nsequences of my
fatuous complaisance. Dr. Scott's girls implored me, on my conscience,
not to take this as a sample of English hospitality. It was the effect
of India's salt, they protested.

(26) _Loken Palit_

While I was attending lectures on English literature at the University
College, Loken Palit was my class fellow. He was about 4 years younger
than I. At the age I am writing these reminiscences a difference of 4
years is not perceptible. But it is difficult for friendship to bridge
the gulf between 17 and 13. Lacking the weight of years the boy is
always anxious to keep up the dignity of seniority. But this did not
raise any barrier in my mind in the case of the boy Loken, for I could
not feel that he was in any way my junior.

Boy and girl students sat together in the College library for study.
This was the place for our tete-a-tete. Had we been fairly quiet about
it none need have complained, but my young friend was so surcharged with
high spirits that at the least provocation they would burst forth as
laughter. In all countries girls have a perverse degree of application
to their studies, and I feel repentant as I recall the multitude of
reproachful blue eyes which vainly showered disapprobation on our
unrestrained merriment. But in those days I felt not the slightest
sympathy with the distress of disturbed studiousness. By the grace of
Providence I have never had a headache in my life, nor a moment of
compunction for interrupted school studies.

With our laughter as an almost unbroken accompaniment we managed also to
do a bit of literary discussion, and, though Loken's reading of Bengali
literature was less extensive than mine, he made up for that by the
keenness of his intellect. Among the subjects we discussed was Bengali
orthography.

The way it arose was this. One of the Scott girls wanted me to teach her
Bengali. When taking her through the alphabet I expressed my pride that
Bengali spelling has a conscience, and does not delight in overstepping
rules at every step. I made clear to her how laughable would have been
the waywardness of English spelling but for the tragic compulsion we
were under to cram it for our examinations. But my pride had a fall. It
transpired that Bengali spelling was quite as impatient of bondage, but
that habit had blinded me to its transgressions.

Then I began to search for the laws regulating its lawlessness. I was
quite surprised at the wonderful assistance wh