Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/129

Rh So saying Satyananda pulled at the long jet black beards of his disciple and the false beards forthwith came off. " For shame, child," said Satyananda, " how could you think of deceiving me ? And if you did, why did you hang such long beards at this age. Even if you had your beards shorter,, could you dissemble that voice and look ? If I were such a fool as that, I could not have taken such a great work in hand." Santi — impudent thing — first hid her eyes with her hand and looked down. But presently she took away the hand and, looking in the face of the shrewd old man with her sportive glance, said, "But sire, what is there wrong in what I have done ? Can strength never reside in a woman's arms." " Aye, even as you have water in a cow's foot-print." " Do you ever try the strength of the Children? " I do," said Satyananda and brought out a steel bow and a bit of wire. " They have got to put this string to the steel bow," he continued, "the string is only three feet long. The bow springs up with the attempt to bend it and throws off the attempted He. who can string it is a really strong man." Santi carefully examined the bow and string, and asked " Have all the Children passed the test." " No, I have only tried their strength by its means." " Has no one passed ? " " Only four have." " May I ask who they are ?"