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CHAPTER XLIV

Akshay had given the house a wide berth of late, but, after Nalitiaksha's departure for Benares, Jogendra brought him in to tea again. Akshay hoped to gauge from Hemnahni's behaviour to what extent the mem- ory of Ramesh still obsessed her thoughts, but as a matter of fact she appeared perfectly at ease.

"We've seen very little of you lately," she remarked with unaffected friendliness.

"Do you think I'm worth seeing every day?" he retorted.

"Well," laughed Hemnalini, "if you really think one shouldn't pay calls unless one is worth seeing, many of us would have to spend our days in solitude!"

Jogendra. "Akshay thought he would take a prize for humility, but Hem goes one better and tries to excel all mankind in that quality. However I have something to say on that point. Ordinary people like myself are suitable company every day but there are exceptional persons whom one can only endure now and then; to meet them often would be unbearable. That's why they go wandering about among forests and mountains and caverns. If they settled down per- manently in people's houses, humble individuals like Jogendra and Akshay would have to take to the woods."

There was a sting in Jogendra's words and Hem- nalini was conscious of it, but instead of retorting she merely poured out a cup of tea for each of the three men.

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