Closing his eyes, he began to
sing some doggerel beginning--
"My name is Hira, the flower girl."
Presently a voice answered from without--
"My name is Hira Malini.
He is talking in his cups; I can't bear to see it."
Debendra, hearing the voice, called out noisily, "Who are you--a male
or female spirit?"
Then, jingling her bangles, the spirit entered and sat down by
Debendra. The spirit was covered with a _sari_, bracelets on her arms,
on her neck a charm, ornaments in her ears, silver chain round her
waist, on her ankles rings. She was scented with attar.
Debendra held a light near to the face of the spirit. He did not know
her.
Gently he said, "Who are you? and from whence do you come?" Then
holding the light in another direction, he asked, "Whose spirit are
you?" At last, finding he could not steady himself, he said, "Go for
to-day; I will worship you with cakes and flesh of goat on the night
of the dark moon."[10]
[Footnote 10: At the time of the dark moon the Hindus worship Kalee and
her attendant spirits.]
Then the spirit, laughing, said, "Are you well, _Boisnavi Didi_?"
"Good heavens!" said the tipsy one, "are you a spirit from the Datta
family?" Thus saying, he again held the lamp near her face; moving it
hither and thither all round, he gravely examined the woman.
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