A boat station hadn�t started working yet, when a canoe was mooring to the shore. For such an early morning it was at least unusual. "Who could it be?" sleepy boatsman thought, coming out to look at the rower. Though, when he saw a woman jumping ashore, a woman who then dragged the boat on easily, he understood everything. The boatsman knew only one such woman.

"You are earlier than usual today, Miss Smith!" he cried.

"Really? I didn�t notice it, indeed. Probably it�s because I�m setting out today. I�ll have my first performance in Edmonton tomorrow".

"Good luck, Miss Smith".

Miss Virginia Smith was a charming girl of about 25 with mocking grey eyes and lively face framed with thick chestnut-coloured hair. It seemed she couldn't be serious, so gay and perky was all her appearance. Moreover, she was a poetess. Virginia had only a few publications, but she firmly believed in her lucky star.

Fair summer weather did support her good mood. That day Vancouver seemed more beautiful to Virginia than ever. She was sure something was to happen. Maybe, it was because of tomorrow evening performance in the Town Hall. Virginia had already recited her poems in the salons of her native Brantford, but it was long ago, and there was a small audience. Brantford� She became serious for a moment. Virginia could hardly recall when she was at home for the last time. After father�s death she tried to help family not to get into beggary: she performed, wrote for magazines. But then her brothers managed to find decent job, so, Virginia said good-bye to Mummy and sister with a light heart and set off. She chose not an easy means of conveyance � canoe. But was there anything in the world, which Miss Smith couldn�t cope with?

Virginia�s father was an Indian, Mohawk chief, though he had lived for a long time among white people, acting as an interpreter for the reservation. The girl was proud a lot of her Indian background and despite having no outward resemblance to Indians was called "Mohawk Princess". People often refused to believe she belonged to Iroquois. And then Virginia tried to prove it half in joke, half-seriously.

Giving up recollections the girl became gay and perky again. After having breakfast in one of city cafes she was going along the street thinking about tomorrow performance. It was still enough time before the train. Suddenly a voice from behind helped her out of meditation.

"Excuse me�"

Virginia turned to the voice and stood still.

A creature of wholly incredible air stood before her. It was a young man in a scarlet gown tied with an orange lace on the breast, big yellow turban shaded the blackness of hair falling across his forehead. He was tall, broad-shouldered; he had a regal bearing. He had regular features, but it was eyes that drew most of attention in all his appearance. Those were unique eyes � they were burning. Seeing her confusion, the man asked cautiously:

"Excuse me, please, could you tell me the way to the railway station?"

Coming to herself a little, Virginia answered with a nice smile:

"Listen, I�m going right there. We can go together, if you like".

"If you allow," trying to be polite, the stranger thanked her and also smiled, so that his dark face was really radiant. Virginia couldn�t define what she was feeling in the presence of her strange companion, but that sensation couldn�t be called awkwardness. They kept silence for some time, but then she plucked her courage and asked:

"Pardon, are you an actor?"

"No," the man laughed. "I�m a scholar, I�m engaged in Indian philosophy and Sanskrit. My name is Vivaswant Rao, I�m from Calcutta".

"And I am Miss Virginia Smith,� the girl answered. "So, here we are. Excuse me for my foolish question".

"Doesn�t matter. My friends gave me this dress, you know. It must look ridiculous�"

"No, it fits you well on the contrary!" Virginia returned passionately. She wanted to add: "You are very handsome", but felt shy. And once again she was surprized at herself. She felt unusually with this man. Something as if opened inside her. A gay and smart girl, she became not smarter, but simply freer.

They came to the railway station, where Vivaswant bought a ticket to the station he needed. Virginia intended to say good-bye to him, but it turned out they were going by the same train. Vivaswant looked at her with a wonderful sight, where strength and naivete combined, and the girl realized she expected right that. He smiled and expressed his joy that they�d spend together next 2 or 3 hours. Virginia thought once more what an extraordinary country India should be if there�re such scientists there.

She had been acquainted with him for an hour, but it seemed to her she had known him all her life. His dress, his slight accent, distinctive carriage, - all that Virginia ceased to notice sometimes. They had a snack at the station restaurant, and clients looked with surprise at the strange pair � beautiful girl in the European dress and young man having turban on, who were talking, gesticulating energetically and laughing. Virginia was a merry woman, but Vivaswant wasn�t behind her.

"Can you ever be serious?" she asked him.

"Yes, when I have a pain, for instance".

"What a wag you are, Vivaswant," Virginia laughed. "We�ll miss the train in this manner, and my tomorrow performance will be wasted".

"Well, my congress will not start tomorrow. I�ll have enough time to get to Chicago".

Miss Smith shook her head, and they came to the platform together. Vivaswant was telling her about Indian trains in a lively manner. It turned out, he travelled all over the country and went by rail more than once. One of his best friends was a stationmaster.

Virginia wouldn�t have a heart to call his stories simple chat, so bright and fascinating they were. The girl couldn�t, and even didn�t try to escape charms of this man. She herself became more beautiful in his presence.

They were sitting in the compartment opposite to each other, and Virginia couldn�t help looking at the face of her companion. On the contrary, Vivaswant sometimes glanced out of the window and was speaking enthusiastically about the beauty of Canadian landscapes all the time. The girl had heard such delights many times, but they became totally different escaping his lips. They were sincere, and one wished to believe every his word. Who, if not Virginia, could appraise his admiration of Canada! Who knew and loved Canada more than Miss Smith! There could hardly be such a person. But Vivaswant, admiring the views outside, didn�t forget India. He spoke so fascinatingly about the charms of his Motherland, that Virginia unwittingly wished to see all of them. She started telling about herself, about her wanderings and found with surprise that Vivaswant was as a good listener as a storyteller. Then they kept silence for some time, not to comprehend what had been already said, but because there was no need in words any more. Virginia not only understood every Vivaswant�s idea; it was her own idea. She could finish every his phrase not waiting until he finished it. She had never met a man whom she understood so well in all her life.

Then Virginia started reciting her verses. She could swear she had never put so much feeling into them, but, all the same, words seemed colourless in comparison with what she wished to say. Vivaswant was listening to her with great attention and started singing suddenly. Oh, he had an incomparable voice! Deep, velvety baritone seemed to embrace the entire compartment. His song was strange for the girl�s ear, but wasn�t less charming because of that. One moment Virginia ceased to notice all that surrounded her. She was living in him, dissolving in him, in his eyes, his voice. His singing combined with her poems, and Virginia engrossed in the waves of sensations she never experienced before. Their hands interlaced as well as their hearts�

Vivaswant came to himself when somebody pronounced loudly the name of the station, where he had to come out. He was slow in doing it. He wished to go further with his fascinating companion, but he had no right to do it. He shouldn�t break an oath he made in India: to find money for poor people, to bring glory to his Motherland. Vivaswant thought so. But he couldn�t invent how to say good-bye to Virginia. She was getting free from his spells; in any case, she looked at him a little bit confused and took her hands out of his.

"I have to come out, Miss Smith," he forced himself to say.

Virginia seemed not to understand what he was talking about.

"Good-bye," he added quietly.

She answered nothing. Vivaswant rose and came out of the compartment resolutely.

Virginia came to herself in a moment, jumped up, ran to the corridor and rushed to the exit, crying:

"Vivaswant, hold on, I�m going with you! Hold on, I�m here!"

The train started off, and Virginia hardly saw his red dress on the platform moving away. She went on striking her hands on the pane, but soon realized it was useless. Their ways missed each other. Virginia stood still and gazed out of the window. It seemed to her that light faded.

Vivaswant Rao won the heart of the conference audience with the same means as Virginia�s before. His performance was bright and spontaneous, sincere and interesting. All that he told he discovered himself, experienced himself. He wanted a lot Miss Smith, charming Virginia to hear his report and estimate it. But it was impossible, therefore there was bitterness in the flow of praises befalling Vivaswant. But he made his own choice, so he forced himself to think about other matters: about his mission, his duty to his Motherland. Now he became famous and could carry out his plans.

Virginia Smith�s performance in the Town Hall of Edmonton was no less brilliant. Her beauty, emotionality and also deep sorrow struck the audience. The first part of the evening she performed in the dress of an Indian princess and read poems dedicated to her folk (it was Iroquois whom she considered "her" folk). In the second part she appeared before the audience in a refined evening dress. Everyone was in raptures. To the end of the evening Virginia even started joking, and the audience appraised her sense of humour. But girl�s heart was heavy. She hadn�t escaped from the pain of parting yet, though she tried her best to drive thoughts about Vivaswant away.

Miss Smith came back home, to Brantford, as a famous poetess. She was invited to the salons, where she was a constant success. At one of the balls she got acquainted with Tommy McDouglas. He was a man of her age, fair-haired, with grey eyes, of medium height, rather attractive. Her sister and brothers didn�t like Tommy because of his rather perky manners, but in the presence of Virginia he was courteous and pleasant. He was an actor and had performed for a couple of years with his small comical scenes. Virginia felt twin soul in him, and both of them drew to each other. At first they simply met at salons, and then they decided to perform together.

Since that time life on the wheels began for Virginia. She learnt to write poems on trains and in hotel rooms, using special desk. Together with Tommy she travelled over a half of Canada, performing before miners, farmers, high circles and even Governor General himself. Virginia had no time to be bored. But in two and a half years of such a life she was worn out. She had to stop, look back and think about the future at the same time. She had to write, and she had no time for it. So, she returned to Brantford.

That winter was very cold and snowy. Virginia sat at the window for hours, thinking about her performances, her last publications, about Tommy McDouglas, joker and merry fellow, with whom she never lost heart. But even smile provoked by the thought of Tommy didn�t dispel her melancholy. The girl walked to and fro, and her own lines occurred to her: "When you were King of Egypt � Dear, and I was Egypt�s Queen". She wanted to cry, cry with all her strength, and she clenched her fists, trying to pull herself together, but she failed. Virginia looked at the snow, and in the flying snowflakes she saw his face, that very face, which she swore to forget hundreds of times. His enormous eyes of half-face again looked at her, and she drove his image with all her strength. But the girl had to confess she had never seen a man equal to Vivaswant in intellect and charm. Even Tommy didn�t leave him behind in the sense of humour. Feeling empty in the heart, Virginia called quietly:

"Vivaswant! Vivaswant!"

But he was far away, so he couldn�t answer her.

Miss Smith was a strong girl. Miss Smith never shirked difficulties. "May dream of vain love be only a dream," she thought. "And I have to work. I have to resume performances. I�ll cable Tommy right now".

In a month Virginia recited her poetry again.

Spring in Calcutta was hot, unlike Canadian one. Exhausted with the stuffy air, two men were walking near the city hospital.

"Do you know, how is doctor Rao?" one of them inquired. "What on earth made him get into the hospital in such a heat?"

"Well," the other answered. "His things have gone swimmingly lately. But after Pete� death he was not himself. He shrank into himself, talked to no one. Of course, such a blow. How old was Pete? Twenty five, or a little bit more?"

"About it. Vivaswant loved Pete, he was one of his best friends".

"Pete also loved Vivaswant. He did become his secretary and even came to India with him".

"Yes. And on his funeral Vivaswant first followed his coffin in silence, and then fainted suddenly. He was sent to the hospital, but he didn�t come round. It�s said he has fit of nerves".

At that time several physicians and nurses in the ward were trying to hold mighty body of Dr Rao, being shaken as if with fever.

"Distressed spirit tries to escape body," somebody noticed.

"But not when you are 32," Casturbai retorted, holding Vivaswant�s shoulders. Casturbai, half physician, half nurse, was a tall plump girl of about 20-22 with chest voice and stern temper. It was said she was a nun. People didn�t like her because of her sharpness towards both patients and colleagues, but they respected her for that fact that she had had no fatal cases.

"Well, Vivaswant!" she cried. "Steady, you are so strong! You must live!"

He went on shaking.

"Stick sedative in him!" Casturbai ordered.

And suddenly here, on the verge of life and death, Vivaswant opened his enormous eyes wide and cried:

"Virginia! Virginia!"

"Who is it?" asked Casturbai.

None of those present could recall any Virginia among his American or European friends.

At the other end of the world Miss Smith, who was peacefully reading a book at home, jumped up and asked:

"Did anybody call me?"

"No, Virgy, no one called you," her mother answered. It was not young, but still attractive woman, able to keep cool in any circumstances.

"Maybe, I seemed to hear� It�s so strange�"

"But nobody is at home, Virgy," mother explained to her.

"I have a foreboding of evil".

"You think something happen, don�t you?"

"I don�t know".

Virginia�s mother was a woman of decision.

"All right," she said. "I�ll come out right now, go to John�s and Bill�s office and call on Emma".

"Thank you, Mummy," Virginia smiled.

Some time later Mrs. Smith returned.

"Well?" the girl asked her with fear.

"It�s all right, Virgy," her mother answered. "Everybody is safe and sound. It must have seemed to you".

"Thank goodness," Virginia breathed with relief. But she was uneasy all the same.

"I saw Tommy, by the way," Mrs. Smith said. "He promised to call on".

"O�key," Virginia said a little bit indifferently.

For many days strange fear gnawed the girl. But because of that her performances were even more brilliant. Fear of uncertainty, grief, yearning, all that she felt, came into her verses and touched audience. Stricken by her beauty to his very heart long ago, Tommy detained her once after the performance and said:

"Marry me".

Virginia looked at him coldly and answered:

"I�ll think a little".

Though she wasn�t going to think. Everything was clear to her all the same.

Miss Smith spent summer together with her mother in Brantford. Virginia� collected verses had been out, and it was long-awaited and joyful event for her. Her Mummy and she arranged a party on this occasion, where the girl recited her poems to the storm of applause. Tommy McDouglas wasn�t there. Mrs. Smith was surprised at that.

"I�d like to ask you, Virgy," she said. "What have you answered Tommy? Do you agree to marry him?"

"I refused," Virginia said firmly.

"Why?" her mother was surprised. "Don�t you love him?"

"I love another one".

Mrs. Smith was surprised even more.

"And does he love you?"

The girl faltered, but recollecting the strange case with somebody�s call, answered firmly:

"Yes, he loves me too."

"Who is he?" her mother asked with interest.

"He is a scholar, engaged in philosophy".

"So, where is he?" Mrs. Smith inquired with irony this time.

"He is far away".

"Have you known him for a long time?"

"Yes. We went by the same train from Vancouver. I�ve never seen him any more".

Virginia�s mother laughed.

"So, you think he�ll come to you, don�t you?"

"I don�t think anything, Mummy," Virginia said with emotion. "But I didn�t want to deceive Tommy, I�ll never be able to love him".

Mrs. Smith embraced her daughter.

"My dear dreamer! Forget about Tommy, he is a good fellow, but not for you. You are so beautiful, clever, gifted, you�ll find your prince without fail".

Her prince was getting well slowly. Stifling heat intermittent with heavy showers didn�t help him in it. Vivaswant�s spirits were not high either. Nothing made him glad, and it troubled a lot his mother, who spent in the hospital all days. His father died 10 years ago, and his brothers and sisters had many things to do, so, they couldn�t stay with him for the whole days. Friends often called on him, but nobody managed to help him out of depression.

Once Vivaswant�s mother had a talk with Casturbai in the hospital garden. Heat abated, the rains came to an end.

"I don�t like your son," Casturbai said frankly. "He fulfils prescriptions badly, doesn�t take his medicine regularly".

"I can do nothing with him," his mother spread her hands. "I don�t like his behaviour either. Do something, Casturbai!" she begged. "You are the only one who can help him! You have so much strength, energy, and obstinacy! You are like Shikhandin, upon my word!"

The girl laughed sadly.

"I�ll do whatever I can, amma".

"Thank you".

Vivaswant was sitting on the bed and was smoking a pipe. When Casturbai came in, he paid no attention to her.

"Stop smoking!" the girl shouted at him. "Or your life isn�t dear to you! You won�t last long with such an attitude to your health".

"What is life?" Vivaswant said in a singing voice. "Life is a struggle�with windmills, amma".

"Stop philosophizing," Casturbai interrupted him rudely. "Better think, how you will live further".

"What for have I to live?" Vivaswant asked indifferently and met with firm Casturbai�s eyes. He realized: not what for, but whom for� Throwing off the pipe, he jumped up and ran out.

"I must find her".

"Where are you going?" Casturbai cried.

"Somewhere far from here. I must find her. I must find Virginia".

His mother did be happy that her son returned to normal life, but gave a hostile reception to his decision to go to Canada.

"You�ve gone mad!" she cried. "Whom do you want to marry? A foreigner? What a pity I believed you�d be a priest and didn�t marry you off in the childhood! Of course I know your father�s and your own neglect of castes, but it�s unheard-of, all the same!"

"Calm down, Mummy," Vivaswant answered her softly. "I love Virginia. She�ll be an obedient daughter to you. And don�t worry about her birth � she is a princess in her country".

After breaking off relations with Tommy McDouglas Miss Smith performed alone for some time and rather successful, but, unable to control her wish only to write verses, retired to the old mansion of her father in the environs of Brantford. Her books were bought up well, which even brought her some income. Certainly Virginia was satisfied, but it wasn�t enough for her. Only in verses she could express her yearning for Great Love, which overshadowed her only once. The girl lived quietly, seldom received guests and rarely went out herself. Sometimes mother called on her, and then they went boating to and fro along the river, which flowed just near the house.

Once Virginia went to Ottawa and found a library there. Standing at the entrance, she felt awful fear. Nevertheless she forced herself to come in.

With great difficulty the girl explained to librarian she needed works on Indian philosophy by Vivaswant Rao. She was reported immediately that Mr. Rao was an author of many research books in Hinduism, Advaita philosophy and Sanskrit, Honourary doctor of Harvard and Californian Universities, one of the authorities in these areas. But there was only a tiny collection of his speeches on Hinduism and Indian culture. Reading it, Virginia was charmed with every word, every idea of Vivaswant. That summer day seemed to return, when they were going together along Vancouver streets, talking, sitting opposite each other in the train. One moment she even wanted to go to India to find him there, but then realized it was impossible. Virginia came back to her mansion and got busy with usual things. On the surface the trip to Ottawa had no influence on her, only her verses became more melancholic.

The clerk of Toronto municipality didn�t notice at once a visitor, but when he saw him he was greatly surprised. That man resembled neither redskin, nor black, nor white man. Nevertheless, he began to speak pure English:

"Excuse me, I�m looking for Miss Virginia Smith".

"The poetess?"

"Yes, of course".

"But she doesn�t live in Toronto".

"And where does she live?"

"She used to travel a lot, performed often, and also visited our city. And then she disappeared".

The visitor sat on the chair and hung his head.

"I�ve travelled over a dozen of towns," he said. "And I heard the same words everywhere".

Vivaswant did travel over half of Canada, Virginia was known everywhere, he was presented with her collected verses, but nobody knew where she was herself.

At first the clerk looked at the guest with sympathy, but then roused himself. An idea seemed to cross his mind.

"Wait a moment, I�ve recalled something," he said. "We seemed to get a letter from Miss Smith recently. Her address must be there. By the way, who are you?"

"I�m her close friend".

Vivaswant�s words rang true.

"All right, I�ll have a look," the clerk said and went out.

"You are lucky," he said, coming back with an envelope. "Here is her address".

"Thank you," not believing in his happiness, Vivaswant laughed cheerfully, and the clerk was surprised how brightly his wonderful eyes sparkled. "Thank you a lot".

Bright April morning Virginia was standing by the window, rejoicing again that her house was on the hill and environs could be seen so well from here. How beautiful is here! The girl was elated. She looked at the remotest part of the field and started. Who is riding there? But before she thought about it, she was rushing downstairs as fast as she could and was running over the fresh green grass as a mad. She knew: only one horseman in the world had such a carriage.

Virginia even didn�t pay attention to Vivaswant being in a usual travelling dress and without turban. She didn�t also notice traces of sufferings on his face. She scudded towards him, and he dismounted and opened his arms to her. As a mad, she was kissing his face, eyes, lips, tousling his curled black hair, laughing and crying at the same time. He was moved, he tried to hold her charming head in his hands and said tenderly:

"Forgive me, please, forgive me for everything".

Virginia gave him a puzzled look of eyes full of tears, and he went on persistently:

"I didn�t realise then that you are my greatest treasure. Forgive me".

The girl embraced Vivaswant heartily and laughed:

"I have nothing to forgive".

She still didn�t believe in her happiness. She didn�t believe she saw his fair dear face, could touch it, kiss it. But Vivaswant had to tell her everything.

"I love you," he said. "I fell in love with you when I just saw you, or maybe before that. I�ve loved you all these years, when you were far away, Virginia, but now I want to be with you".

"I love you too," Miss Smith answered with a smile. "Since that moment when I saw you in the street in Vancouver. I have waited for you, Vivaswant".

He took her in his arms and carried to the house.

Standing on the porch and squeezing his hands, Virginia said:

"It doesn�t matter where we will live, because we�ll overcome everything and will be happy everywhere if we are always together".

Trofimova Violetta

1999