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KOPAL-KUNDALA.
93
Mrinomoi only smiled and pulled her hair away from Shamasoondri's hand.
Shamasoondri again said, "Well, do what I wish, and for once dress yourself like us grihusti[1] women. How long will you remain an ascetic?"
Mri. I was an ascetic before I had seen this Brahman youth.
Sha. You must be one no longer.
Mri. Why not?
Sha. Why? d'you wish to see? I will break your asceticism. Do you know what they call the touchstone?
Mrinomoi said, "No."
Sha. The touchstone turns even copper into gold.
Mri. What of that?
Sha. Women also have their touchstone.
Mri. What is that?
Sha. Man. By the breath of man even the
- ↑ Grihusti woman means a respectable female member of a respectable family. Even a widow living alone may be spoken of as grihusti, in contradistinction to ghusgi, which means a woman of somewhat loose morals.
