, strengthen the bond
between Nevil's people and her own. For the problem of India's changing
relation to England lay intimately near her heart. Her poetic brain saw
England always as "husband of India"; while misguided or malicious
meddlers--who would "make the Mother a widow"--were fancifully
incorporated in the person of Jane. And, in this matter of India, Roy
had triumphed over Jane:--surely good omens, for bigger things:--for at
heart she was still susceptible to omens; more so than she cared to
admit. Crazy mother-arrogance, Nevil would say. But she seemed to feel
the spirit of his grandfather at work in Roy; and well she knew that the
old man's wisdom would guide and temper his young zeal. Beyond that, no
human eyes could see; only the too-human heart of a mother could dream
and hope....

Long ago her father had told her that nations had always been renewed by
individuals; that India--aristocratic to the deeps of her Brahmin-ridden
soul--would never acknowledge the crowd's unstable sway. For her it must
always be the _man_--ruler, soldier, or saint.

Not that she had breathed a word of her 'arrogance' to Nevil, or even to
Roy. Nor had she shown to either a certain letter from a distinguished
Indian woman; pure Indian by birth; also by birth a Christian; her
sympathy with East and West as evenly poised as Lilamani's own. The
letter lived in a slim blue bag, lovingly embroidered. Lilamani--foolish
and fanciful--wore it like a talisman, next her heart; and at night
slipped it under her pillow with her gold watch and wisp of scented
lawn.

To-night, being alone, and her mind very full of Roy, she drew it out
and re-read it for the hundredth time; lingering, as always, on its
arresting finale.

"I have seen much and grieved more over the problem of the Eurasian, as
multiplied in our beloved country--the fruit, most often, of promiscuous
unions between low-caste types on both sides, with sense of stigma added
to drag them lower still. But where the crossing is of highest caste--as
with you and your 'Nevil'--I can see no stigma; perhaps even spiritual
gain to your children. For I love both countries with my whole heart.
And to my love God has given the vision that India may some day be saved
by the son of just such a union as your own. He will have the strength
of his handicap; the soul of the East; the forceful mind and character
of the West. He will bring to the task of uniting them such twofold love
and understa