Page:Chandra Shekhar.djvu/180



moon did not appear that night to smile upon the world below. Dark clouds had covered the sky, the moon, the stars and all the lesser luminaries. The clouds which were full of rains, and were therefore tinged dark gray, had all gathered together into a thick unbroken mass, which enveloped the whole firmament—made it an all pervading endless expanse of impenetrable darkness, which covered the river, its sandy banks, and the land above, with the chain of hills on it. In that darkness Shaibalini was alone in the valley of the hills.

In the latter part of the night the little boat, in which Pratap and Shaibalini made their escape, was taken to the shore, keeping the pursuing enemies at a distance. There is no dearth of retired places by the side of large rivers, and the little boat was fastened to one of such secluded nooks. There Shaibalini left the boat, unnoticed. This time, she did not run away for any evil purpose. It is that fear of life which drives