Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/47



Under the orders of the monk, Bhavananda walked towards the inn where Mahendra stayed, softly chanting Harinam. He thought, he could get a trace of Mahendra there.

At that time there were not such roads in the country as the English have now built. To come to Calcutta in those days from one of the towns in the interior you had to walk by the primitive roads built by the Mussulman Emperors. In going to town from Padachinha, Mahendra had to walk from south to north. Therefore he met the sepoys on the way who were marching from north to south. In walking from Talpahar to the inn, Bhavananda too walked to the north. So, he too shortly met the sepoys guarding the treasure on the way. Like Mahendra he too stood by to let them pass.

Now, naturally, the sepoys had thought that dacoits would try to plunder the treasure. Besides, they had caught a real robber on the way. So when they saw Bhavananda too stand aside like Mahendra they were easily convinced that he was another outlaw. They, therefore, instantly caught him.

Bhavananda smiled and said "Why, my friend, what's the matter?" A sepoy said "Sala, you are a robber." "You can well see I am a devotee in the holy dress. Does a robber look like this?" inquired he.

"In sooth,' said the sepoy, "many a rogue of a monk