the hungry stones and other stories-第27节

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〃Did　I　ever　do　you　any　harm？〃　demanded　Hemanta　in　a　broken　voice。

〃Let　me　ask　you　one　question；〃　said　Peari　Sankar。　〃My　daughtermy　only　child…what　harm　had　she　done　your　father？　You　were　very　young　then；　and　probably　never　heard。　Listen；　then。　Now；　don't　you　excite　yourself。　There　is　much　humour　in　what　I　am　going　to　relate。

〃You　were　quite　small　when　my　son…in…law　Nabakanta　ran　away　to　England　after　stealing　my　daughter's　jewels。　You　might　truly　remember　the　commotion　in　the　village　when　he　returned　as　a　barrister　five　years　later。　Or；　perhaps；　you　were　unaware　of　it；　as　you　were　at　school　in　Calcutta　at　the　time。　Your　father；　arrogating　to　himself　the　headship　of　the　community；　declared　that　if　I　sent　my　daughter　to　her　husband's　home；　I　must　renounce　her　for　good；　and　never　again　allow　her　to　cross　my　threshold。　I　fell　at　your　father's　feet；　and　implored　him；　saying：　'Brother；　save　me　this　once。　I　will　make　the　boy　swallow　cow…dung；　and　go　through　the　prayaschittam　ceremony。　Do　take　him　back　into　caste。'　But　your　father　remained　obdurate。　For　my　part；　I　could　not　disown　my　only　child；　and；　bidding　good…bye　to　my　village　and　my　kinsmen；　I　betook　myself　to　Calcutta。　There；　too；　my　troubles　followed　me。　When　I　had　made　every　arrangement　for　my　nephew's　marriage；　your　father　stirred　up　the　girl's　people；　and　they　broke　the　match　off。　Then　I　took　a　solemn　vow　that；　if　there　was　a　drop　of　Brahmin　blood　flowing　in　my　veins；　I　would　avenge　myself。　You　understand　the　business　to　some　extent　now；　don't　you？　But　wait　a　little　longer。　You　will　enjoy　it；　when　I　tell　you　the　whole　story；　it　is　interesting。

〃When　you　were　attending　college；　one　Bipradas　Chatterji　used　to　live　next　door　to　your　lodgings。　The　poor　fellow　is　dead　now。　In　his　house　lived　a　child…widow　called　Kusum；　the　destitute　orphan　of　a　Kayestha　gentleman。　The　girl　was　very　pretty；　and　the　old　Brahmin　desired　to　shield　her　from　the　hungry　gaze　of　college　students。　But　for　a　young　girl　to　throw　dust　in　the　eyes　of　her　old　guardian　was　not　at　all　a　difficult　task。　She　often　went　to　the　top　of　the　roof；　to　hang　her　washing　out　to　dry；　and；　I　believe；　you　found　your　own　roof　best　suited　for　your　studies。　Whether　you　two　spoke　to　each　other；　when　on　your　respective　roofs；　I　cannot　tell；　but　the　girl's　behaviour　excited　suspicion　in　the　old　man's　mind。　She　made　frequent　mistakes　in　her　household　duties；　and；　like　Parbati　（The　wife　of　Shiva　the　Destroyer）；　engaged　in　her　devotions；　began　gradually　to　renounce　food　and　sleep。　Some　evenings　she　would　burst　into　tears　in　the　presence　of　the　old　gentleman；　without　any　apparent　reason。

〃At　last　he　discovered　that　you　two　saw　each　other　from　the　roofs　pretty　frequently；　and　that　you　even　went　the　length　of　absenting　yourself　from　college　to　sit　on　the　roof　at　mid…day　with　a　book　in　your　hand；　so　fond　had　you　grown　suddenly　of　solitary　study。　Bipradas　came　to　me　for　advice；　and　told　me　everything。　'Uncle；'　said　I　to　him；　‘for　a　long　while　you　have　cherished　a　desire　to　go　on　a　pilgrimage　to　Benares。　You　had　better　do　it　now；　and　leave　the　girl　in　my　charge。　I　will　take　care　of　her。'

〃So　he　went。　I　lodged　the　girl　in　the　house　of　Sripati　Chatterji；　passing　him　off　as　her　father。　What　happened　next　is　known　to　you。　I　feel　a　great　relief　to…day；　having　told　you　everything　from　the　beginning。　It　sounds　like　a　romance；　doesn't　it？　I　think　of　turning　it　into　a　book；　and　getting　it　printed。　But　I　am　not　a　writing…man　myself。　They　say　my　nephew　has　some　aptitude　that　wayI　will　get　him　to　write　it　for　me。　But　the　best　thing　would　be；　if　you　would　collaborate　with　him；　because　the　conclusion　of　the　story　is　not　known　to　me　so　well。〃

Without　paying　much　attention　to　the　concluding　remarks　of　Peari　Sankar；　Hemanta　asked：　〃Did　not　Kusum　object　to　this　marriage？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Peari　Sankar；　〃it　is　very　difficult　to　guess。　You　know；　my　boy；　how　women's　minds　are　constituted。　When　they　say　'no；'　they　mean　'yes。'　During　the　first　few　days　after　her　removal　to　the　new　home；　she　went　almost　crazy　at　not　seeing　you。　You；　too；　seemed　to　have　discovered　her　new　address　somehow；　as　you　used　to　lose　your　way　after　starting　for　college；　and　loiter　about　in　front　of　Sripati's　house。　Your　eyes　did　not　appear　to　be　exactly　in　search　of　the　Presidency　College；　as　they　were　directed　towards　the　barred　windows　of　a　private　house；　through　which　nothing　but　insects　and　the　hearts　of　moon…struck　young　men　could　obtain　access。　I　felt　very　sorry　for　you　both。　I　could　see　that　your　studies　were　being　seriously　interrupted；　and　that　the　plight　of　the　girl　was　pitiable　also。

〃One　day　I　called　Kusum　to　me；　and　said：　'Listen　to　me；　my　daughter。　I　am　an　old　man；　and　you　need　feel　no　delicacy　in　my　presence。　I　know　whom　you　desire　at　heart。　The　young　man's　condition　is　hopeless　too。　I　wish　I　could　bring　about　your　union。'　At　this　Kusum　suddenly　melted　into　tears；　and　ran　away。　On　several　evenings　after　that；　I　visited　Sripati's　house；　and；　calling　Kusum　to　me；　discussed　with　her　matters　relating　to　you；　and　so　I　succeeded　in　gradually　overcoming　her　shyness。　At　last；　when　I　said　that　I　would　try　to　bring　about　a　marriage；　she　asked　me：　'How　can　it　be？'　'Never　mind；'　I　said；　'I　would　pass　you　off　as　a　Brahmin　maiden。'　After　a　good　deal　of　argument；　she　begged　me　to　find　out　whether　you　would　approve　of　it。　'What　nonsense；'　replied　I；　'the　boy　is　well…nigh　mad　as　it　were；　what's　the

use　of　disclosing　all　these　complications　to　him？　Let　the　ceremony　be　over　smoothly　and　thenall's　well　that　ends　well。　Especially；　as　there　is　not　the　slightest　risk　of　its　ever　leaking　out；　why　go　out　of　the　way　to　make　a　fellow　miserable　for　life？'

〃I　do　not　know　whether　the　plan　had　Kusum's　assent　or　not。　At　times　she　wept；　and　at　other　times　she　remained　silent。　If　I　said；　‘Let　us　drop　it　then；'　she　would　become　very　restless。　When　things　were　in　this　state；　I　sent　Sripati　to　you　with　the　proposal　of　marriage；　you　consented　without　a　moment's　hesitation。　Everything　was　settled。

〃Shortly　before　the　day　fixed；　Kusum　became　so　obstinate　that　I　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　bringing　her　round　again。　‘Do　let　it　drop；　uncle；'　she　said　to　me　constantly。　'What　do　you　mean；　you　silly　child；'　I　rebuked　her；'　how　can　we　back　out　now；　when　everything　has　been　settled？'

〃'Spread　a　rumour　that　I　am　dead；'　she　implored。　'Send　me　away　somewhere。'

〃'What　would　happen　to　the　young　man　then？'　said　I。'　He　is　now　in　the　seventh　heaven　of　delight；　expecting　that　his　long　cherished　desire　would　be　fulfilled　to…morrow；　and　to…day　you　want　me　to　send　him　the　news　of　your　death。　The　result　would　be　that　to…morrow　I　should　have　to　bear　the　news　of　his　death　to　you；　and　the　same　evening　your　death　would　be　reported　to　me。　Do　you　imagine；　child；　that　I　am　capable　of　committing　a　girl…murder　and　a　Brahmin…murder　at　my　age？'

〃Eventually　the　happy　marriage　was　celebrated　at　the　auspicious　moment；　and　I　felt　relieved　of　a　burdensome　duty　which　I　owed　to　myself。　What　happened　afterwards　you　know　best。〃

〃Couldn't　you　stop　after　having　done　us　an　irreparable　injury？〃　burst　out　Hemanta　after　a　short　silence。　〃Why　have　you　told　the　secret　now？〃

With　the　utmost　composure；　Peari　Sankar　replied：　〃When　I　saw　that　all　arrangements　had　been　made　for　the　wedding　of　your　sister；　I　said　to　myself：　'Well；　I　have　fouled　the　caste　of　one　Brahmin；　but　that　was　only　from　a　sense　of　duty。　Here；　another　Brahmin's　caste　is　imperilled；　and　this　time　it　is　my　plain　duty　to　prevent　it。'　So　I　wrote　to　them　saying　that　I　was　in　a　position　to　prove　that　you　bad　taken　the　daughter　of　a　sudra　to　wife。〃

Controlling　himself　with　a　gigantic　effort；　Hemanta　said：　〃What　will　become　of　this　girl　whom　I　shall　abandon　now？　Would　you　give　her　food　and　shelter？〃

〃I　have　done　what　was　mine　to　do；〃　replied　Peari　Sankar　calmly。　〃It　is　no　part　of　my　duty　to　look　after　the　discarded　wives　of　other　people。　Anybody　there？　Get　a　glass　of　cocoanut　milk　for　Hemanta　Babu　with　ice　in　it。　And　some　pan　too。〃

Hemanta　rose；　and　took　his　departure　without　waiting　for　this　luxurious　hospitality。

IV

It　was　the　fifth　night　of　the　waning　of　the　moonand　the　night　was　dark。　No　birds　were　singing。　The　lichi　tree　by　the　tank　looked　like　a　smudge　of　ink　on　a　background　a　shade　less　deep。　The　south　wind　was　blindly　roaming　about　in　the　darkness　like　a　sleep…walker。　The　stars　in　the　sky　with　vigilant　unblinking　eyes　were　trying　to　penetrate　the　darkness；　in　their　effort　to　fathom　some　profound　mystery。

No　light　shone　in　the　bedroom。　Hemanta　was　sitting　on　the　side　of　the　bed　next　the　open　window；　gazing　at　the　darkness　in　front　of　him。　Kusum　lay　on　the　floor；　clasping　her　husband's　feet　with　both　her　arms；　and　her　face　resting　on　them。　Time　stood　like　an　ocean　hushed　into　stillness。　On　the　background　of　eternal　night；　Fate　seemed　to　have　painted　this　one　single　picture　for　all　timeannihilation　on　every　side；　the　judge　in　the　centre　of　it；　and　the　guilty　one　at　his　feet。

The　sound　of　slippers　was　heard　again。　Approaching　the　door；　Harihar　Mukerji　said：　〃You　have　had　enough　time；　I　can't　allow　you　more。　Turn　the　girl　out　of　the　house。〃

Kusum；　as　she　heard　this；　embraced　her　husband's　feet　with　all　the　ardour　of　a　lifetime；　covered　them　w