Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/130

" You may, one is myself." " The others ? " " Jivananda, Bhavananda, Jnanananda." Santi took up the bow, put the string to it with ease, and threw it at Satyananda's feet. Satyananda was astonished, awed and dumbfounded. Presently he asked, " What's this ? are you a goddess or a woman only I" " A very humble woman, but I have lived a pure and austere life." " How could it be so ? Is it that you were widowed when a child ? No, that too is not likely ; a widow can- not be so strong, for she has to live on one meal a day." " No, I have got my husband." " Is it that he cannot be traced ? " " He can be traced and it is to trace him that I have come here/' Then in Satyananda's mind flashed the sudden light of an old memory like sunshine peeping through a break in the clouds. " Yes, I remember." he said, " Santi is the name of Jivananda's wife. Are you Jivananda's spouse ?" This time Santi hid her face with her ample braids. It looked as though several trunks of elephants fell on a full-blown lotus. " Why did you come to do this sinful deed ? " Santi instantly threw her crop of braids on her back, and, pulling herself up, proudly answered : " Where is the sin in it, sire ? Do you call it a sin that a wife