the hungry stones and other stories-第21节
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he ancient families of Nayanjore。 The girl was seated before him； looking up into his face； and listening with rapt attention。 She was determined； out of love for the old man； to play her part to the full。
My heart was deeply touched； and tears came to my eyes。 I stood there in silence in the passage； while Thakur Dada finished all his embellishments of the Chota Lord Sahib's wonderful visit。 When he left the room at last； I took the stolen goods and laid them at the feet of the girl and came away without a word。
Later in the day I called again to see Kailas Balm himself。 According to our ugly modern custom； I had been in the habit of making no greeting at all to this old man when I came into the room。 But on this day I made a low bow； and touched his feet。 I am convinced the old man thought that the coming of the Chota Lord Sahib to his house was the cause of my new politeness。 He was highly gratified by it； and an air of benign severity shone from his eyes。 His friends had flocked in； and he had already begun to tell again at full length the story of the Lieutenant…Governor's visit with still further adornments of a most fantastic kind。 The interview was already becoming an epic； both in quality and in length。
When the other visitors had taken their leave； I made my proposal to the old man in a humble manner。 I told him that； 〃 though I could never for a moment hope to be worthy of marriage connection with such an illustrious family； yet 。 。 。 etc。 etc。〃
When I made clear my proposal of marriage； the old man embraced me； and broke out in a tumult of joy： 〃 I am a poor man； and could never have expected such great good fortune。〃
That was the first and last time in his life that Kailas Babu confessed to being poor。 It was also the first and last time in his life that he forgot； if only for a single moment； the ancestral dignity that belongs to the Babus of Nayanjore。
LIVING OR DEAD？
I
The widow in the house of Saradasankar； the Ranihat zemindar； had no kinsmen of her father's family。 One after another all had died。 Nor had she in her husband's family any one she could call her own； neither husband nor son。 The child of her brother…in…law Saradasankar was her darling。 Far a long time after his birth； his mother had been very ill； and the widow； his aunt Kadambini； had fostered him。 If a woman fosters another's child； her love for him is all the stronger because she has no claim upon him…no claim of kinship； that is； but simply the claim of love。 Love cannot prove its claim by any document which society accepts； and does not wish to prove it； it merely worships with double passion its life's uncertain treasure。 Thus all the widow's thwarted love went out to wards this little child。 One night in Sraban Kadambini died suddenly。 For some reason her heart stopped beating。 Everywhere else the world held on its course； only m this gentle little breast； suffering with love； the watch of time stood still for ever。
Lest they should be harassed by the poike； four of the zemindar's Brahmin servants took away the body； without ceremony； to be burned。 The burning…ground of Ranihat was very far from the village。 There was a hut beside a tank； a huge banian near it； and nothing more。 Formerly a river； now completely dried up； ran through the ground； and part of the watercourse had been dug out to make a tank for the performance of funeral rites。 The people considered the tank as part of the river and reverenced it as such。
Taking the body into the hut； the four men sat down to wait for the wood。 The time seemed so long that two of the four grew restless； and went to see why it did not come。 Nitai and Gurucharan being gone； Bidhu and Banamali remained to watch over the body。
It was a dark night of Sraban。 Heavy clouds hung In a starless sky。 The two men sat silent in the dark room。 Their matches and lamp were useless。 The matches were damp； and would not light； for all their efforts； and the lantern went out。
After a long silence； one said： 〃Brother； it would be good if we had a bowl of tobacco。 In our hurry we brought none。〃
The other answered： 〃I can run and bring all we want。〃
Understanding why Banarnali wanted to go （From fear of ghosts； the burning…ground being considered haunted。）； Bidhu said： 〃I daresay！ Meanwhile； I suppose I am to sit here alone！〃
Conversation ceased again。 Five minutes seemed like an hour。 In their minds they cursed the two； who had gone to fetch the wood； and they began to suspect that they sat gossiping in some pleasant nook。 There was no sound anywhere； except the incessant noise of frogs and crickets from the tank。 Then suddenly they fancied that the bed shook slightly； as if the dead body had turned on its side。 Bidhu and Banamali trembled； and began muttering： 〃Ram； Ram。〃 A deep sigh was heard in the room。 In a moment the watchers leapt out of the hut； and raced for the village。
After running aboat three miles； they met their colleagues coming back with a lantern。 As a matter of fact； they had gone to smoke； and knew nothing about the wood。 But they declared that a tree had been cut down； and that； when it was split up； it would be brought along at once。 Then Bidhu and Banamali told them what had happened in the hut。 Nitai and Gurucharan scoffed at the story； and abused Bidhu and Banamali angrily for leaving their duty。
Without delay all four returned to the hut。 As they entered； they saw at once that the body was gone； nothing but an empty bed remained。 They stared at one another。 Could a jackal have taken it？ But there was no scrap of clothing anywhere。 Going outside； they saw that on the mud that had collected at the door of the but there were a woman's tiny footprints； newly made。 Saradasankar was no fool； and they could hardly persuade him to believe in this ghost story。 So after much discussion the four decided that it would be best to say that the body had been burnt。
Towards dawn； when the men with the wood arrived they were told that； owing to their delay； the work had been done without them； there had been some wood in the but after all。 No one was likely to question this； since a dead body is not such a valuable property that any one would steal it。
II
Every one knows that； even when there is no sign； life is often secretly present； and may begin again in an apparently dead body。 Kadambini was not dead； only the machine of her life had for some reason suddenly stopped。
When consciousness returned； she saw dense darkness on all sides。 It occurred to her that she was not lying in her usual place。 She called out 〃 Sister；〃 but no answer came from the darkness。 As she sat up； terror…stricken； she remembered her death…bed； the sudden pain at her breast； the beginning of a choking sensation。 Her elder sister…in…law was warming some milk for the child； when Kadambini became faint； and fell on the bed； saying with a choking voice： 〃Sister； bring the child here。 I am worried。〃 After that everything was black； as when an inkpot is upset over an exercise…book。 Kadambini's memory and consciousness； all the letters of the world's book； in a moment became formless。 The widow could not remember whether the child； in the sweet voice of love； called her 〃 Auntie；〃 as if for the last time； or not； she could not remember whether； as she left the world she knew for death's endless unknown journey； she had received a parting gift of affection； love's passage…money for the silent land。 At first； I fancy； she thought the lonely dark place was the House of Yama； where there is nothing to see； nothing to hear； nothing to do； only an eternal watch。 But when a cold damp wind drove through the open door； and she heard the croaking of frogs； she remembered vividly and in a moment all the rains of her short life； and could feel her kinship with the earth。 Then came a flash of lightning； and she saw the tank； the banian； the great plain； the far…off trees。 She remembered how at full moon she had sometimes come to bathe in this tank； and how dreadful death had seemed when she saw a corpse on the burning…ground。
Her first thought was to return home。 But then she reflected： 〃I am dead。 How can I return home？ That would bring disaster on them。 I have left the kingdom of the living； I am my own ghost！〃 If this were not so； she reasoned； how could she have got out of Saradasankar's well…guarded zenana； and come to this distant burningground at midnight？ Also； if her funeral rites had not been finished； where had the men gone who should burn her？ Recalling her death…moment in Saradasankar's brightly…lit house； she now found herself alone in a distant； deserted； dark burning。 ground。 Surely she was no member of earthly society！ Surely she was a creature of horror； of ill…omen； her own ghost！
At this thought； all the bonds were snapped which bound her to the world。 She felt that she had marvellous strength； endless freedom。 She could do what she liked； go where she pleased。 Mad with the inspiration of this new idea； she rushed from the but like a gust of wind； and stood upon the burning。 ground。 All trace of shame or fear had left her。
But as she walked on and on； her feet grew tired； her body weak。 The plain stretched on endlessly； here and there we
