Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/113

Rh many boys and girls were brought even to us for sale. But who cares to take another's child "—(tears rushed to her eyes as before, but she wiped them off and said) " The girl is nice and plump and looked so lovely that I begged her of my brother and got her." Santi then had a long talk with Nimai on all sorts of odd topics. Then Nimai's husband came and Santi left for her cottage. Once in it, she shut the door, took some ash out of the, oven, and put it apart. On the rest of it 'she poured the rice she had cooked for herself. Then she stood thinking for a long time and mused within herself: "What I have so long thought I will do to- day. The hope that held me from doing it hitherto is now realised. Has it been realised or has it failed ? — It's failed. But life itself is a failure. What I have thought I will do. The expiation for one offence is the same as for a hundred." So thinking Santi threw the rice into the oven, got some fruits from the wood and took them instead. Then she took out the Dacca Sari on which Nimai had so set her heart and tore off its border. What remained of it she dyed well in red ochre. It was dusk by the time she had dyed and dried her cloth, and then she shut the door and engaged herself in a curious work. She cut off a part of her long and shaggy hair with a pair of scissors and kept them apart. What remained on her head she made up into braids. The rough hair was changed into a head of braids beautifully set. Tearing her saffron cloth into two, she wore one round her waist