CHAPTER LV

 Tulsidas, the poet, was wandering, deep in thought, by the Ganges, in that lonely spot where they burn their dead.

 

He found a woman sitting at the feet of the corpse¹ of her dead husband, gaily² dressed as for a wedding.

 

She rose as she saw him, bowed to him, and said, “Permit me, Master, with your blessing³, to follow my husband to heaven.”

 

“Why such hurry, my daughter?” asked Tulsidas. “Is not this earth also His who made heaven?”

 

“For heaven I do not long,” said the woman. “I want my husband.”

 

Tulsidas smiled and said to her, “Go back to your home, my child. Before the month is over you will find your husband.”

 

The woman went back with glad hope. Tulsidas came to her every day and gave her high thoughts to think, till her heart was filled to the brim with divine love.

 

When the month was scarcely over, her neighbours came to her, asking, “Woman, have you found your husband?”

 

The widow smiled and said, “I have.”

 

Eagerly they asked, “Where is he?”

 

“In my heart is my lord, one with me,” said the woman.

1 corpse   

n.尸体，死尸

参考例句：

• What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse.她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。
• The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming.尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。

2 gaily   

adv.欢乐地，高兴地

参考例句：

• The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
• She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。

3 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。