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> 第六十三章 The Caulifower Robbery
第六十三章 The Caulifower Robbery
“Master，a gift for you！These six huge cauliflowers were planted with my hands。”I presented the basket of vegetables with a ceremonial fourish。
“Thank you！”Sri Yukteswars smile was warm with appreciation。“Please keep them in your room；I shall need them tomorrow for a special dinner。”
I had just arrived in Puri to spend my college summer vacation with my guru at his seaside hermitage。Built by Master and his disciples，the cheerful little two-storied retreat fronts on the Bay of Bengal。
“Come，let us go to the beach。”Master led the way；several young disciples and myself followed in a scattered group。Our guru surveyed us in mild criticism。
“Halt！”My gurus eyes sought mine。“Did you remember to lock the back door of the hermitage？”
“I think so，sir。”
Sri Yukteswar was silent for a few minutes，a half-suppressed smile on his lips。“No，you forgot，”he said finally。“Divine contemplation must not be made an excuse for material carelessness。You have neglected your duty in safeguarding the ashram；you must be punished。”
I thought he was obscurely joking when he added：“Your six caulifowers will soon be only fve。”
“Rest awhile。Mukunda，look across the compound on our left；observe the road beyond。A certain man will arrive there presently；he will be the means of your chastisement。”
I concealed my vexation at these incomprehensible remarks。A peasant soon appeared on the road；he was dancing grotesquely and finging his arms about with meaningless gestures。Almost paralyzed with curiosity，I glued my eyes on the hilarious spectacle。As the man reached a point in the road where he would vanish from our view，Sri Yukteswar said，“Now，he will return。”
The peasant at once changed his direction and made for the rear of the ashram。Crossing a sandy tract，he entered the building by the back door。I had left it unlocked，even as my guru had said。The man emerged shortly，holding one of my prized caulifowers。He now strode along respectably，invested with the dignity of possession。
The unfolding farce，in which my role appeared to be that of bewildered victim，was not so disconcerting that I failed in indignant pursuit。I was halfway to the road when Master recalled me。He was shaking from head to foot with laughter。
A humorous occurrence took place a few days after I had been so implausibly robbed of a caulifower。A certain kerosene lamp could not be found。Having so lately witnessed my guru‘s omniscient insight，I thought he would demonstrate that it was child’s play to locate the lamp。
“Too bad I couldnt direct you to the vanished lamp；I am not a fortune teller！”With twinkling eyes，he added，“I am not even a satisfactory Sherlock Holmes！”
I realized that Master would never display his powers when challenged，or for a triviality。
Delightful weeks sped by。Sri Yukteswar was planning a religious procession。He asked me to lead the disciples over the town and beach of Puri。The festive day dawned as one of the hottest of the summer。
“Guruji，how can I take the barefooted students over the fiery sands？”I spoke despairingly。
“I will tell you a secret，”Master responded。“The Lord will send an umbrella of clouds；you all shall walk in comfort。”
No sooner had we left the hermitage than the part of the sky which was overhead became filled with clouds as though by magic。To the accompaniment of astonished ejaculations from all sides，a very light shower fell，cooling the city streets and the burning seashore。The soothing drops descended during the two hours of the parade。The exact instant at which our group returned to the ashram，the clouds and rain passed away tracelessly。
One day，My guru called me to his side。
“I am pleased over your cheerful labors today and during the past week of preparations。I want you with me；you may sleep in my bed tonight。”
This was a privilege I had never thought would fall to my lot。We sat awhile in a state of intense divine tranquillity。Hardly ten minutes after we had gotten into bed，Master rose and began to dress。
“What is the matter，sir？”I felt a tinge of unreality in the unexpected joy of sleepingbeside my guru。
“I think that a few students who missed their proper train connections will be here soon。Let us have some food ready。”
“Guruji，no one would come at one oclock in the morning！”
“Stay in bed；you have been working very hard。But I am going to cook。”
At Sri Yukteswars resolute tone，I jumped up and followed him to the small daily-used kitchen adjacent to the second-foor inner balcony。Rice and dhal were soon boiling。
As he uttered these words of lifelong blessing，footsteps sounded in the courtyard。I ran downstairs and admitted a group of students。
“Dear brother，how reluctant we are to disturb Master at this hour！”One man addressed me apologetically。“We made a mistake about train schedules，but felt we could not return home without a glimpse of our guru。”
I followed him to his bedroom a half hour later，realizing fully that I was about to sleep beside a godlike guru。
“Thank you！”Sri Yukteswars smile was warm with appreciation。“Please keep them in your room；I shall need them tomorrow for a special dinner。”
I had just arrived in Puri to spend my college summer vacation with my guru at his seaside hermitage。Built by Master and his disciples，the cheerful little two-storied retreat fronts on the Bay of Bengal。
“Come，let us go to the beach。”Master led the way；several young disciples and myself followed in a scattered group。Our guru surveyed us in mild criticism。
“Halt！”My gurus eyes sought mine。“Did you remember to lock the back door of the hermitage？”
“I think so，sir。”
Sri Yukteswar was silent for a few minutes，a half-suppressed smile on his lips。“No，you forgot，”he said finally。“Divine contemplation must not be made an excuse for material carelessness。You have neglected your duty in safeguarding the ashram；you must be punished。”
I thought he was obscurely joking when he added：“Your six caulifowers will soon be only fve。”
“Rest awhile。Mukunda，look across the compound on our left；observe the road beyond。A certain man will arrive there presently；he will be the means of your chastisement。”
I concealed my vexation at these incomprehensible remarks。A peasant soon appeared on the road；he was dancing grotesquely and finging his arms about with meaningless gestures。Almost paralyzed with curiosity，I glued my eyes on the hilarious spectacle。As the man reached a point in the road where he would vanish from our view，Sri Yukteswar said，“Now，he will return。”
The peasant at once changed his direction and made for the rear of the ashram。Crossing a sandy tract，he entered the building by the back door。I had left it unlocked，even as my guru had said。The man emerged shortly，holding one of my prized caulifowers。He now strode along respectably，invested with the dignity of possession。
The unfolding farce，in which my role appeared to be that of bewildered victim，was not so disconcerting that I failed in indignant pursuit。I was halfway to the road when Master recalled me。He was shaking from head to foot with laughter。
A humorous occurrence took place a few days after I had been so implausibly robbed of a caulifower。A certain kerosene lamp could not be found。Having so lately witnessed my guru‘s omniscient insight，I thought he would demonstrate that it was child’s play to locate the lamp。
“Too bad I couldnt direct you to the vanished lamp；I am not a fortune teller！”With twinkling eyes，he added，“I am not even a satisfactory Sherlock Holmes！”
I realized that Master would never display his powers when challenged，or for a triviality。
Delightful weeks sped by。Sri Yukteswar was planning a religious procession。He asked me to lead the disciples over the town and beach of Puri。The festive day dawned as one of the hottest of the summer。
“Guruji，how can I take the barefooted students over the fiery sands？”I spoke despairingly。
“I will tell you a secret，”Master responded。“The Lord will send an umbrella of clouds；you all shall walk in comfort。”
No sooner had we left the hermitage than the part of the sky which was overhead became filled with clouds as though by magic。To the accompaniment of astonished ejaculations from all sides，a very light shower fell，cooling the city streets and the burning seashore。The soothing drops descended during the two hours of the parade。The exact instant at which our group returned to the ashram，the clouds and rain passed away tracelessly。
One day，My guru called me to his side。
“I am pleased over your cheerful labors today and during the past week of preparations。I want you with me；you may sleep in my bed tonight。”
This was a privilege I had never thought would fall to my lot。We sat awhile in a state of intense divine tranquillity。Hardly ten minutes after we had gotten into bed，Master rose and began to dress。
“What is the matter，sir？”I felt a tinge of unreality in the unexpected joy of sleepingbeside my guru。
“I think that a few students who missed their proper train connections will be here soon。Let us have some food ready。”
“Guruji，no one would come at one oclock in the morning！”
“Stay in bed；you have been working very hard。But I am going to cook。”
At Sri Yukteswars resolute tone，I jumped up and followed him to the small daily-used kitchen adjacent to the second-foor inner balcony。Rice and dhal were soon boiling。
As he uttered these words of lifelong blessing，footsteps sounded in the courtyard。I ran downstairs and admitted a group of students。
“Dear brother，how reluctant we are to disturb Master at this hour！”One man addressed me apologetically。“We made a mistake about train schedules，but felt we could not return home without a glimpse of our guru。”
I followed him to his bedroom a half hour later，realizing fully that I was about to sleep beside a godlike guru。
