LAKSHMAN tarried with Krishnadas ; while Gopal alternately passed in and out. At last, approach-ing her father with a dejected countenance she said : " Father, your sister grows constantly worse; she cries, she talks irrationally, and begs for water in her burning fever heat. She surely does not know that this is her fast day. Just now, exhausted, she sank into a sleep. I pray the gods will grant her a long and re-freshing slumber."
With tearful 6yes Krishnadas turned to his friend. "You now see, Lakshman, the utter misery of my house. "
Lakshman thought it fit to depart when a servant entered and announced a new visitor : " Ramchandra, the Brahman. "
"He is welcome, as ever," said Krishnadas; but at the same time he urged his friend to remain. "You must meet Ramchandra ; he is a remarkable man and one of high character. Notwithstanding his youth the fame of his learning fills the whole town, and in many branches of knowledge he surpasses his teachers."
All eyes were turned towards the visitor, who now greeted Krishnadas and Gopa, and inquired sympathetically after the welfare of the sick widow.
"I fear, Ramchandra," replied Krishnadas sadly, that it is ill with Lilavati, very ill."
" Ah, I regret it deeply," said the Brahman. " But I see that you have a guest ; I am interrupting you. "
"No, Ramchandra, stay. It is an old friend from the distant Northwest."
Lakshman bowed profoundly, and said : "A high honor for this house, that a Brahman youth visits it as a friend. "
But Ramchandra objected with a modest gesture.
"0h no! I am bound to this house by all the bonds of gratitude ; " and checking the reply which Krishnadas attempted to make, he went on : "Let me speak ! he who says that I confer an honor upon this house shall learn what you have done for me. Not only do I owe my life to Krishnadas, but I also should not have had means to complete my studies if he had not … ."
Here, however, Krishnadas quickly interrupted him: "Enough, enough, Ramchandra!"
"No, Krishnadas," he continued steadily, "you shall and must learn why I speak to you of these things to-day. You know that for a few weeks past I have been instructing the new magistrate of our city, White Sahib."
"Yes, I had heard of it," said Krishnadas, "how do you get along with each other ? "
"I confess that I was distrustful when I was first invited to impart instruction to this man concerning our ancient traditions. The government officials use every means to inform themselves as to the disposition of the people. So at first I thought that my Sahib was studying our ancient holy books as a mere pretext to make cunning inquiries of me as to what the Brahmans think and say of the government."
"And is it not so?" asked Gopa, who had been listening with rapt attention.
"No, decidedly not," answered Ramchandra, "his motive is a sincere desire for knowledge, just as it was mine when I first came from Jeypore. And besides, notwithstanding his high position, he is a friendly man, of frank manners, quite different from the usual cold and condescending ways of the Sahibs."
"We all know them," put in Krishnadas indignantly, "by every word and look we are made to feel how these high and mighty rulers despise us."
"My Sahib is the opposite of this; he conducts himself just as if I were his equal, and calls me friend. And daily I feel myself more touched by his manner, and I frequently upbraid myself that I have so much affection for one who is unclean. But when he tries with such true zeal to understand the deepest lore of our people … ."
"And you reveal it all to this barbarian ! " said Lakshman, whose astonishment increased each mo-ment. " Is this right ? "
" I do not think it is wrong," replied the Brahman ; "times have changed. The wisdom which was once the sole possession of my caste, has now become a common property. They are beginning to print our ancient sacred books in our own land ; every one can buy them, and whoever knows our language can read them. Tell me, if the Sahib of whom we speak will study our wisdom, is it not better that he should understand than misunderstand it ? I help him to understand it. If the wisdom of the Brahmans is promul-gated in the West, is it better that it should be a cloudy mass of indistinct ideas, at which all wonder and shake their heads, or that it should shine as the brightness of the sun, so that the thinkers of the sunset lands shall point to India and say : ‘ Thence comes our light ‘ ? "
Gopa looked with beaming eyes at Ramchandra, whose voice had an irresistible ring when he spoke with enthusiasm ; one could see clearly that she agreed with him. But Lakshman spoke angrily : "What interest can the Brahman wisdom have for the Sahibs ? What do they care for India ? "
"The Sahibs are different from us," replied Ramchandra ; "we have lived from the earliest times as if no other land or people existed. And truly there is, upon the whole wide earth, no other such people as we, the chosen of Brahma, since the first creation. But \xL the Sahibs a consuming fire burns which drives them
to seek out the most hidden comers of the earth, and subject them to their sway. I believe they now rule over almost all the world, and they are seeking ways of reaching the stars, to conquer them. But not only do they wish to possess all ; the best among them wish to know all all that was and is."
"Yes, it is true," affirmed Krishnadas, they are a wonderful people, and they have given our land many good things."
Lakshman frowned ; he saw in the home of his old friend the spirit of a new time rising, to which he was deeply opposed.
But Ramchandra persisted in returning to the starting-point of the conversation on the English magistrate, and said : "At first I would not consent to be paid for my service to this stranger, who, from a true, noble thirst for knowledge, devoted himself to our philosophy. But I then thought I ought not to lose this opportunity of giving back to you, Krishnadas, what you had so generously lent me ; and so I took his money. Here is the first; it is not much."
With these words he handed Krishnadas a purse. But Krishnadas looked at him in astonishment. "You offend me, Ramchandra ; you must know that I do not lend money, and least of all to you. Put back your money in your pocket, and never speak of it to me again."
Ramchandra colored. " Krishnadas, do not shame me. What shall I do with money ? I have already
enough for my needs. And shall I^ the unmarried, accumulate property?"
"Then I can advise you," interrupted Gopa smiling. "Go, Ramchandra, carry your earnings to the bazaar where the books are sold, so large and thick that the poor worldling is frightened at their sight."
Ramchandra looked with a glance of gratitude at Gopa, who had guessed his dearest wish. "O you good, noble people, how I thank you ! Ah, how often has it pained me that the chains of caste prevent me from coming as near to you as my heart desires. "
Krishnadas nodded approvingly, and said : "Yes, it would indeed be delightful, Ramchandra, if you belonged to our caste, and were not compelled to avoid the meals of our house. Then you could be a regular guest at my table, and had we met sooner I should have given you Gopa in marriage. I could then be more secure about the future than I am now. "
A flaming red colored Gopa*s cheeks at these words. But the confusion which overcame her was soon dis-placed by a feeling of terror, for from the next room was heard a wailing voice which came nearer and nearer. A moment later the sick Lilavati came in, tottering and clinging to the pillars. Her cheeks were sunken and she stared hollow-eyed into the distance. As Krishnadas and Gopa, who hastened to her, assisted her with slow steps to a resting place, she spoke wearily and brokenly, uttering after every few words a pitiful wail.
" I could not stay any longer in my chamber… . When I awoke, I was so frightened, so fearfully frightened. … I saw infernal demons with horrible claws coming toward me …. they laughed grimly and said …. that to-day was my wedding-day… . that Mrityu, the god of death, would come and marry me… . O Krishnadas !"…. With a shriek the fever-sufferer sprang to her brother’s arms, who sought to quiet her, while Gopa wrung her hands in despair. "Oh, how it burns ! O Krishnadas, Gopa, give me to drink ! "
Krishnadas spoke with hesitation. PoorLila-vati ! Dear sister, this is your fast-day. "
"What do you say ? " groaned the sick one, "my fast-day ? Yes, it is true. Tell me, Krishnadas, how much longer will this day last ? "
"Eight hours yet, Lilavati."
"Eight hours yet ! " she repeated with a shrill cry. "No, I cannot stand it… . But one drop, brother… . I beg of you just one drop."
With great self-command Krishnadas bade her to suppress her desire. "Lilavati, dear sister, think. Your whole life long you have obeyed the laws of widowhood as no other widow has. All these long years you have done as the Purohit directed. It was a consolation to us that by your dutiful conduct you should share the highest happiness in the next existence. Think, dear Lilavati ; as soon as you get well you would reproach yourself and us most bitterly if we should to-day fulfil your request."
" In the next existence," said Lilavati after a pause, " in the future life, you say, Krishnadas. What if there is no future life ! "
A shudder passed through those present. But Ramchandra whispered, " O, if it were true, what the sick one says ! What a boon it would be for all creatures not to be hunted through thousands’ and thousands of painful lives ! "
Lilavati tried to raise herself, groped about with uncertain touch and wept. Gopa, Krishnadas, … so you will let me die …. you …. you …. that is your thanks …. for all that I have done for you year after year …. your thanks, Krishnadas, that I have raised Gopa to be a noble, good woman …. Her voice sank, her breath came in gasps, and she convulsively pressed her finger to her burning lips. At the same time she cried out faintly, "Water …. water ! "