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THE WRECK

quite content to tread the same path as other people. Once you overstep the boundaries a crowd collects. Whether it scoffs or prays is immaterial. Life in the middle of a crowd would be insupportable!"

Nalinaksha, "Hallo, where are you off to, Jogen Babu? You have just hurled me down from the housetop to the prosaic level of the ground floor and you want to rush away. This will never do !"

Jogendra. "I've had enough for to-day. I'm going out for a walk."

After her brother's exit Hemnalini sat with down- cast eyes nervously fingering- the fringe of the table- cloth. Close inspection would have revealed tear-drops trembling on her eyelashes. Daily contact with Nalin- aksha had laid bare to her her own failings of char- acter and she strove passionately to follow in the track that he had indicated. In her hour of trial, when she cast about in vain for some external or internal sup- port, Nalinaksha had shown her the world in a new aspect, and now as time went on she became more and more enamoured of the idea of subjecting herself, after the fashion of a devotee, to a stern self-discipline which in itself would serve as a support.

Moreover sorrow is an emotion which is not con- tent to exist merely as a certain frame of the mind. It seeks to find an outlet in the performance of some difficult task. Hitherto Hemnalini had not been able to nerve herself to any such effort and in her shrink- ing from publicity she had cherished her grief in the most secret chambers of her heart. Great was the re- lief when she formed the resolution to follow in Nalin- aksha's footsteps and subject herself to an austere ordinance and a fleshless diet. In pursuance of her decision she stripped her room bare. Carpet and rugs were lifted and stored away, and her bed was hidden behind a screen. Every day she sprinkled water on the floor with her own hands and swept it clean. A

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