything more satisfactory, for there society is one long struggle and wrangle. Human Society is still waiting for the final success of the solution offered by India.”
“ Please don’t be angry with me,” said Sucharita timidly.
“ But do tell me, are you merely echoing Gourmohan Babu’s opinions, or do you really believe all thi3 yourself? ” XVIII GORA 87 “ To tell you the truth,” said Binoy, smiling, “ I have not the same force of conviction as Gora has. When I see the ■defects of our society, the abuses of our caste system, I cannot but express my doubts; but Gora tells me that doubt is only the result of trying to see great things in too much detail, — to regard the broken branches and withered leaves as the ultimate nature of a tree is simply the result of intellectual impatience. Gora says he does not ask for any praise of the •decaying boughs, but asks us to look at the whole tree and then try to understand its purpose.”
“ Let us leave aside the withered boughs by all means,” said Sucharita. But surely we have a right to consider the iruit. What kind of fruit has caste produced for our country? ” “ What you call the fruit of caste is not merely that, but the result of the totality of the conditions of our country. If you try to bite with a loose tooth you suffer pain, — for that you don’t blame the teeth, but only the looseness of that particular tooth. Because, owing to various causes, disease .and weakness have attacked us, we have only been able to •distort the idea which India stands for, and not lead it to ■success. That is why Gora continually exhorts us: Become healthy, become strong! ” “ Very well then, do you regard the Brahmin as a kind of •divine man? ” pursued Sucharita. “ Do you really believe that the dust of a Brahmin’s feet purifies a man? ” “ Is not much of the homage we pay in this world of our •own creation? Would it have been a small thing for our society if we could have created real Brahmins? We want divine men — supermen, and we shall get them too if only we can desire them with all our hearts and all our minds. But •if we want them in a foolish manner, then we needs must be content to burden the earth with demons to whom no evil- •doing is foreign, and whom we allow to earn their livelihood iby shaking the dust of their feet on our heads.”
“ Have these supermen of yours come into being anywhere •at all? ” asked Sucharita.
“ They are there, in India’s inner need and purpose, just .as the tree is hidden in the seed. Other countries want .generals like Wellington, scientists like Newton, and million¬ aires like Rothschild, but our country wants the Brahmin, the Brahmin who knows' not what fear is, who hates greed, who •can vanquish sorrow, who takes no account of loss — whose Being is united with the Supreme Being. India wants the Brahmin of firm, tranquil ana liberated mind — when once she 83 GORA CHAP.
83 GORA CHAP.
gets him then only will she be free! It is not to kings that we bow our heads, nor do we submit our necks to the yoke o£ oppressors. No, it is through our own fear that our heads are bowed low; we are caught in the web of our own greed, we are slaves to our own folly. May. the true Brahmin by his- austere discipline deliver us from that fear, that greed, that folly, — we don’t want them to fight for us, or to trade for us, or to secure for us any other worldly advantage.”
Up to this point Paresh Babu had been merely a listener, but now he interposed, saying softly: “ I cannot say that I know India; and I certainly do not know what India wanted for herself, or whether she ever succeeded in getting it, — but can you ever go back to the days that arc gone '! Our striving should be concerned with wlmt is possible in the present, — what good can wo do by stretching out our arms in vain, appeals to the past? ” “ I have often thought and spoken as you are doing,” said Binoy; “ but as Gora says, can we kill the past by merely speaking of it as dead and gone? The past is always with us, for nothing that once was true can ever depart.”
“ The way your friend puts these things,” objected Sucharita, “ is not the way they are put by the ordinary man. How then, can we be sure that you speak for the whole codntry? ” “ Please don’t think,” protested Binoy, “ that my friend Gora is one of those ordinary people who pride themselves on being very strict Hindus. He looks at the inner significance- of Hinduism, and so seriously that he has never regarded the- life of a true Hindu as a matter of luxury which would wither at the least touch, and die if handled roughly.”
“ But it seems to me that he is rather particular about avoiding the least touch,” said Sucharita, smiling.
“ That watchfulness of his has its own peculiarity,” ex¬ plained Binoy. “ If you question him about it he will reply at once: ‘ Yes, I believe every bit of it — that caste can bo lost by contact, that purity can be lost through improper food — all that is unmistakably true.’ But I know quite wclL that is merely his dogmatism, — the more absurd his opinions sound to his hearers, the more positively will he express them.. He insists on rigid, indiscriminate observance, lest, by his. yielding on minor points, foolish people may be led to feci a disrespect for more vital matters, or lest the opposite party should claim a victory. So he dare not display any laxity, even to me.”
“ There are plenty of such people amongst Brahmos also,’' XVIII GORA 89 said Paresh Babu. “ They want to sever all connection with Hinduism without discrimination, lest outsiders should mistakenly think they condone also its evil customs. Such people find it difficult to lead a natural life, for they cither pretend or exaggerate, and think that truth is so weak that at is part of their duty to protect it by force or by guile. The bigots are those whose idea is, ‘ Truth depends upon me." I do not depend upon truth.’ As for myself, I pray to God that I may always be a simple, humble worshipper of truth, whether in a Brahmo temple or at a Hindu shrine, — that no ■external barrier may obstruct or hinder my worship.”
After these words Paresh Babu remained silent for a while, allowing his mind to rest as it were in the very depths of his being. These few words of his seemed to have lifted the whole tone of the discussion— not that this was due to any¬ thing in the words themselves, but to the peace which welled up from the experiences of Paresh Babu’s own life. The faces of Lolita and Sucharita lighted up with a glow of devotion. Biuoy also did not feel like saying any more. He could see that Gora was too high-handed — the simple and assured peace which clothes the thought and word and deed of those who are the bearers of truth, was not one of Gora’s possessions — and on hearing Paresh Babu speak, this struck Biuoy all the more painfully.
When Sucharita had gone to bed that night, Lolita came and sat on the edge of her bed. Sucharita saw clearly enough that Lolita was turning something over in her mind, and, as she also knew, that something was about Binoy. So she herself gave her an opening by saying: “ Really, I like Binoy Babu immensely.”
“ That’s because he is all the time talking about Gourmohan Babu," observed Lolita.
Although Sucharita saw the insinuation, she pretended she did not, and said innocently: “ That’s true; I hugely enjoy hearing Gour Babu’s opinions from his mouth. It almost makes me see the man himself before my eyes.”
“ I don't enjoy it at all! ” snapped Lolita. “ It makes me angry.”
“ Why? ” asked Sucharita in surprise.
“ It’s nothing but Gora, Gora, Gora day in and day out,” replied Lolita. “ His friend Gora may be a great man, but isn’t he himself a man also? ” “ That’s true, but how does his devotion prevent him from being one? ” asked Sucharita, laughing.
90 GORA CIIAP.
“ His friend has overshadowed him so completely that Binoy Babu has no chance of showing himself. It is as though a cockroach had swallowed a midge. I have no patience with the midge for allowing itself to be caught, and it doesn’t heighten my respect for the cockroach.”
Sucharita, amused at the heat in Lolita’s tone, merely laughed and said nothing, while Lolita continued: “ You may laugh if you like, Didi, but I can tell you that if any one tried to put me in the shade like that, I would not stand it for a single day. Take yourself,— whatever people may think, you never keep me in the background; that’s not your nature and that’s why I love you so. The fact is, you have learnt that lesson from father — lie keeps a place for everybody.”
In that household these two girls wore the most devoted of all to Paresh Babu. At tho very mention of “ father,r their hearts seemed to expand.
“ Just fancy, comparing anybody with father! ” protested Sucharita. “ But whatever you may say, dear, Binoy Babu can talk wonderfully well.”
“ But, my dear girl, don’t you see that his ideas sound so- wonderful just because they are not his own. If he had talked of what he himself really thought, then his words would havo been just simple and sensible —not sounding like manufactured phrases, and that’s the way I’d have much preferred them.”
“ Why be angry about it, dear? ” said Sucharita. “ It only means that Gourmohan Babu’s opinions have become- his own.”
“ If that is so then I think it’s horrid,” said Lolita. “ Has God given us intelligence to expound other people’s ideas, and a mouth simply to repeat other people’s phrases, however wonderfully well? Bother such wonderfulness, I say! ” “ But, why can’t you see that, because Binoy Babu loves Gourmohan Babu so much, they have really come to think in the same way? ” “ No, no, no! ” broke out Lolita, “ no such thing has happened at all. Binoy Babu has simply acquired the habit of accepting everything Gourmohan Babu says— that’s not love, it’s slavery. He wants to deceive himself into thinking that he holds the same opinions as his friend, but why? Where one loves, one can follow without agreeing— one can surrender oneself with eyes open. Why cannot he plainly admit that he accepts Gourmohan Babu’s opinions because of his love for him? Isn’t it clear enough that he does so f Tell me truly, Didi, don’t you think that’s the truth? ” xvm GORA xvm GORA Sucharita had not thought of it in this light,— all her curiosity had been about Gora and she had not felt any eager- ness to study Binoy as a separate problem. So, without giving, a direct answer to Lolita’s question, she said: “ Well, suppose you are right, what s to be done abojit it? ” 1 1 “ * should love to untie his bonds for him and free him. from his friend,” replied Lolita.
“Why not try it, dear? ” “ My trying will not do much, but if you put your mind! to it, something is sure to happen.”
Sucharita was not unaware, in her heart of hearts, of having acquired an influence over Binoy, but she tried to- augh the matter off, and Lolita went on: “ The one thing I. like him for, is the way he is struggling to free himself from- Oourmohan Babu s control after coming under your influence Any one else in his place would have started writing a play in abuse of Brahmo girls— but he stiff keeps an open mind, as is- proved by his regard for you and his respect for father. We must try and help Binoy Babu to stand on his own feet. It- is unbearable that ho should exist merely to preach Gour- rnolian Babu’s opinions.”
A5,tJVf,mo.racnfc Satish ca»«e running into the room calling out, Didi! Didi! ” Binoy had taken him to the circus, and although it was so late, Satish could not check his enthusiasm tor the performance which he had seen for the first time. After describing his experiences, he said: “ I tried to bring Binoy Babu m to stay the night with me, but after coming into the- house ho went away again, saying he would come again to-morrow. Dull, I told him that he would have to take alb of you to see the circus one day.”
“ And what did he say to that? ” asked Lolita.
He said that girls would be frightened if they saw a tiger But I wasn’t at all afraid! ” With which Satish swelled out his- chest with manly pride.
“Oh indeed r said Lolita. “I know well enough the- kind of brave man your friend Binoy Babu is.— I say Didi we must rcaI!7 comPcl him to take us to the circus.”
. There will be an afternoon performance to-morrow,” saidi Satish.
“That’s good. We’ll go to-morrow,” settled Lolita; and. next day, when Binoy arrived, Lolita exclaimed: "I see- you ^0 come in good time, Binoy Babu. Let’s make a start.”’
u Where to? ” asked Binoy in surprise.
. “ To the circus, of course,” declared Lolita.
GORA CHAP.
S2 To the circus! To sit with a party of girls before every¬ body in the tent, in broad daylight! Biuoy was dumbfounded.
I suppose Gourmohan liabu will be angry, will he? ” i pursued Lolita.
Biuoy pricked up his.ears at the question, and when Lolita ircpcatcd: “ Gourmohan Babu has views about taking girls to the circus, hasn’t he? ” he replied firmly: “ Certainly he has.”
“ Please give us an exposition of them,” begged Lolita. ' “ I’ll go and call my sister so that she may hoar it too.”
Binoy felt the sting but laughed, whereupon Lolita con¬ tinued: “ What mokes you laugh, Binoy Babu? Yesterday you told Satish that girls arc afraid of tigers— aren't you ever afraid of any one? ” After this Binoy simply had to accompany the girls to the circus. Not only that, but on his way there he had plenty of time to ponder agitatedly on the figure he seemed to be cutting, not only to Lolita but also to the other girls of the house, so far as his relations to his friend went.
The next time Lolita saw Binoy she asked him with an air of innocent inquiry: “Have you told Gourmohan Babu about our visit to tlie circus the other day? ” The point of the question penetrated deeply this time, and made Binoy wince and blush as he replied: “ No, not yet.”
CHAPTER XIX 'Gora was at his work one morning when Binoy arrived un¬ expectedly and said -abruptly: “ The other day I took Paresh Babu’s daughters to the circus.”
Gora went on with his writing, saying: “ So I hear.”
“ From whom did you hear? ” asked Binoy in astonishment.
“ From Abinash, who happened to beat the circus the same •day,” replied Gora, and continued writing without further remark.
That Gora should have already heard of it, and of all people from Abinash, who could not have spared any em¬ bellishments in his account of the matter, made all Binoy’s •old instincts rise up to shame him. At the same time it flashed across his memory that he had not slept till late last 3 \t because he was mentally occupied in quarrelling with ta. “ Lolita thinks that I am afraid of Gora, as a school- GORA 93 boy of his master. How unfairly people can judge one another! It’s true that I respect Gora for his unusual qualities, but not in the way Lolita thinks, which is as unjust to me as to him. Just imagine taking me for a child, with Gora as my guardian! ” This had been the burden of his thoughts overnight.
Gora went on with his writing, and Binoy recalled again those two or three pointed questions which Lolita had fired off at him. He found it hard to dismiss them from his mind. Suddenly a feeling of revolt rose in his heart. “ What if I did go to the circus? ”• — he flared up within. “ Who is Abinash to come and discuss my affairs with Gora? — and why • on earth does Gora allow that idiot to launch into such a discussion? Is Gora my keeper that I am to be answerable to him as to where I go and with whom? This is an outrage on our friendship! ” Binoy would hardly have been so indignant with Gora and Abinash had he not suddenly realised his own cowardice. He was merely trying to shift on to his friend the guilt of the secrecy which he had felt impelled to preserve so long. If only Gora had spoken a few angry words to him on the subject, the friends could have come on to the same level, and Binoy would have been consoled. But Gora’s solemn silence made him appear to be sitting in judgement on him. This made the memory of Lolita’s cutting remarks gall him all the more.
Mohim now entered the room, hookah in hand, and, after offering pan from his box, said: “ Everything is settled on our sido, Binoy, my son. Now, if only your uncle gives his approval we shall all feel relieved. Have you written to him yet? ” This pressure on the subje'et of his marriage was specially irritating to Binoy to-day. Of course he knew that it wfas no fault of Mohim’s— Gora having given him to understand that Binoy had consented — but he himself felt very small over this consent of his. Anandamoyi had practically tried to dissuade him: neither had he ever felt drawn to his pro¬ spective bride. How then had a clear decision at all come out of the confusion? It could not exactly be said that Gora had hurried him in any way, for he would never have pressed him if Binoy had seriously made the least objection, and yet why -? In that “ yet ” he felt again the sting of Lolita’s remarks. For it was nothing that had actually happened on this occasion, but the complete ascendancy which Gora had acquired over him during all these years of their friendship.
94 GORA CHAP.