Since then, she had been shaping her own character. The inspiring force she needed had been found, and, in some mysterious way, it was giving her momentum and strength. The new ideal of life that had appeared before her—she was striving to draw herself closer to it, and, feeling a sense of success, she imagined the day when she and Mehta would become one. This vision made her even more resolute and devoted.

But today, when Mehta brought her hopes to the threshold and placed before her an ideal of love in which love was dragged down from the realm of soul and surrender to the material plane—where suspicion, jealousy, and desire reign—her refined intellect was wounded. The reverence she felt for Mehta suffered a jolt, as if a disciple had caught their guru in a base act. She saw that Mehta’s sharp intellect was being drawn toward the animality of love, turning its eyes away from its divinity, and, seeing this, her heart sank.

Mehta, somewhat abashed, said, “Come, let us sit a while longer.”

Malti replied, “No, I must return now. It is getting late.”

:31:

Raisahab’s star was in the ascendant. All three of his ambitions had been fulfilled. His daughter’s wedding had taken place with great pomp, he had won his lawsuit, and not only had he succeeded in the election, he had also become a Home Member. Congratulations poured in from all sides; telegrams arrived in a constant stream. By winning this case, he had secured a place among the first rank of taluqdars. His honor had never been less than anyone’s before, but now its roots had grown even deeper and stronger. His portrait and character sketches were appearing one after another in the contemporary journals. His debts had increased greatly, but Raisahab no longer cared. He could free himself from debt simply by selling a small piece of this new property.

He had reached heights of happiness beyond even his loftiest dreams. Until now, he had only a bungalow in Lucknow. Now, it became necessary to have a bungalow in each of Nainital, Mussoorie, and Shimla. It no longer befitted him to stay in hotels or in another raja’s bungalow when visiting these places. When Surya Pratap Singh had bungalows in all these locations, it was a matter of great shame for Raisahab not to have his own.

By chance, he did not even have to go through the trouble of building bungalows. Ready-made bungalows were found at cheap prices. For each bungalow, a gardener, watchman, steward, cook, and so on were hired, and the greatest stroke of fortune was that, on the occasion of His Majesty’s birthday, he was also granted the title of Raja. Now his ambitions were completely satisfied. That day, a grand celebration was held, and such a magnificent feast took place that all previous records were broken. When His Excellency the Governor bestowed the title upon him, a wave of royal loyalty surged through his heart, filling every