Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/108

84 the use of arms and soon grew hardy. She travelled much with them, saw many scuffles and learnt many kinds of work. By and by the signs of youth made their appearance and many people of the party had no doubt that she was a woman in disguise. But sannyasins usually had their impulses under restraint ; they knew it, but winked at it. There were many learned men among the Sannyasins. One of them began to give lessons to Santi, on seeing that she was fairly well up in Sanskrit. We have said that the sannyasins had great self-control ; but every one did not have it. This sannyasin had it not ; or perhaps he began to be stung anew by amour, at the sight of Santi's new-born and transcendent charms on her accession to puberty. Santi was not injured by his transparent tricks to gain her favour but rather profited by them. She had never learnt the modesty of her sex ; but now the woman in her nature besran to come out on the surface. Her soul became illumined by the lovely radiance of her faultless female grace being cast on her mannish heart. She gave up her study. But the preceptor was obstinate. He rushed on Santi whenever he saw her, as much as a hunter would run after a doe. But by exercise Santi had acquired strength which was not always possible for a man to cultivate, and when the preceptor approached him she always propitiated him with a plentiful offering of