Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/590

 with food of his own cooking. This self-imposed task was very agreeable to him.

During this sojourn at the sacred place of the Hindus, a gentleman one day called at Thakurdas's lodgings. Both the father and the son were present then. Vidyasagar thought that the newcomer was his father's acquaintance, while Thakurdas thought that the visitor must be known to his son. In the meantime, a piece of business called Vidyasagar away. When he returned to the lodgings, he found that the visitor had departed. He then enquired of his father about the man's personality. Thakurdas said,—'I don't know him. I believed that he was known to you. and that you would come back and talk to him. I myself was too deeply engaged on an important matter to attend to him.' Everything was now clear to Vidyasagar, and he was deeply sorry for what had passed. He at once set out in the direction of Bangalitola (that quarter of Benares where the Bengalis reside) to find out the unknown visitor. After a diligent search of some time, he at last discovered the man. He apologised to the stranger for the apparent slight shown to him; the man was satisfied. Vidyasagar then asked him why he had called. The stranger replied,—'I heard that you were come, and therefore called to see you. Besides, I wanted to ask you a question about religion.' Vidyasagar desired him to put his question. The gentleman wanted to know our hero's