Page:The Home and the World.djvu/246

XI you more truly only at a distance from yourself. Here I had only your favour, there I shall be vouchsafed your boon.'

My jewel-casket was lying on the table. I held it up aloft as I said: 'I charge you to convey these my jewels to the object of my worship,—to whom I have dedicated them through you.'

My husband remained silent. Sandip left the room.

I had just sat down to make some cakes for Amulya when the Bara Rani came upon the scene. 'Oh dear,' she exclaimed, 'has it come to this that you must make cakes for your own birthday?'

'Is there no one else for whom I could be making them?' I asked.

'But this is not the day when you should think of feasting others. It is for us to feast you. I was just thinking of making something up when I heard the staggering news which completely upset me. A gang of five or six hundred men, they say, has raided one of our treasuries and made off with six thousand rupees. Our house will be looted next, they expect.'

I felt greatly relieved. So it was our own money after all. I wanted to send for Amulya at once and tell him that he need only hand over those notes to my husband and leave the explanations to me.

'You are a wonderful creature!' my sister-in-law