the hungry stones and other stories-第19节

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wn　little　wife。　　I　am　an　ordinary　woman。〃

〃Dearest；〃　he　replied；　〃I　have　also　something　I　want　to　say　to　you。　Never　again　put　me　to　shame　by　calling　me　your　God。〃

On　the　next　day　the　little　town　became　joyous　with　sound　of　conch　shells。　　But　nobody　made　any　reference　to　that　night　of　madness；　when　all　was　so　nearly　lost。




THE　BABUS　OF　NAYANJORE

I

Once　upon　a　time　the　Babus　of　Nayanjore　were　famous　landholders。　They　were　noted　for　their　princely　extravagance。　They　would　tear　off　the　rough　border　of　their　Dacca　muslin；　because　it　rubbed　against　their　skin。　They　could　spend　many　thousands　of　rupees　over　the　wedding　of　a　kitten。　On　a　certain　grand　occasion　it　is　alleged　that　in　order　to　turn　night　into　day　they　lighted　numberless　lamps　and　showered　silver　threads　from　the　sky　to　imitate　sunlight。　Those　were　the　days　before　the　flood。　The　flood　came。　The　line　of　succession　among　these　old…world　Babus；　with　their　lordly　habits；　could　not　continue　for　long。　Like　a　lamp　with　too　many　wicks　burning；　the　oil　flared　away　quickly；　and　the　light　went　out。

Kailas　Babu；　our　neighbour；　is　the　last　relic　of　this　extinct　magnificence。　Before　he　grew　up；　his　family　had　very　nearly　reached　its　lowest　ebb。　When　his　father　died；　there　was　one　dazzling　outburst　of　funeral　extravagance；　and　then　insolvency。　The　property　was　sold　to　liquidate　the　debt。　What　little　ready　money　was　left　over　was　altogether　insufficient　to　keep　up　the　past　ancestral　splendours。

Kailas　Babu　left　Nayanjore；　and　came　to　Calcutta。　His　son　did　not　remain　long　in　this　world　of　faded　glory。　He　died；　leaving　behind　him　an　only　daughter。

In　Calcutta　we　are　Kailas　Baba's　neighbours。　Curiously　enough　our　own　family　history　is　just　the　opposite　to　his。　My　father　got　his　money　by　his　own　exertions；　and　prided　himself　on　never　spending　a　penny　more　than　was　needed。　His　clothes　were　those　of　a　working　man；　and　his　hands　also。　He　never　had　any　inclination　to　earn　the　title　of　Baba　by　extravagant　display；　and　I　myself　his　only　son；　owe　him　gratitude　for　that。　He　gave　me　the　very　best　education；　and　I　was　able　to　make　my　way　in　the　world。　I　am　not　ashamed　of　the　fact　that　I　am　a　self…made　man。　Crisp　bank…notes　in　my　safe　are　dearer　to　me　than　a　long　pedigree　in　an　empty　family　chest。

I　believe　this　was　why　I　disliked　seeing　Kailas　Baba　drawing　his　heavy　cheques　on　the　public　credit　from　the　bankrupt　bank　of　his　ancient　Babu　reputation　I　used　to　fancy　that　he　looked　down　on　me；　because　my　father　had　earned　money　with　his　own　hands。

I　ought　to　have　noticed　that　no　one　showed　any　vexation　towards　Kailas　Babu　except　myself。　Indeed　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　find　an　old　man　who　did　less　harm　than　he。　He　was　always　ready　with　his　kindly　little　acts　of　courtesy　in　times　of　sorrow　and　joy。　He　would　join　in　all　the　ceremonies　and　religious　observances　of　his　neighbours。　His　familiar　smile　would　greet　young　and　old　alike。　His　politeness　in　asking　details　about　domestic　affairs　was　untiring。　The　friends　who　met　him　in　the　street　were　perforce　ready　to　be　button…holed；　while　a　long　string　of　questions　of　this　kind　followed　one　another　from　his　lips：

〃My　dear　friend；　I　am　delighted　to　see　you。　Are　quite　well？　How　is　Shashi？　and　Dada—is　he　all　right？　Do　you　know；　I've　only　just　heard　that　Madhu's　son　has　got　fever。　How　is　he？　Have　you　heard？　And　Hari　Charan　Babu—I've　not　seen　him　for　a　long　timeI　hope　he　is　not　ill。　What's　the　matter　with　Rakkhal？　And；　erer；　how　are　the　ladies　of　your　family？〃

Kailas　Balm　was　spotlessly　neat　in　his　dress　on　all　occasions；　though　his　supply　of　clothes　was　sorely　limited。　Every　day　he　used　to　air　his　shirts　and　vests　and　coats　and　trousers　carefully；　and　put　them　out　in　the　sun；　along　with　his　bed…quilt；　his　pillowcase；　and　the　small　carpet　on　which　he　always　sat。　After　airing　them　he　would　shake　them；　and　brush　them；　and　put　them　on　the　rock。　His　little　bits　of　furniture　made　his　small　room　decent；　and　hinted　that　there　was　more　in　reserve　if　needed。　Very　often；　for　want　of　a　servant；　he　would　shut　up　his　house　for　a　while。　Then　he　would　iron　out　his　shirts　and　linen　with　his　own　hands；　and　do　other　little　menial　tasks。　After　this　he　would　open　his　door　and　receive　his　friends　again。

Though　Kailas　Balm；　as　I　have　said；　had　lost　all　his　landed　property；　he　had　still　same　family　heirlooms　left。　There　was　a　silver　cruet　for　sprinkling　scented　water；　a　filigree　box　for　otto…of…roses；　a　small　gold　salver；　a　costly　ancient　shawl；　and　the　old…fashioned　ceremonial　dress　and　ancestral　turban。　These　he　had　rescued　with　the　greatest　difficulty　from　the　money…lenders'　clutches。　On　every　suitable　occasion　he　would　bring　them　out　in　state；　and　thus　try　to　save　the　world…famed　dignity　of　the　Babus　of　Nayanjore。　At　heart　the　most　modest　of　men；　in　his　daily　speech　he　regarded　it　as　a　sacred　duty；　owed　to　his　rank；　to　give　free　play　to　his　family　pride。　His　friends　would　encourage　this　trait　in　his　character　with　kindly　good…humour；　and　it　gave　them　great　amusement。

The　neighbourhood　soon　learnt　to　call　him　their　Thakur　Dada　（Grandfather）。　They　would　flock　to　his　house；　and　sit　with　him　for　hours　together。　To　prevent　his　incurring　any　expense；　one　or　other　of　his　friends　would　bring　him　tobacco；　and　say：　〃　Thakur　Dada；　this　morning　some　tobacco　was　sent　to　me　from　Gaya。　Do　take　it；　and　see　how　you　like　it〃

Thakur　Dada　would　take　it；　and　say　it　was　excellent。　He　would　then　go　on　to　tell　of　a　certain　exquisite　tobacco　which　they　once　smoked　in　the　old　days　at　Nayanjore　at　the　cost　of　a　guinea　an　ounce。

〃I　wonder；〃　he　used　to　say；　〃I　wonder　if　any　one　would　like　to　try　it　now。　I　have　some　left；　and　can　get　it　at　once〃

Every　one　knew；　that；　if　they　asked　for　it；　then　somehow　or　other　the　key　of　the　cupboard　would　he　missing；　or　else　Ganesh；　his　old　family　servant；　had　put　it　away　somewhere。

〃You　never　can　be　sure；〃　he　would　add；　〃　where　things　go　to　when　servants　are　about。　Now；　this　Ganesh　of　mine；…　I　can't　tell　you　what　a　fool　he　is；　but　I　haven't　the　heart　to　dismiss　him。〃

Ganesh；　for　the　credit　of　the　family；　was　quite　ready　to　bear　all　the　blame　without　a　word。

One　of　the　company　usually　said　at　this　point：　〃Never　mind；　Thakur　Dada。　Please　don't　trouble　to　look　for　it。　This　tobacco　we're　smoking　will　do　quite　well。　The　other　would　be　too　strong。〃

Then　Thakur　Dada　would　be　relieved；　and　settle　down　again；　and　the　talk　would　go　on。

When　his　guests　got　up　to　go　away；　Thakur　Dada　would　accompany　them　to　the　door；　and　say　to　them　on　the　door…step：　〃Oh；　by　the　way；　when　are　you　all　coming　to　dine　with　me？〃

One　or　other　of　us　would　answer：　〃Not　just　yet；　Thakur　Dada；　not　just　yet。　We'll　fix　a　day　later。〃

〃Quite　right；〃　he　would　answer。　〃Quite　right。　We　had　much　better　wait　till　the　rains　come。　It's　too　hot　now。　And　a　grand　rich　dinner　such　as　I　should　want　to　give　you　would　upset　us　in　weather　like　this。〃

But　when　the　rains　did　come；　every　one　careful　not　to　remind　him　of　his　promise。　If　the　subject　was　brought　up；　some　friend　would　suggest　gently　that　it　was　very　inconvenient　to　get　about　when　the　rains　were　so　severe；　that　it　would　be　much　better　to　wait　till　they　were　over。　And　so　the　game　went　on。

His　poor　lodging　was　much　too　small　for　his　position；　and　we　used　to　condole　with　him　about　it。　His　friends　would　assure　him　they　quite　understood　his　difficulties：　it　was　next　to　impossible　to　get　a　decent　house　in　Calcutta。　Indeed；　they　had　all　been　looking　out　for　years　for　a　house　to　suit　him；　but；　I　need　hardly　add；　no　friend　had　been　foolish　enough　to　find　one。　Thakur　Dada　used　to　say；　after　a　long　sigh　of　resignation：　〃　Well；　well；　I　suppose　I　shall　have　to　put　up　with　this　house　after　all。〃　Then　he　would　add　with　a　genial　smile：　〃But；　you　know；　I　could　never　bear　to　he　away　from　my　friends。　I　must　be　near　you。　That　really　compensates　for　everything。〃

Somehow　I　felt　all　this　very　deeply　indeed。　I　suppose　the　real　reason　was；　that　when　a　man　is　young　stupidity　appears　to　him　the　worst　of　crimes。　Kailas　Babu　was　not　really　stupid。　In　ordinary　business　matters　every　one　was　ready　to　consult　him。

But　with　regard　to　Nayanjore　his　utterances　were　certainly　void　of　common　sense。　Because；　out　of　amused　affection　for　him；　no　one　contradicted　his　impossible　statements；　he　refused　to　keep　them　in　bounds。　When　people　recounted　in　his　hearing　the　glorious　history　of　Nayanjore　with　absurd　exaggerations　he　would　accept　all　they　said　with　the　utmost　gravity；　and　never　doubted；　even　in　his　dreams；　that　any　one　could　disbelieve　it。

II

When　I　sit　down　and　try　to　analyse　the　thoughts　and　feelings　that　I　had　towards　Kailas　Babu　I　see　that　there　was　a　still　deeper　reason　for　my　dislike。　I　will　now　explain。

Though　I　am　the　son　of　a　rich　man；　and　might　have　wasted　time　at　college；　my　industry　was　such　that　I　took　my　M。A。　degree　in　Calcutta　University　when　quite　young。　My　moral　character　was　flawless。　In　addition；　my　outward　appearance　was　so　handsome；　that　if　I　were　to　call　myself　beautiful；　it　might　be　thought　a　mark　of　self…estimation；　but　could　not　be　considered　an　untruth。

There　could　be　no　question　that　among　the　young　men　of　Bengal　I　was　regarded　by　parents　generally　as　a　very　eligible　match。　I　was　myself　quite