"How can it be great when it fails to satisfy?" objected Ananda.
"First let me show you that Hinduism is great by the light of its past history," said Bopaul eagerly.
He plunged into much the same story as Alderbury had told Eola. He described the antiquity of Hinduism; its marvellous organisation; its power of absorbing the conquered races; and he extolled the system of caste.
Ananda listened and at the conclusion he remarked, "Caste and the power of the Brahman are being already undermined."
"In what way?"
"We have apologists for their existence. If either were divine in origin there would be no necessity for an apology."
"I deny that the system of caste is being undermined. It may have overgrown itself and need pruning. Some of the senseless subdivisions should be broken up; and we want reform in our marriage laws——"
His eyes sought the figure of his sister as she gathered some starry blue flowers growing among the rank grass.
"Even if the caste system were reformed," objected Ananda, "and the greatness of Hinduism established in the world, there are certain tenets of its faith that seem to me impossible for an educated and enlightened man to accept."
"Such as——?"