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Srikanta Didi sat in silence for some time, looking down, lost in thought. When she raised her face she said slowly, 'Indra, your Didi does not possess the least bit of all that knowledge. If you are willing to believe why I don't, I will tell you everything to-day and get rid of the burden of my secret. Will you believe all that I will tell you?' Her last words were heavy with pent-up emotion.

I had scarcely spoken a word all this time, but now I did not hesitate to say with emphasis, 'I will believe everything you say, Didi. Yes, everything. I won't disbelieve a single word.'

She looked at me with a smile and said, 'Of course you will, my dear: aren't you sons of gentlemen? Only low people are suspicious of what strangers say.' She looked at me again and smiled rather sadly.

The dim gloom of the evening had given place to moonlight, and through the chinks among the thick leaves and branches of trees the rays of a pale moon filtered down into the thick darkness below. After a few moments' silence Didi suddenly said, 'Indranath, I had thought of telling you my whole story to-day, but I realize that the time has not yet come. Only believe me when I say that everything about us is a fraud. Do not follow Shahji about, deluded by a vain hope. We know nothing of mantras, nor can we revive the dead, nor catch snakes by passing the cowrie-shell. VVe do not know whether others can, but we ourselves have no such power.'

Though I could not exactly tell why, I believed every word she said, in spite of my short acquaintance with her. But Indra remained incredulous. 'Well,' he said angrily, 'if you don't know any better than any others, how could you catch the snake?'