the hungry stones and other stories-第19章

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at　she　was　a　prostitute；　yet　in　the　present　discussion　neither　would　acknowledge　defeat。　By　degrees　their　voices　became　so　loud　that　they　forgot　that　Kadambini　was　sleeping　in　the　next　room。

The　one　said：　〃We're　in　a　nice　fix！　I　tell　you；　I　heard　it　with　my　own　ears！〃　And　the　other　answered　angrily：　〃What　do　I　care　about　that？　I　can　see　with　my　own　eyes；　surely。〃

At　length　Jogmaya　said：　〃Very　well。　Tell　me　when　Kadambini　died。〃　She　thought　that　if　she　could　find　a　discrepancy　between　the　day　of　death　and　the　date　of　some　letter　from　Kadambini；　she　could　prove　that　Sripati　erred。

He　told　her　the　date　of　Kadambini's　death；　and　they　both　saw　that　it　fell　on　the　very　day　before　she　came　to　their　house。　Jogmaya's　heart　trembled；　even　Sripati　was　not　unmoved。

Just　then　the　door　flew　open；　a　damp　wind　swept　in　and　blew　the　lamp　out。　The　darkness　rushed　after　it；　and　filled　the　whole　house。　Kadambini　stood　in　the　room。　It　was　nearly　one　o'clock；　the　rain　was　pelting　outside。

Kadambini　spoke：　〃Friend；　I　am　your　Kadambini；　but　I　am　no　longer　living。　I　am　dead。〃

Jogmaya　screamed　with　terror；　Sripati　could　speak。

〃But；　save　in　being　dead；　I　have　done　you　no　wrong。　If　I　have　no　place　among　the　living；　I　have　none　among　the　dead。　Oh！　whither　shall　I　go？〃

Crying　as　if　to　wake　the　sleeping　Creator　in　the　dense　night　of　rain；　she　asked　again：　〃　Oh！　whither　shall　I　go？　〃

So　saying　Kadambini　left　her　friend　fainting　in　the　dark　house；　and　went　out　into　the　world；　seeking　her　own　place。

V

It　is　hard　to　say　how　Kadambini　reached　Ranihat。　At　first　she　showed　herself　to　no　one；　but　spent　the　whole　day　in　a　ruined　temple；　starving。　When　the　untimely　afternoon　of　the　rains　was　pitch…black；　and　people　huddled　into　their　houses　for　fear　of　the　impending　storm；　then　Kadambini　came　forth。　Her　heart　trembled　as　she　reached　her　father…in…　law's　house；　and　when；　drawing　a　thick　veil　over　her　face；　she　entered；　none　of　the　doorkeepers　objected；　since　they　took　her　for　a　servant。　And　the　rain　was　pouring　down；　and　the　wind　howled。

The　mistress；　Saradasankar's　wife；　was　playing　cards　with　her　widowed　sister。　A　servant　was　in　the　kitchen；　the　sick　child　was　sleeping　in　the　bedroom。　Kadambini；　escaping　every　one's　notice；　entered　this　room。　I　do　not　know　why　she　had　come　to　her　father…in…law's　house；　she　herself　did　not　know；　she　felt　only　that　she　wanted　to　see　her　child　again。　She　had　no　thought　where　to　go　next；　or　what　to　do。

In　the　lighted　room　she　saw　the　child　sleeping；　his　fists　clenched；　his　body　wasted　with　fever。　At　sight　of　him；　her　heart　became　parched　and　thirsty。　If　only　she　could　press　that　tortured　body　to　her　breast！　Immediately　the　thought　followed：　〃I　do　not　exist。　Who　would　see　it？　His　mother　loves　company；　loves　gossip　and　cards。　All　the　time　that　she　left　me　in　charge；　she　was　herself　free　from　anxiety；　nor　was　she　troubled　about　him　in　the　least。　Who　will　look　after　him　now　as　I　did？〃

The　child　turned　on　his　side；　and　cried；　half…asleep：　〃Auntie；　give　me　water。〃　Her　darling　had　not　yet　forgotten　his　auntie！　In　a　fever　of　excitement；　she　poured　out　some　water；　and；　taking　him　to　her　breast；　she　gave　it　him。

As　long　as　he　was　asleep；　the　child　felt　no　strangeness　in　taking　water　from　the　accustomed　hand。　But　when　Kadambini　satisfied　her　long…starved　longing；　and　kissed　him　and　began　rocking　him　asleep　again；　he　awoke　and　embraced　her。　〃Did　you　die；　Auntie？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　darling。〃

〃And　you　have　come　back？　Do　not　die　again。〃

Before　she　could　answer　disaster　overtook　her。　One　of　the　maidservants　coming　in　with　a　cup　of　sago　dropped　it；　and　fell　down。　At　the　crash　the　mistress　left　her　cards；　and　entered　the　room。　She　stood　like　a　pillar　of　wood；　unable　to　flee　or　speak。　Seeing　all　this；　the　child；　too；　became　terrified；　and　burst　out　weeping：　〃　Go　away；　Auntie；〃　he　said；　〃go　away！〃

Now　at　last　Kadambini　understood　that　she　had　not　died。　The　old　room；　the　old　things；　the　same　child；　the　same　love；　all　returned　to　their　living　state；　without　change　or　difference　between　her　and　them。　In　her　friend's　house　she　had　felt　that　her　childhood's　companion　was　dead。　In　her　child's　room　she　knew　that　the　boy's　〃Auntie〃　was　not　dead　at　all。　In　anguished　tones　she　said：　〃Sister；　why　do　you　dread　me？　See；　I　am　as　you　knew　me。〃

Her　sister…in…law　could　endure　no　longer；　and　fell　into　a　faint。　Saradasankar　himself　entered　the　zenana。　With　folded　hands；　he　said　piteously：　〃Is　this　right？　Satis　is　my　only　son。　Why　do　you　show　yourself　to　him？　Are　we　not　your　own　kin？　Since　you　went；　he　has　wasted　away　daily；　his　fever　has　been　incessant；　day　and　night　he　cries：　‘Auntie；　Auntie。'　You　have　left　the　world；　break　these　bonds　of　maya　（Illusory　affection　binding　a　soul　to　the　world）。　We　will　perform　all　funeral　honours。〃

Kadambini　could　bear　no　more。　She　said：　〃Oh；　I　am　not　dead；　I　am　not　dead。　Oh；　how　can　I　persuade　you　that　I　am　not　dead？　I　am　living；　living！〃　She　lifted　a　brass　pot　from　the　ground　and　dashed　it　against　her　forehead。　The　blood　ran　from　her　brow。　〃Look！〃　she　cried；　〃I　am　living！〃　Saradasankar　stood　like　an　image；　the　child　screamed　with　fear；　the　two　fainting　women　lay　still。

Then　Kadambini；　shouting　〃I　am　not　dead；　I　am　not　dead；〃　went　down　the　steps　to　the　zenana　well；　and　plunged　in。　From　the　upper　storey　Saradasankar　heard　the　splash。

All　night　the　rain　poured；　it　poured　next　day　at　dawn；　was　pouring　still　at　noon。　By　dying；　Kadambini　had　given　proof　that　she　was　not　dead。



〃WE　CROWN　THEE　KING〃

When　Nabendu　Sekhar　was　wedded　to　Arunlekha；　the　God　of　marriage　smiled　from　behind　the　sacrificial　fire。　Alas！　what　is　sport　for　the　gods　is　not　always　a　joke　to　us　poor　mortals。

Purnendu　Sekhar；　the　father　of　Nabendu；　was　a　man　well　known　amongst　the　English　officials　of　the　Government。　In　the　voyage　of　life　he　had　arrived　at　the　desert　shores　of　Rai　Bahadurship　by　diligently　plying　his　oats　of　salaams。　He　held　in　reserve　enough　for　further　advancement；　but　at　the　age　of　fifty…five；　his　tender　gaze　still　fixed　on　the　misty　peals　of　Raja…hood；　he　suddenly　found　himself　transported　to　a　region　where　earthly　honours　and　decorations　are　naught；　and　his　salaam…wearied　neck　found　everlasting　repose　on　the　funeral　pyre。

According　to　modern　science；　force　is　not　destroyed；　but　is　merely　converted　to　another　form；　and　applied　to　another　point。　So　Purnendu's　salaam…force；　constant　handmaid　of　the　fickle　Goddess　of　Fortune；　descended　from　the　shoulder　of　the　father　to　that　of　his　worthy　son；　and　the　youthful　head　of　Nabendu　Sekhar　began　to　move　up　and　down；　at　the　doors　of　high…placed　Englishmen；　like　a　pumpkin　swayed　by　the　wind。

The　traditions　of　the　family　into　which　he　had　married　were　entirely　different。　Its　eldest　son；　Pramathanath；　had　won　for　himself　the　love　of　his　kinsfolk　and　the　regard　of　all　who　knew　him。　His　kinsmen　and　his　neighbours　looked　up　to　him　as　their　ideal　in　all　things。


Pramathanath　was　a　Bachelor　of　Arts；　and　in　addition　was　gifted　with　common　sense。　But　he　held　no　high　official　position；　he　had　no　handsome　salary；　nor　did　he　exert　any　influence　with　his　pen。　There　was　no　one　in　power　to　lend　him　a　helping　hand；　because　he　desired　to　keep　away　from　Englishmen；　as　much　as　they　desired　to　keep　away　from　him。　So　it　happened　that　he　shone　only　within　the　sphere　of　his　family　and　his　friends；　and　excited　no　admiration　beyond　it。

Yet　this　Pramathanath　had　once　sojourned　in　England　for　some　three　years。　The　kindly　treatment　he　received　during　his　stay　there　overpowered　him　so　much　that　he　forgot　the　sorrow　and　the　humiliation　of　his　own　country；　and　came　back　dressed　in　European　clothes。　This　rather　grieved　his　brothers　and　his　sisters　at　first；　but　after　a　few　days　they　began　to　think　that　European　clothes　suited　nobody　better；　and　gradually　they　came　to　share　his　pride　and　dignity。

On　his　return　from　England；　Pramathanath　resolved　that　he　would　show　the　world　how　to　associate　with　Anglo…Indians　on　terms　of　equality。　Those　of　our　countrymen　who　think　that　no　such　association　is　possible；　unless　we　bend　our　knees　to　them；　showed　their　utter　lack　of　self…respect；　and　were　also　unjust　to　the　English…so　thought　Pramathanath。

He　brought　with　him　letters　of　introduction　from　many　distinguished　Englishmen　at　home；　and　these　gave　him　some　recognition　in　Anglo…Indian　society。　He　and　his　wife　occasionally　enjoyed　English　hospitality　at　tea；　dinner；　sports　and　other　entertainments。　Such　good　luck　intoxicated

him；　and　began　to　produce　a　tingling　sensation　in　every　vein　of　his　body。

About　this　time；　at　the　opening　of　a　new　railway　line；　many　of　the　town；　proud　recipients　of　official　favour；　were　invited　by　the　Lieutenant…Governor　to　take　the　first　trip。　Pramathanath　was　among　them。　On　the　return　journey；　a　European　Sergeant　of　the　Police　expelled　some　Indian　gentlemen　from　a　railway…carriage　with　great　insolence。　Pramathanath；　dressed　in　his　European　clothes；　was　there。　He；　too；　was　getting　out；　when　the　Sergeant　said：　〃　You　needn't　move；　sir。　Keep　your　seat；　please。〃

At　first　Pramathanath　felt　flattered　at　the　special　respect　thus　shown　to　him。　When；　however；　the　train　went　on；　the　dull　rays　of　the　setting　sun；　at　the　west　of　the　fields；　now　ploughed　up　and　stripped　of　green；　seemed　in　his　eyes　to　spread　a　glow　of　shame　over　the　whole　country。　Sitting　near　the　window　of　his　lonely　compartment；　he　seemed　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　down…cast　eyes　of　his　Motherland；　hidden　behind　the　trees。　As　Pramathanath　sat　there；　lost　in　reverie；　burning　tears　flowed　down　his　cheeks；　and　his　heart　burst　with　indignation。

He　now　remembered　the　story　of　a　donkey　who　was　drawing　the　chariot　of　an　idol　along　the　street。　The　wayfarers　bowed　down　to　the　idol；　and　touched　the　dusty　ground　with　their　foreheads。　The　foolish　donkey　imagined　that　all　this　reverence　was　being　shown　to　him。　〃The　only　difference；〃　said　Pramathanath　to　himself；　〃　between　the　donkey　and　myself　is　this：　I　understand　to…day　that　the　respect　I　receive　is　not　given　to　me　but　to　the　burden　on　my　back。〃

Arriving　home；　Pramathanath　called　together　all　the　children　of　the　household；　and　lighting　a　big　bonfire；　threw　all　his　European　clothes　into　it　one　by　one。　The　children　danced　round　and　round　it；　and　the　higher　the　flames　shot　up；　the　greater　was　their　merriment。　After　that；　Pramathanath　gave　up　his　sip　of　tea　and　bits　of　toast　in　Anglo…Indian　houses；　and　once　again　sat　inaccessible　within　the　castle　of　his　house；　while　his　insulted　friends　went　about　from　the　door　of　one　Englishman　to　that　of　another；　bending　their　turbaned　heads　as　before。

By　an　irony　of　fate；　poor　Nabendu　Sekhar　married　the　second　daughter　of　this　house。　His　sisters…in…law　were　well　educated　and　handsome。　Nabendu　considered　he　had　made　a　lucky　bargain。　But　he　lost　no　time　in　trying　to　impress　on　the　family　that　it　was　a　rare　bargain　on　their　side　also。　As　if　by　mistake；　he　would　often　hand　to　his　sisters…in…law　sundry　letters　that　his　late　father　had　received　from　Europeans。　And　when　the　cherry　lips　of　those　young　ladies　smiled　sarcastically；　and　the　point　of　a　shining　dagger　peeped　out　of　its　sheath　of　red　velvet；　the　unfortunate　man　saw　his　folly；　and　regretted　it。

Labanyalekha；　the　eldest　sister；　surpassed　the　rest　in　beauty　and　clevern