the hungry stones and other stories-第10节

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Anukul　exclaimed：　〃Great　God！　　Eh！　　What！　　Where　is　he　？　〃Raicharan　replied：　〃He　is　with　me；　　I　will　bring　him　the　day　after　to…morrow。〃

It　was　Sunday。　　There　was　no　magistrate's　court　sitting。　　Both　husband　and　wife　were　looking　expectantly　along　the　road；　waiting　from　early　morning　for　Raicharan's　appearance。　　At　ten　o'clock　he　came；　leading　Phailna　by　the　hand。

Anukul's　wife；　without　a　question；　took　the　boy　into　her　lap；　and　was　wild　with　excitement；　sometimes　laughing；　sometimes　weeping；　touching　him；　kissing　his　hair　and　his　forehead；　and　gazing　into　his　face　with　hungry；　eager　eyes。　　The　boy　was　very　good…looking　and　dressed　like　a　gentleman's　son。　　The　heart　of　Anukul　brimmed　over　with　a　sudden　rush　of　affection。

Nevertheless　the　magistrate　in　him　asked：　〃Have　you　any　proofs？　〃Raicharan　said：　〃How　could　there　be　any　proof　of　such　a　deed？　　God　alone　knows　that　I　stole　your　boy；　and　no　one　else　in　the　world。〃

When　Anukul　saw　how　eagerly　his　wife　was　clinging　to　the　boy；　he　realised　the　futility　of　asking　for　proofs。　　It　would　be　wiser　to　believe。　　And　thenwhere　could　an　old　man　like　Raicharan　get　such　a　boy　from？　　And　why　should　his　faithful　servant　deceive　him　for　nothing？

〃But；〃　he　added　severely；　〃Raicharan；　you　must　not　stay　here。〃

〃Where　shall　I　go；　Master？〃　said　Raicharan；　in　a　choking　voice；　folding　his　hands；　〃I　am　old。　　Who　will　take　in　an　old　man　as　a　servant？〃

The　mistress　said：　〃Let　him　stay。　　My　child　will　be　pleased。　　I　forgive　him。〃

But　Anukul's　magisterial　conscience　would　not　allow　him。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃he　cannot　be　forgiven　for　what　he　has　done。〃

Raicharan　bowed　to　the　ground；　and　clasped　Anukul's　feet。　〃Master；〃　he　cried；　〃let　me　stay。　　It　was　not　I　who　did　it。　　It　was　God。〃

Anukul's　conscience　was　worse　stricken　than　ever；　when　Raicharan　tried　to　put　the　blame　on　God's　shoulders。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　could　not　allow　it。　　I　cannot　trust　you　any　more。　　You　have　done　an　act　of　treachery。〃

Raicharan　rose　to　his　feet　and　said：　〃It　was　not　I　who　did　it。〃

〃Who　was　it　then？〃　asked　Anukul。

Raicharan　replied：　〃It　was　my　fate。〃

But　no　educated　man　could　take　this　for　an　excuse。　　Anukul　remained　obdurate。

When　Phailna　saw　that　he　was　the　wealthy　magistrate's　son；　and　not　Raicharan's；　be　was　angry　at　first；　thinking　that　he　had　been　cheated　all　this　time　of　his　birthright。　　But　seeing　Raicharan　in　distress；　he　generously　said　to　his　father：　〃Father；　forgive　him。　　Even　if　you　don't　let　him　live　with　us；　let　him　have　a　small　monthly　pension。〃

After　hearing　this；　Raicharan　did　not　utter　another　word。　　He　looked　for　the　last　time　on　the　face　of　his　son；　he　made　obeisance　to　his　old　master　and　mistress。　　Then　he　went　out；　and　was　mingled　with　the　numberless　people　of　the　world。

At　the　end　of　the　month　Anukul　sent　him　some　money　to　his　village。　　But　the　money　came　back。　　There　was　no　one　there　of　the　name　of　Raicharan。




THE　KINGDOM　OF　CARDS

I

Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　lonely　island　in　a　distant　sea　where　lived　the　Kings　and　Queens；　the　Aces　and　the　Knaves；　in　the　Kingdom　of　Cards。　The　Tens　and　Nines；　with　the　Twos　and　Threes；　and　all　the　other　members；　had　long　ago　settled　there　also。　　But　these　were　not　twice…born　people；　like　the　famous　Court　Cards。

The　Ace；　the　King；　and　the　Knave　were　the　three　highest　castes。　The　fourth　Caste　was　made　up　of　a　mixture　of　the　lower　Cards。　　The　Twos　and　Threes　were　lowest　of　all。　　These　inferior　Cards　were　never　allowed　to　sit　in　the　same　row　with　the　great　Court　Cards。

Wonderful　indeed　were　the　regulations　and　rules　of　that　island　kingdom。　The　particular　rank　of　each　individual　had　been　settled　from　time　immemorial。　　Every　one　had　his　own　appointed　work；　and　never　did　anything　else。　　An　unseen　hand　appeared　to　be　directing　them　wherever　they　went；　according　to　the　Rules。

No　one　in　the　Kingdom　of　Cards　had　any　occasion　to　think：　no　one　had　any　need　to　come　to　any　decision：　no　one　was　ever　required　to　debate　any　new　subject。　　The　citizens　all　moved　along　in　a　listless　groove　without　speech。　　When　they　fell；　they　made　no　noise。　　They　lay　down　on　their　backs；　and　gazed　upward　at　the　sky　with　each　prim　feature　firmly　fixed　for　ever。

There　was　a　remarkable　stillness　in　the　Kingdom　of　Cards。　　Satisfaction　and　contentment　were　complete　in　all　their　rounded　wholeness。　　There　was　never　any　uproar　or　violence。　　There　was　never　any　excitement　or　enthusiasm。

The　great　ocean；　crooning　its　lullaby　with　one　unceasing　melody；　lapped　the　island　to　sleep　with　a　thousand　soft　touches　of　its　wave's　white　hands。　　The　vast　sky；　like　the　outspread　azure　wings　of　the　brooding　mother…bird；　nestled　the　island　round　with　its　downy　plume。　　For　on　the　distant　horizon　a　deep　blue　line　betokened　another　shore。　　But　no　sound　of　quarrel　or　strife　could　reach　the　Island　of　Cards；　to　break　its　calm　repose。

II

In　that　far…off　foreign　land。　　across　the　sea；　there　lived　a　young　Prince　whose　mother　was　a　sorrowing　queen。　　This　queen　had　fallen　from　favour；　and　was　living　with　her　only　son　on　the　seashore。　　The　Prince　passed　his　childhood　alone　and　forlorn；　sitting　by　his　forlorn　mother；　weaving　the　net　of　his　big　desires。　　He　longed　to　go　in　search　of　the　Flying　Horse；　the　Jewel　in　the　Cobra's　hood；　the　Rose　of　Heaven；　the　Magic　　Roads；　or　to　find　where　the　Princess　Beauty　was　sleeping　in　the　Ogre's　castle　over　the　thirteen　rivers　and　across　the　seven　seas。

》From　the　Son　of　the　Merchant　at　school　the　young　Prince　learnt　the　stories　of　　foreign　kingdoms。　　From　the　Son　of　the　Kotwal　he　learnt　the　adventures　of　the　Two　Genii　of　the　Lamp。　　And　when　the　rain　came　beating　down；　and　the　clouds　covered　the　sky；　he　would　sit　on　the　threshold　facing　the　sea；　and　say　to　his　sorrowing　mother：　〃Tell　me；　mother；　a　story　of　some　very　far…off　land。〃

And　his　mother　would　tell　him　an　endless　tale　she　had　heard　in　her　childhood　of　a　wonderful　country　beyond　the　sea　where　dwelt　the　Princess　Beauty。　　And　the　heart　of　the　young　Prince　would　become　sick　with　longing；　as　he　sat　on　the　threshold；　looking　out　on　the　ocean；　listening　to　his　mother's　wonderful　story；　while　the　rain　outside　came　beating　down　and　the　grey　clouds　covered　the　sky。

One　day　the　Son　of　the　Merchant　came　to　the　Prince；　and　said　boldly：　〃Comrade；　my　studies　are　over。　　I　am　now　setting　out　on　my　travels　to　seek　my　fortunes　on　the　sea。　　I　have　come　to　bid　you　good…bye。〃

The　Prince　said；　〃I　will　go　with　you。〃

And　the　Son　of　Kotwal　said　also：　〃Comrades；　trusty　and　true；　you　will　not　leave　me　behind。　　I　also　will　be　your　companion。〃

Then　the　young　Prince　said　to　his　sorrowing　mother；　〃Mother；　I　am　now　setting　out　on　my　travels　to　seek　my　fortune。　　When　I　come　back　once　more；　I　shall　surely　have　found　some　way　to　remove　all　your　sorrow。〃

So　the　Three　Companions　set　out　on　their　travels　together。　　In　the　harbour　were　anchored　the　twelve　ships　of　the　merchant；　and　the　Three　Companions　got　on　board。　　The　south　wind　was　blowing；　and　the　twelve　ships　sailed　away；　as　fast　as　the　desires　which　rose　in　the　Prince's　breast。

At　the　Conch　Shell　Island　they　filled　one　ship　with　conchs。　　At　the　Sandal　Wood　Island　they　filled　a　second　ship　with　sandal…wood；　　and　at　the　Coral　Island　they　filled　a　third　ship　with　coral。

Four　years　passed　away；　and　they　filled　four　more　ships；　　one　with　ivory；　one　　with　musk；　　one　with　cloves；　and　one　with　nutmegs。

But　when　these　ships　were　all　loaded　a　terrible　tempest　arose。　　The　ships　were　all　of　them　sunk；　with　their　cloves　and　nutmeg；　and　musk　and　ivory；　and　coral　and　sandal…wood　and　conchs。　　But　the　ship　with　the　Three　Companions　struck　on　an　island　reef；　buried　them　safe　ashore；　and　itself　broke　in　pieces。

This　was　the　famous　Island　of　Cards；　where　lived　the　Ace　and　King　and　Queen　and　Knave；　with　the　Nines　and　Tens　and　all　the　other　Members　according　to　the　Rules。

III

Up　till　now　there　had　been　nothing　to　disturb　that　island　stillness。　　No　new　thing　had　ever　happened。　　No　discussion　had　ever　been　held。

And　then；　of　a　sudden；　the　Three　Companions　appeared；　thrown　up　by　the　sea；and　the　Great　Debate　began。　　There　were　three　main　points　of　dispute。

First；　　to　　what　　caste　　should　　these　　unclassed　strangers　belong？　Should　they　rank　with　the　Court　Cards？　　Or　were　they　merely　lower…caste　people；　to　be　ranked　with　the　Nines　and　Tens　？　　No　precedent　could　be　quoted　to　decide　this　weighty　question。

Secondly；　what　was　their　clan？　　Had　they　the　fairer　hue　and　bright　complexion　of　the　Hearts；　or　was　theirs　the　darker　complexion　of　the　Clubs？　　Over　this　question　there　were　interminable　disputes。　　The　whole　marriage　system　of　the　island；　with　its　intricate　regulations；　would　depend　on　its　nice　adjustment。

Thirdly；　what　food　should　they　take？　　With　whom　should　they　live　and　sleep　？　　And　should　their　heads　be　placed　south…west；　north…west；　or　only　north…east？　　In　all　the　Kingdom　of　Cards　a　series　of　problems　so　vital　and　critical　had　never　been　debated　before。

But　the　Three　Companions　grew　desperately　hungry。　　They　had　to　get　food　in　some　way　or　other。　　So　while　this　debate　went　on；　with　its　interminable　silence　and　pauses；　and　while　the　Aces　called　their　own　meeting；　and　formed　themselves　into　a　Committee；　to　find　some　obsolete　dealing　with　th