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dismay it was locked, for her daughter-in-law had gone to
the neighbouring house closing the doors. She had the key.
Her return would surely take some time, and Ramdas
EueaiiWliIle "had no place to stand but in the sun.
The mother called out "Lakshmi! Lakshmi?" Drawing
deep breaths she spoke: "What shall I dor Ton have to
stand barefooted on the burning sand !"*
She found a way out. She lifted up Ramdas bodily
from behind—he was a feather-weight to her—and held him
stabling on. the lower cross-piece of the door-frame, and
bawled out for her Lakshrni who at last came running. She
could not resist giving a bit of her mind to the daughter-in-
law, and a goodly slice it was!
Inside the house, he sat on a plank offered by the
mother. At her bidding the girl Lakshmi placed before
Lim a plate of food which consisted of two thick roties and
dal curry. He started eating. He found the roties stiff and
unyielding to the fingers. However, he attempted to crush
un<i mix them with the dal. They would not submit to the
process. He put some pieces of roti with dal into the moutli
and tried to swallow them. Of course, it must be noted that
he had at that time hardly three or four teeth in his mouth.
So mastication was out of the question. He swallowed the
roties piece after piece until a big-sized one got stuck up in
the throat. Suffocation ensued. He tried to push down the
bit or throw it out by a cough. The mother watched the
struggle and light dawned on her.
She exclaimed: "Cursed be my wits ! Lakshmi, are you
also so blind * The sadhn has no teeth, and you have served
him with cold and stiff roties. Ho\v can he eat them ? Xow,
look! —his throat is choked. G-ood Lord! Lakshmi, yon are
perfectly heartless. You have not offered Mm even water
to drink. Quick, quick, give him some water. See, his
face has turned red; he is gasping for breath!"
Immediately a tumbler of water was placed in his hands
and he drank. The piece of roti was washed down the