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THE WRECK

ligion. You may ask why I don't practise myself what I preach. Well, there is some excuse for it in my case. My parents were very strict and all of us, and girls, were brought up in an atmosphere of piety. We shouldn't know where we were if we altered our habits now. But your upbringing has been different I know exactly the sort of atmosphere in which you were reared and it goes against the grain with you to adopt a different mode of life. It's no good forcing your in- clinations, my dear. What I say is, let every one follow his natural bent in these matters. It won't do, dear; you should give it up. Fasting and prayer aren't in your line. This idea that Nalin is an in- spired teacher is something quite new; he really knows nothing about such things. Up till a short time ago he followed his own inclinations and pulled a long face if he heard a text quoted. It was only to please me that he launched out in this way and Fm afraid he'll turn into a full-blown anchorite one of these days. 'Stick to the faith of your childhood,' I keep on telling him. 'I have no fault to find with it, in fact nothing would please me better,' but he only laughs ; it's a way he has. He never opens his mouth whatever you say to him. Scold him even and he won't answer back!"

This conversation took place in the late afternoon while the old lady was dressing Hemnalini's hair. She did not approve of the girl's simple style of coiffure.

"You think I'm very old-fashioned, dear," she would say, "and know nothing about the latest modes. Well, I think I may safely boast that I know more styles of hairdressing than you do. I once knew a very nice English lady. She used to come here and give me sewing-lessons and she taught me a lot about hair- dressing too. Of course I had to bathe and change my clothes after each of her visits! It may or may not be right to be so scrupulous, but I'm built that way. You mustn't mind my being squeamish with

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