Bhavananda suppressed his mirth with difficulty and answered, " Not one day later than I see the Brahma- chari ; and — er — well how is she ?" Gouri was disappointed. She suspected that the talk of her remarriage was all a joke, and answered, <l Well how ? She is as she ever is." " You just go and see how she is," said Bhavananda, " and tell her that I have come and wish to see her once." Gouri Devi then left the cooking stick, washed her hands and climbed the steep stairs up to the first floor. In a room here and seated on a torn mat was a rare beauty. But upon her charm there was a very dark shadow ; — a shadow like that of the dark cloud over^a stream at mid-day, — smiling and bright, great and full to overflowing, and rolling with deep water. Waves are merrily cast up, ashore the flowery trees wave with the breeze and droop with their blooming burden, the mansions on the bank are shining too ; the water is moved in billows by the passing boats ; — the hour is mid -day ; still all its beauties are overcast with gloom for the shadow of the dark cloud. — So too was she ! Her smooth, dark and dense hair flowed gleefully as before ; there were in her open and full forehead, as before, the eyelashes looking like things painted with a rare brush ; as before, shone her blooming bright and watery eyes adorned with a shining black spo", — not so wistful in glance nor so restless, but a little softer than before. The crimson on her lips shone as before, her full breast 9
