BIOGRAPHY OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

The metropolis of the British Empire offered Miss Noble unlimited opportunitiesfor the realization of her many latent desires — political, literary, andeducational. Here she joined the 'Free Ireland' group, working for Ireland's homerule. She was also cordially received at Lady Ripon's exclusive salon, where artand literature were regularly discussed. This salon later developed into theSesame Club, with rooms in Dover Street, where Bernard Shaw, T.H. Huxley,and other men of literature and science discussed highly intellectual subjects.Margaret Noble became the secretary of the club, and lectured on 'ThePsychology of the Child' and 'The Rights of Women.' Thus even before she metSwami Vivekananda she was unconsciously preparing the ground for her futureactivities in India.At this time Margaret suffered a cruel blow. She was deeply in love with a manand had even set the wedding date. But another woman suddenly snatched himaway. A few years before, another young man, to whom she was about to beengaged, had died of tuberculosis. These experiences shocked her profoundly,and she began to take a more serious interest in religion. She was very fond of asimple prayer by Thomas à Kempis: 'Be what thou prayest to be made.'One day her art teacher, Ebenezer Cook, said to Margaret: 'Lady IsabelMargesson is inviting a few friends to her house to hear a Hindu Swami speak.Will you come?' Swami Vivekananda had already been a topic of discussionamong certain members of the Sesame Club. Mr. E.T. Sturdy and MissHenrietta Müller had told of his extraordinary success in America as a preacherand orator.Miss Noble first met Swami Vivekananda on a Sunday evening in the drawingroomof Lady Isabel Margesson, situated in the fashionable West End of London.He was to address a group of people on Hindu thought. Miss Noble was one ofthe last to arrive. Fifteen people sat in the room in absolute silence. Shenervously felt as if all eyes were turned on her, and as she took the first vacantchair, she gathered her skirt to sit down without making any noise. The Swamisat facing her. A coal fire burnt on the hearth behind him. She noticed that hewas tall and well built and possessed an air of deep serenity. The effect of hislong practice of meditation was visible in the gentleness and loftiness of his look,which, as she was to write later, 'Raphael has perhaps painted for us on thebrow of the Sistine Child.'The Swami looked at Lady Isabel with a sweet smile, as she said: 'Swamiji, allour friends are here.' He chanted some Sanskrit verses. Miss Noble wasimpressed by his melodious voice. She heard the Swami say, among other things:'All our struggle is for freedom. We seek neither misery nor happiness, butfreedom, freedom alone.'