Finding the state of her father Hemamalini rose and went over to him, "don't be angry, dad," she murmured. "It was kind of Jogen to offer me a cup of tea and I'm not offended in the least. Come now, you must take something. I know tea doesn't agree with you unless you eat something with it," and she brought a plate of cakes and laid it before him.
Annada Babu began to eat very slowly.
Hemamalini returned to her own seat and was on the point of drinking out of the cup that Jogendra had poured. Jogendra immediately rose and took the cup from Hemamalini, then, turning to his father, he said, "I am sorry, please forgive me."
Annada could not command his voice sufficiently to reply and tears gathered in his eyes. Jogendra and Akshay slipped quietly out of the room. After a few mouthfuls Annada Babu also rose, took his daughter's arm, and tottered upstairs.
That night he had an attack of acute pain. The doctor was called in and announced that the patient was suffering from internal inflammation ; a stay of a year or six months at least, in some bracing locality up-country might restore his health completely.
"Hem, dear," said the old man when the pain was easier and the doctor had departed, "let us go to Benares and stay there for a while."
The same idea had simultaneously occurred to Hemamalini.
Since Nalinaksha's departure she had become conscious of certain weakening in her devotions. So long as he was at hand she had found her austerities an unfailing solace, and the glow of steadfast piety and tranquil kindliness that illuminated his face had served, as it were, to confirm her faith.
In his absence it seemed as though her zeal had suffered an eclipse, albeit on the day after his departure she had striven hard against her own inclinations and had attempted to follow his precepts with redoubled keenness. Lassitude had however inevitably set in and generated such despair that she could restrain her tears no longer.
At the tea-table she had nerved herself to the exercise of hospitality, but a weight had been pressing on her heart and the pain of the old memories reasserted itself in a still more formidable guise. The consciousness that she was without prospect and the impulse to cast herself adrift in desperation returned. Her father's proposal was accordingly most opportune and she embraced it eagerly.
"Yes, let us go there, dad !" she exclaimed.
Noticing the bustle of preparation next day Jogendra asked what was up, and his father informed him that he and Hemamalini were going up-country.
"Where to ?" inquired Jogendra.
"We'll tour about a little before we settle down," replied Annada, who shrank from admitting to his son that their destination was Benares.
"Sorry I can't come with you," said Jogendra, "I have sent in my application for that head-mastership and I'm waiting for an answer."
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