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red that in such a case she would not consent even to wait
till the end of the year, but would see that my marriage was
celebrated immediately. Perceiving, at last, that my persi-
stence only made things worse, I desisted, and declared my-
self satisfied with being allowed to pursue my studies at
home, provided
I
was allowed to go to an old friend, a
learned pandit, who resided about six miles from our town
in a village belonging to our Jamadaree. Thither then, with
my parent's sanction, I proceeded, and placing myself under
his tution, continued for some time queitly with my study.
But while there,
I
was again forced into a confession of the
insurmountable aversion I had for marriage. This went home
again. I was summoned back at once, and found upon return-
ing that everything had been prepared for my marriage cere-
mony. I had entered upon my twenty-first year, and so had
no more excuses to offer. I now fully realized that I would
neither be allowed to pursue my studies any longer, nor would
my parents ever make themselves consenting parties to my
celibacy. It was when driven to the last extremity that I
resolved to place an eternal barrier between myself and
marriage.
Flight
On an evening of the year Samvat 1903, without letting
any one this time into my confidence, I secretly left my home,
as I hoped, for ever. Passing the first night in the vicinity of
a village about eight miles from my home, I arose three hours
before dawn, and before night had again set in.
I
had walked
over thirty miles, carefully avoiding the public thoroughfare,
villages, and localities, in which I might have been recognized.
These precautions proved useful to me, as on the third day
after I had absconded, I learned from a government officer
that a large party of men, including many horsemen, were
deligently roving about in search of a young man from the
town of—who had fled from his home. I hastened further
on to meet with other adventures.
A
party of begging Brah-