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 faces and drew a little to one side. Then the younger of the two men said to them in a gentle tone: "Regard us as your sons: do not be ashamed: tell us fully the reason of your coming here: and if any assistance can be rendered by us, we will not fail to render it." Hearing these words, the mother, taking her daughter by the hand, moved forward a little, and briefly informed them of the plight they were in. Even before she had finished telling her story, the two men looked at each other, and the younger of them, in the enthusiasm of his joy, fell to the ground, exclaiming, "My mother! my mother!" The other, and the elder of the two, made a profound obeisance to the sorrowful mother, and, with his hands humbly folded, said, "Dear lady, look, look! He who has fallen to the ground is your precious one, your treasure[77]: he is your Ram! and my name is Barada Prasad Biswas." When she heard this, the mother unveiled her face, and said: "Oh, dear sir, what is this that you are saying? Shall such a destiny as this befall so miserable a wretch as I am?" On coming to himself, Ramlall bowed down to the earth before his mother, and remained motionless. Taking her son's head into her bosom and weeping the while, his mother poured the cool waters of consolation over his heated mind; and his sister, with the edge of her sari, wiped away his tears and the dust that had collected on him, and remained still and silent.

By-and-by the old woman, not finding the Babu in the house, came running into the garden, and when she saw him lying on the ground with his head in the lap of the elder of the two women, she screamed out: "Dear me, what is the matter? Oh dear! Oh dear! Is the Babu ill? Shall I go and fetch a Kabiraj?" Barada Prasad Babu said to her, "Be quiet, the Babu has not been taken ill: these two women that you see are the Babu's mother and his sister."