SRINAGAR 371
to feed and look after you. I will consider it as no small
privilege. I will not allow you to starve. Tell me what you
would have. Don't think that you can put me off BO lightly,"
he said.
In fact Ramdas wished to live in that solitary spot for
some days, undisturbed with the food an<L drink questions.
But the saint was obdurate and Ramdas had to yield and
stipulate:
" Well, maharaj, you may provide him at midday with a
small quantity of boiled rice mixed with milk; that is all."
" That is not all," he answered quickly, " what about
evening? I would have you take at least some fruit and
milk."
Ramdas became helpless in the hands of one who was
determined to feed him. The saint left. When darkness
set in Ramdas entered the cave and took up his position on
the raised ground, using a part of the thin shawl for
spreading on the floor, and lay down flat on the rough
gravel.
About ten o'clock a stout and fair-looking boy-servant
of the saint came, lantern in hand, carrying a mat of stout
reeds and some blankets. Ramdas spread the mat at the
place where he lay down, and having a blanket folded
up for a pillow he returned the surplus blankets and bade
good-night to the lad.
The cave was pitch-dark in the night. He stretched
himself on the mat at full length and covered his body
with his shawl. He did not feel much cold as the cave
was warm within. The whole night he was awake. After
midnight he heard beside him a rustling noise and squeaks
as of rats which did not in any way molest him.
The night passed and the day dawned. He went out
and sat on the slab of stone at the foot of the Ghenar tree
and drank in the picturesque scenes of the lake, mountains
and growth of green foliage. As noon approached he retired
into the cave*
47*