Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/567

520 Basu, is the managing proprietor of the Bangabasi College at Calcutta. Vidyasagar loved Giris Chandra most dearly. The two families are still in very good terms of friendship.

Although Burdwan had lost its former salubrity of climate, it was all these attractions and his former love of the place that made Vidyasagar visit it now and then. The people of Burdwan knew him too well to forget him. Whenever he alighted at the platform of the Railway Station, the poor surrounded him on all sides, as they were sure to get from him something. On one of these occasions, a poor, ragged, little boy with a pale countenance approached our noble hero and begged him for a pice. The lad's fleshless body and wan face moved him to compassion. Besides, the sorrowful, pale countenance of the beggar boy had something of a peculiar illumination in it. Vidyasagar was a little curious about him, and began to talk with him in rather familiar tones. He said,—'Suppose, I give you four pice.' The boy did not know Vidyasagar personally, and he thought naturally that the man was jesting. He said,—'No use of joke, sir; kindly give me a pice.' Our hero replied.-'This is no joke; if I do give you four pice, what would you do?' The boy said.—'I would lay out two pice in buying something to eat, and give the other two pice to my mother.' Vidyasagar then said,—'And if I give you two annas?' The boy now thought, that the man was really making fun