Page:Broken Ties and Other Stories.pdf/19

 Satish replied that he was far too poor to think of it. His uncle had invited them.

Purandar, Satish’s elder brother, was equally indignant. He threatened to drive all the unclean guests away. When Harimohan expressed his protest to his brother, he answered:

‘I never make any objection to your offering food to your idols. You should make no objection to my offering food to my gods.’

‘Your gods!” exclaimed Harimohan.

‘Yes, my gods,’ his brother answered.

‘Have you become a theist all of a sudden?’ sneered Harimohan.

‘No!’ his brother replied. ‘Theists worship the God who is invisible. You idolaters worship gods who are visible, but dumb and deaf. The gods I worship are both visible and audible, and it is impossible not to believe in them.’

‘Do you really mean to say,’ cried Harimohan, ‘that these leather workers and Mussulmans are your gods?’

‘Indeed, they are,’ said Jagamohan; ‘you shall see their miraculous power when I put food before them. They will actually swallow it, which I defy your gods to do. It delights my heart to see my gods perform such divine wonders. If