Page:Gora - Rabindranath Tagore.pdf/25

II name which it would make you still angrier to hear mention. "

“ It pleases you to be dogmatic,” said Binoy with a shrug.

“ The scriptures tell us,” persisted Gora, "that Woman is deserving of worship because she gives light to the home,—the honour which is given her by English custom, because she sets fire to the hearts of men, had better not be termed worship."

“ Would you contemptuously dismiss a great idea because it occasionally gets clouded over ? " asked Binoy.

“Binu," answered Gora impatiently . “ Now that you have clearly lost your own power of judgement you ought to be guided by me. I affirm that all the exaggerated language about women that you find in English books has at bottom merely desire . The altar at which Woman may be truly worshipped is her place as Mother, the seat of the pure, right-minded Lady of the House. There is some insult hidden in the praise of those who remove her from there . The cause of your mind hovering about Paresh Babu's house, like a moth round a candle, is in plain language what the English call ' Love '; but for God's sake don't ape the English cult by placing this love above all other considerations, as the one object man's worship."

Binoy jumped up like a fresh horse under a whip. "Enough, enough!" he cried. "You go too far, Gora !"

"Too far ?" retorted Gora. I haven't even come to the point yet. Simply because our sense of reality about the true relations of man and woman is bemisted by passion, we needs must make subject for poetising."

"If it is our passion which besmirches our idea the right relationship of man and woman, is the the foreigner alone to blame ? Is it not the same passion which leads our moralists to exaggerated vehemence when they preach that woman is an evil to be shunned ? These are merely two opposite aspects of the same attitude of mind in two different types. If you abuse the one, it will not do to excuse the other."

" I misunderstood you, I see !" smiled Gora. "Your condition is not so hopeless as I feared. So long as philosophy finds scope in your brain, you may make love without fear. But take care that you save yourself before it is too late,— that is prayer of your well-wishers."

" You have gone quite crazy, my dear fellow !" Binoy expostulated. "What have I to do with love ? To ease your mind I will confess that, from what I have heard and