Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/154

128 did not exceed five cubits. In rounding her capacious waist it was almost run out. Then a<*ain the nakedness of the body had also to be covered with it. Thus far the cloth would go, but oh reaching the shoulder it refused to go further, and when the ear was reached it absolutely stood still. So the very modest Gouri Thakurani had to content herself with holding the skirt of her cloth near the ear and, resolving to provide herself in future with cloths 8 cubits long, she answered, Hallo, Gossain, come, come ; but why do you bow to me ?" "Bah," said Bhavananda, :< you are my grandam !" " You like to call me so, that's all. You are a gossain, a god on earth. However, what you've done, you've done, may vou live long. And in truth you may bow to me, if you choose, for in any case I am older than you. : ' In fact Gouri Devi was senior to Bhavananda by about a quarter of a century but the clever Bhavananda answered, " No, grandam ! I call you so because you are so droll, and don't you know when we made the calculation you proved to be six years my junior ? You know we Vaishnavas can do all sorts of things. I have the intention to remarry you one day with the permis- sion of the head of our abbey." " For shame, you must not say that," said Gouri, " you know 1 am a widow." " Then there won't be a remarriage ?" " Do what you think best, you are a wise man and I am a poor woman — what can I know ? Well, when is it going to take place then ?"