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CHAPTER XLIX

KsHEMANKARi soon succumbed to another attack of fever but this bout did not last so long as the last. One morning during her convalescence when Nalinaksha came in and saluted her like a dutiful son by touching her feet, he took the opportunity to urge her to al- low herself to be treated as an invalid. Her usual austerities, he observed, were not suited to a person in her condition.

"So I'm to renounce my old habits while you pro- ceed to renounce the world altogether?" cried the old lady. "My dear Nalin, you can't keep up this farce any longer. Kindly do as your" mother tells you and get married!"

Nalinaksha was silent and Kshemankari proceeded : "You see, my dear, this old body of mine won't last much longer. I shan't die happy unless I see you mated first There was a time when I looked for- ward to your marrying a slip of a girl whom I could train myself. I had visions of dressing her up to suit my own ideas. But during this last spell of sick- ness my eyes were opened. There's no saying how long I shall live and I can't take for granted that my remaining lease of life will be a long one. It would not be fair to leave you with an unformed girl on your hands. Much better marry some one whose age is nearer your own. I lay awake every night, while I had fever, thinking this out. I feel very strongly that this is the last duty that I owe to you and I must live to perform it, otherwise my mind will never h^at rest."

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