Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/221

Rh searched the whole field, but could nowhere find what she wanted. She then threw down the torch, dropped herself on the ground smeared with blood and spread with dead bodies and wept bitterly. It was Santi ; she was looking for Jivananda's body. She was thus weeping when a sweet and gentle voice reached her ear ; somebody said, " Rise, mother, do not weep." Santi looked up and saw standing before her in the moonlight the wonderful figure of a saint with a head full of clotted hair. Santi stood up. The saint said : " Don't weep, mother. I shall look out Jivananda's body for you." Then the great man took Santi to the middle of the field where innumerable dead bodies were thrown upon one another in a heap. Santi had not been able to re- move them all. That most powerful man removed the heap of the dead and dragged out one. Santi knew that it was Jivananda's body, scarred with wounds and smeared with blood. Santi cried aloud like a common woman. He said, " Don't weep mother. Are you sure Jivananda is dead ? Just examine his body with care. First feel the pulse." Santi felt the pulse, there was not the slightest quickness in it. The saint said, " Feel the chest with your touch.' Santi did it but there was no beating there, all was cold. He then said, " Feel the nostrils and see if there is the slightest breath." 13