the hungry stones and other stories-第20节

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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　clear　on　the　point；　and　had　determined　to　obtain　my　full　value　in　the　marriage　market。　When　I　pictured　my　choice；　I　had　before　my　mind's　eye　a　wealthy　father's　only　daughter；　extremely　beautiful　and　highly　educated。　Proposals　came　pouring　in　to　me　from　far　and　near；　large　sums　in　cash　were　offered。　I　weighed　these　offers　with　rigid　impartiality；　in　the　delicate　scales　of　my　own　estimation。　But　there　was　no　one　fit　to　be　my　partner。　I　became　convinced；　with　the　poet　Bhabavuti；　that

In　this　worlds　endless　time　and　boundless　space　One　may　be　born　at　last　to　match　my　sovereign　grace。

But　in　this　puny　modern　age；　and　this　contracted　space　of　modern　Bengal；　it　was　doubtful　if　the　peerless　creature　existed　as　yet。

Meanwhile　my　praises　were　sung　in　many　tunes；　and　in　different　metres；　by　designing　parents。

Whether　I　was　pleased　with　their　daughters　or　not；　this　worship　which　they　offered　was　never　unpleasing。　I　used　to　regard　it　as　my　proper　due；　because　I　was　so　good。　We　are　told　that　when　the　gods　withhold　their　boons　from　mortals　they　still　expect　their　worshippers　to　pay　them　fervent　honour；　and　are　angry　if　it　is　withheld。　I　had　that　divine　expectance　strongly　developed　in　myself。

I　have　already　mentioned　that　Thakur　Dada　had　an　only　grand…daughter。　I　had　seen　her　many　times；　but　had　never　mistaken　her　for　beautiful。　No　thought　had　ever　entered　my　mind　that　she　would　be　a　possible　partner　for　myself。　All　the　same；　it　seemed　quite　certain　to　me　that　some　day　ox　other　Kailas　Babu　would　offer　her；　with　all　due　worship；　as　an　oblation　at　my　shrine。　Indeed…this　was　the　secret　of　my　dislike…I　was　thoroughly　annoyed　that　he　had　not　done　it　already。

I　heard　he　had　told　his　friends　that　the　Babus　of　Nayanjore　never　craved　a　boon。　Even　if　the　girl　remained　unmarried；　he　would　not　break　the　family　tradition。　It　was　this　arrogance　of　his　that　made　me　angry。　My　indignation　smouldered　for　some　time。　But　I　remained　perfectly　silent；　and　bore　it　with　the　utmost　patience；　because　I　was　so　good。

As　lightning　accompanies　thunder；　so　in　my　character　a　flash　of　humour　was　mingled　with　the　mutterings　of　my　wrath。　It　was；　of　course；　impossible　for　me　to　punish　the　old　man　merely　to　give　vent　to　my　rage；　and　for　a　long　time　I　did　nothing　at　all。　But　suddenly　one　day　such　an　amusing　plan　came　into　my　head；　that　I　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　carrying　it　into　effect。

I　have　already　said　that　many　of　Kailas　Babu's　friends　used　to　flatter　the　old　man's　vanity　to　the　full。　One；　who　was　a　retired　Government　servant；　had　told　him　that　whenever　he　saw　the　Chota　Lord　Sahib　he　always　asked　for　the　latest　news　about　the　Babus　of　Nayanjore；　and　the　Chota　Lard　had　been　heard　to　say　that　in　all　Bengal　the　only　really　respectable　families　were　those　of　the　Maharaja　of　Burdwan　and　the　Babus　of　Nayanjore。　When　this　monstrous　falsehood　was　told　to　Kailas　Balm　he　was　extremely　gratified；　and　often　repeated　the　story。　And　wherever　after　that　he　met　this　Government　servant　in　company　he　would　ask；　along　with　other　questions：

〃Oh！　erby　the　way；　how　is　the　Chota　Lord　Sahib？　Quite　well；　did　you　say？　Ah；　yes；　I　am　so　delighted　to　hear　it　I　And　the　dear　Mem　Sahib；　is　she　quite　well　too？　Ah；　yes！　and　the　little　children…are　they　quite　well　also？　Ah；　yes　I　that's　very　goad　news！　Be　sure　and　give　them　my　compliments　when　you　see　them。〃

Kailas　Balm　would　constantly　express　his　intention　of　going　some　day　and　paying　a　visit　to　the　Sahib。

But　it　may　be　taken　for　granted　that　many　Chota　Lords　and　Burro　Lords　also　would　come　and　go；　and　much　water　would　pass　down　the　Hoogly；　before　the　family　coach　of　Nayanjore　would　be　furnished　up　to　pay　a　visit　to　Government　House。

One　day　I　took　Kailas　Babu　aside；　and　told　him　in　a　whisper：　〃Thakur　Dada；　I　was　at　the　Levee　yesterday；　and　the　Chota　Lord　happened　to　mention　the　Babes　of　Nayanjore。　I　told　him　that　Kailas　Balm　had　come　to　town。　Do　you　know；　he　was　terribly　hurt　because　you　hadn't　called。　He　told　me　he　was　going　to　put　etiquette　on　one　side；　and　pay　you　a　private　visit　himself　this　very　afternoon。〃

Anybody　else　could　have　seen　through　this　plot　of　mine　in　a　moment。　And；　if　it　had　been　directed　against　another　person；　Kailas　Balm　would　have　understood　the　joke。　But　after　all　he　had　heard　from　his　friend　the　Government　servant；　and　after　all　his　own　exaggerations；　a　visit　from　the　Lieutenant…Governor　seemed　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。　He　became　highly　nervous　and　excited　at　my　news。　Each　detail　of　the　coming　visit　exercised　him　greatly　…most　of　all　his　own　ignorance　of　English。　How　on　earth　was　that　difficulty　to　be　met？　I　told　him　there　was　no　difficulty　at　all：　it　was　aristocratic　not　to　know　English：　and；　besides；　the　Lieutenant…Governor　always　brought　an　interpreter　with　him；　and　he　had　expressly　mentioned　that　this　visit　was　to　be　private。

About　mid…day；　when　most　of　our　neighbours　are　at　work；　and　the　rest　are　asleep；　a　carriage　and　pair　stopped　before　the　lodging　of　Kailas　Babu。　Two　flunkeys　in　livery　came　up　the　stairs；　and　announced　in　a　loud　voice；　〃The　Chota　Lord　Sahib　hoe　arrived。〃　Kailas　Babu　was　ready；　waiting　for　him；　in　his　old…fashioned　ceremonial　robes　and　ancestral　turban；　and　Ganesh　was　by　his　side；　dressed　in　his　master's　best　suit　of　clothes　for　the　occasion。　When　the　Chota　Lord　Sahib　was　announced；　Kailas　Balm　ran　panting　and　puffing　and　trembling　to　the　door；　and　led　in　a　friend　of　mine；　in　disguise；　with　repeated　salaams；　bowing　low　at　each　step；　and　walking　backward　as　best　he　could。　He　had　his　old　family　shawl　spread　over　a　hard　wooden　chair；　and　he　asked　the　Lord　Sahib　to　be　seated。　He　then　made　a　high。　flown　speech　in　Urdu；　the　ancient　Court　language　of　the　Sahibs；　and　presented　on　the　golden　salver　a　string　of　gold　mohurs；　the　last　relics　of　his　broken　fortune。　The　old　family　servant　Ganesh；　with　an　expression　of　awe　bordering　on　terror；　stood　behind　with　the　scent…sprinkler；　drenching　the　Lord　Sahib；　touching　him　gingerly　from　time　to　time　with　the　otto…of…roses　from　the　filigree　box。

Kailas　Babu　repeatedly　expressed　his　regret　at　not　being　able　to　receive　His　Honour　Bahadur　with　all　the　ancestral　magnificence　of　his　own　family　estate　at　Nayanjore。　There　he　could　have　welcomed　him　properly　with　due　ceremonial。　But　in　Calcutta　he　was　a　mere　stranger　and　sojourner…in　fact　a　fish　out　of　water。

My　friend；　with　his　tall　silk　hat　on；　very　gravely　nodded。　I　need　hardly　say　that　according　to　English　custom　the　hat　ought　to　have　been　removed　inside　the　room。　But　my　friend　did　not　dare　to　take　it　off　for　fear　of　detection；　and　Kailas　Balm　and　his　old　servant　Ganesh　were　sublimely　unconscious　of　the　breach　of　etiquette。

After　a　ten　minutes'　interview；　which　consisted　chiefly　of　nodding　the　head；　my　friend　rose　to　his　feet　to　depart。　The　two　flunkeys　in　livery；　as　had　been　planned　beforehand；　carried　off　in　state　the　string　of　gold　mohurs；　the　gold　salver；　the　old　ancestral　shawl；　the　silver　scent…　sprinkler；　and　the　otto…of…roses　filigree　box；　they　placed　them　ceremoniously　in　the　carriage。　Kailas　Babu　regarded　this　as　the　usual　habit　of　Chota　Lard　Sahibs。

I　was　watching　all　the　while　from　the　next　room。　My　sides　were　aching　with　suppressed　laughter。　When　I　could　hold　myself　in　no　longer；　I　rushed　into　a　further　room；　suddenly　to　discover；　in　a　corner；　a　young　girl　sobbing　as　if　her　heart　would　break。　When　she　saw　my　uproarious　laughter　she　stood　upright　in　passion；　flashing　the　lightning　of　her　big　dark　eyes　in　mine；　and　said　with　a　tear…choked　voice：

〃Tell　me！　　What　harm　has　my　grandfather　done　to　you？　Why　have　you　come　to　deceive　him？　Why　have　you　come　here？　Why〃

She　could　say　no　more。　She　covered　her　face　with　her　hands；　and　broke　into　sobs。

My　laughter　vanished　in　a　moment。　It　had　never　occurred　to　me　that　there　was　anything　but　a　supremely　funny　joke　in　this　act　of　mine；　and　here　I　discovered　that　I　had　given　the　cruelest　pain　to　this　tenderest　little　heart。　All　the　ugliness　of　my　cruelty　rose　up　to　condemn　me。　I　slunk　out　of　the　room　in　silence；　like　a　kicked　dog。

Hitherto　I　had　only　looked　upon　Kusum；　the　grand…daughter　of　Kailas　Babu；　as　a　somewhat　worthless　commodity　in　the　marriage　market；　waiting　in　vain　to　attract　a　husband。　But　now　I　found；　with　a　shock　of　surprise；　that　in　the　corner　of　that　room　a　human　heart　was　beating。

The　whole　night　through　I　had　very　little　sleep。　My　mind　was　in　a　tumult。　On　the　next　day；　very　early　in　the　morning；　I　took　all　those　stolen　goods　back　to　Kailas　Babe's　lodgings；　wishing　to　hand　them　over　in　secret　to　the　servant　Ganesh。　I　waited　outside　the　door；　and；　not　finding　any　one；　went　upstairs　to　Kailas　Babu's　room。　I　heard　from　the　passage　Kusum　asking　her　grandfather　in　the　most　winning　voice：　〃Dada；　dearest；　do　tell　me　all　that　the　Chota　Lord　Sahib　said　to　you　yesterday。　Don't　leave　out　a　single　word。　I　am　dying　to　hear　it　all　over　again。〃

And　Dada　needed　no　encouragement。　His　face　beamed　over　with　pride　as　he　related　all　manner　of　praises；　which　the　Lard　Sahib　had　been　good　enough　to　utter　concerning　the　ancient　families　of　Nayanjore。　The　girl　was　seated　b