Page:Anandamath, The Abbey of Bliss - Chatterjee.djvu/148

The captain was hesitating whether he would shoot the ascetic or not, when suddenly the young devotee sprung upon him and snatched away his gun and pluck- ed the deerskin off and threw away the false braids from the head, and, lo J Captain Thomas saw before hiin the figure of a beautiful woman. The lady smiled and said : " Saheb, I am a woman and do not mean to hurt anybody, but I would like to ask you one thing. The fight is between Hindus and Mussulmans, why do you come between them ? You had better go back home." " Who are you," enquired Thomas. " You see I am a female devotee and a wife of some one of those you have come to fight with." " Would you stay in my house ? " " What ! as your mistress ? " " No, you may stay like a wife, but there won't be a marriage." " I too have something to ask ; we had a monkey in our house which has died of late, leaving its cage empty. I will present to you a chain for your waist, will you come and stay in its place ? We have got excellent plantains in our gardens ! " " You are a very ' spirited * woman," said the captain, in a mixed language. " I am very much pleased with your courage. Come to my house. Your husband will die in the fight ; what will happen to you then ? " " Very well, let us come to an agreement. The fight will be over in a few days. If you win I agree to