Sandip ground out his reply through his teeth. "I have heard," I continued, "that our professional reciters keep a book full of all kinds of ready-made discourses, which can be fitted into any subject. Do you get them up by heart, beforehand?" "Sandip Babu," I said, "I wonder how you can go on making these endless speeches, without a stop. I must not yield up a pin's point of the ground I had gained. But his stratagem was futile, for I could see his weakness through it. He was now trying to avoid giving me any opening to tell him that it was Amulya I wanted, not him.
In spite of that he had deliberately played this trick. I believe he knew that I had sent the messenger for Amulya, whose name the man must have mentioned. Sandip must have felt the shadow of approaching defeat, and this made him try to gain time by chattering away without waiting for a reply. Anyway, why lose time in trying your magic weapons?"
What will you do with him now? Will you give him the coup de grace, or keep him in your cage? Let me warn you beforehand, Queen, you will find the beast as difficult to kill outright as to keep in bondage. Your quiver is full, I know, you artful warrior Queen! You are the only one in the world who has been able to turn Sandip out and call Sandip back, at your sweet will. Spell cast against spell -noiseless weapons which reach even invisible targets. "All the fights in the world, Queen Bee," Sandip rambled on, "are really fights between hypnotic forces. That up-country lout was surprised, I can tell you! He stared at me, open-mouthed, as if he thought I knew magic. As soon as I caught sight of your man, coming from your room, I said: 'Yes, yes, I am coming, I am coming at once!'-before he could utter a word.
I was so sure of being sent for, that I was actually waiting out in the passage. The attraction of the same moon causes both ebb and flow. "The very moment you sent me away," he said as he came in, "I had a presentiment that you would call me back. What exactly happened I could not make out-the man, perhaps, was not familiar with Amulya's name-but he returned almost at once followed by Sandip. "Go and tell Amulya Babu that I want him." I went up to the door and called again: "Amulya!" My voice sounded so feebly, it failed to reach him. On what perilous adventure had I sent this only son of his mother? O God, why need my expiation have such pomp and circumstance? Could I not be allowed to suffer alone without inviting all this multitude to share my punishment? Oh, let not this innocent child fall victim to Your wrath. WITH Amulya's departure my heart sank within me.
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