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THE WRECK

"A meeting!" she cried, with forced animation. "Who is the speaker to be?" Jogendra. "Dr. Nalinaksha." Annada. "Nalinaksha!"

Jogendra "He's a remarkably fine speaker, and what's more he has a most extraordinary history. Such self-denial! Such constancy! He's a man in a mil- lion," and yet two hours before Jogendra had known nothing of Nalinaksha save one vague rumour!

"Well, dad," said Hemnalini, with a display of alacrity, "we must certainly go and hear this paragon,"

Annada was by no means convinced by Hemnalini's show of eagerness; still he was sensible of a certain relief. Let Hemnalini, even though it cost her a strug- gle, only continue to go out into the world and mingle with her kind and she would soon regain her normal tone. The society of one's fellow-men is the surest remedy for mental disorders.

"All right," he said to Jogendra, "you take us to the meeting to-morrow and see that we're there in good time; but tell me what you know about Nalin- aksha. One hears so many different stories about him."

Jogendra commenced with a tirade against scandal- mongers in general.

"The ultra-religious," he began, "believe that

Heaven entrusted them at birth with a licence to slander and abuse their fellow-men indiscriminately. There's no one more uncharitable and malevolent than these piety-merchants!" and Jogendra's indignation boiled over.

"I'm with you: I'm with you," repeated Annada soothingly. "To be always discussing his neighbours' failings makes a man sour, narrow-minded, and sus- picious."

"Hallo, dad!" exclaimed Jogendra, "are you hav- ing a dig at me? I'm not like these pious folk, you

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