His face was dark as a thunder-cloud.

Afraid to oppose him, he consented to speak, and Nagendra's face relaxed.

He began-- "Walking slowly from Govindpur, Surja Mukhi came first in this direction." "What distance did she walk daily ?" interrupted Nagendra.
"Two or three miles." "She did not take a farthing from home; how did she live ?" "Some days fasting, some days begging--are you mad ?" with these words Srish Chandra threatened Nagendra, who had clutched at his own throat as though to strangle himself, saying-- "If I die, shall I meet Surja Mukhi ?" Srish Chandra held the hands of Nagendra, who then desired him to continue his narrative.
"If you will not listen calmly, I will tell you no more," said Srish.
But Nagendra heard no more; he had lost consciousness.

With closed eyes he sought the form of the heaven-ascended Surja Mukhi; he saw her seated as a queen upon a jewelled throne.

The perfumed wind played in her hair, all around flower-like birds sang with the voice of the lute; at her feet bloomed hundreds of red water-lilies; in the canopy of her throne a hundred moons were shining, surrounded by hundreds of stars.