VASISHTASHRAM 271
to be will be content with mere water which can be had in
plenty from mother Ganga."
44We shall see, we shall see," he interrupted. "Now
for the night, which is fast approaching, I shall show yon
two caves, come out,'"1 and he arose and went out, "you may
occupy any one of them/'
He took Ramdas out into the open and pointed out two
small caves, one to the left and the other to the right of the
big cave in which he lived. Ramdas selected the one to the
left. Tt was just sufficient for one to stay in and, moreover,
the floor was covered with a layer of hay. When Ramdas
got in he found the cold within was severe, as though all
the cold from outside had found its hiding place within the
cave at the approach of night.
"You may occupy it afterwards, come with me to my
cave. There is still light. We can sit together for awhile,"
he said, and Ramdas, accordingly, followed him to his
cave.
Erorn one of his tins the sadhu took out some lumps of
sugar and dissolving them in a brass cup of water offered
the symp to Ramdas. Ramdas drank the sweetened water.
Then he prepared a ehilam of tobacco and ascertained if
Ramdas smoked. Ramdas said that he had no objection to
smoking when Ram supplied.
"Youare a wotiderfnl fellow," he exclaimed, "you are
used to smoke, and still you don't carry any smoke with
you!"
Raradas explained that he was a slave only of Ram and
not of any habit. Then he drew in a few puff sat the cMlam.
It was now getting quite dark. The sadhu had lit a small
earthen lamp poised on a wooden stand. Ramdas now stood
up and walked out of the cave to proceed to the small cave
he had decided upon occupying, when the sadhu stopped
hjfra saying:
** Tonight yoiT may stay with me. From tomorrow you
can live in the other cave." • .