the hungry stones and other stories-第25部分

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uin　your　racecourse　beyond　repair。〃

Nabendu　blurted　out：　〃Do　you　suppose　I　pass　sleepless　nights　through　fear　of　that？〃

〃We　won't　publish　your　name　in　the　papers；〃　said　Nilratan　reassuringly。

Labanya；　looking　grave　and　anxious；　said：　〃Still；　it　wouldn't　be　safe。　Things　spread　so；　from　mouth　to　mouth—〃

Nabendu　replied　with　vehemence：　〃My　name　wouldn't　suffer　by　appearing　in　the　newspapers。〃　So　saying；　he　snatched　the　subscription　list　from　Nilratan's　hand；　and　signed　away　a　thousand　rupees。　Secretly　he　hoped　that　the　papers　would　not　publish　the　news。

Labanya　struck　her　forehead　with　her　palm　and　gasped　out：　Whathave　youdone？〃

〃Nothing　wrong；〃　said　Nabendu　boastfully。

〃But—but；〃　drawled　Labanya；　〃the　Guard　sahib　of　Sealdah　Station；　the　shop…assistant　at　Whiteaway's；　the　syce…sahib　of　Hart　Bros。these　gentlemen　might　be　angry　with　you；　and　decline　to　come　to　your　Poojah　dinner　to　drink　your　champagne；　you　know。　Just　think；　they　mightn't　pat　you　on　the　back；　when　you　meet　them　again！〃

〃It　wouldn't　break　my　heart；〃　Nabendu　snapped　out。

A　few　days　passed。　One　morning　Nabendu　was　sipping　his　tea；　and　glancing　at　a　newspaper。　Suddenly　a　letter　signed　〃X〃　caught　his　eye。　The　writer　thanked　him　profusely　for　his　donation；　and　declared　that　the　increase　of　strength　the　Congress　had　acquired　by　having　such　a　man　within　its　fold；　was　inestimable。

Alas；　father　Purnendu　Sekhar！　Was　it　to　increase　the　strength　of　the　Congress；　that　you　brought　this　wretch　into　the　world？

Put　the　cloud　of　misfortune　had　its　silver　lining。　That　he　was　not　a　mere　cypher　was　clear　from　the　fact　that　the　Anglo…Indian　community　on　the　one　side　and　the　Congress　on　the　other　were　each　waiting　patiently；　eager　to　hook　him；　and　land　him　on　their　own　side。　So　Nabendu；　beaming　with　pleasure　took　the　paper　to　his　sister…in…law；　and　showed　her　the　letter。　Looking　as　though　she　knew　nothing　about　it；　Labanya　exclaimed　in　surprise：　〃Oh；　what　a　pity！　Everything　has　come　out！　Who　bore　you　such　ill…will？　Oh；　how　cruel　of　him；　how　wicked　of　him！〃

Nabendu　laughed　out；　saying：　〃　Nownow—don't　call　him　names；　Labanya。　I　forgive　him　with　all　my　heart；　and　bless　him　too。〃

A　couple　of　days　after　this；　an　anti…Congress　Anglo…Indian　paper　reached　Nabendu　through　the　post。　There　was　a　letter　in　it；　signed　〃One　who　knows；〃　and　contradicting　the　above　report。　〃Those　who　have　the　pleasure　of　Babu　Nabendu　Sekhar's　personal　acquaintance；〃　the　writer　went　on；　〃cannot　for　a　moment　believe　this　absurd　libel　to　be　true。　For　him　to　turn　a　Congresswalla　is　as　impossible　as　it　is　for　the　leopard　to　change　his　spots。　He　is　a　man　of　genuine　worth；　and　neither　a　disappointed　candidate　for　Government　employ　nor　a　briefless　barrister。　He　is　not　one　of　those　who；　after　a　brief　sojourn　in　England；　return　aping　our　dress　and　manners；　audaciously　try　to　thrust　themselves　on　Anglo…Indian　society；　and　finally　go　back　in　dejection。　So　there　is　absolutely　no　reason　why　Balm　Nabendu　Sekhar；〃　etc。；　etc。

Ah；　father　Purnendu　Sekhar！　What　a　reputation　you　had　made　with　the　Europeans　before　you　died！

This　letter　also　was　paraded　before　his　sister…in…law；　for　did　it　not　assert　that　he　was　no　mean；　contemptible　scallywag；　but　a　man　of　real　worth？

Labanya　exclaimed　again　in　feigned　surprise：　〃Which　of　your　friends　wrote　it　now？　Oh；　comeis　it　the　Ticket　Collector；　or　the　hide　merchant；　or　is　it　the　drum…major　of　the　Fort？　〃

〃You　ought　to　send　in　a　contradiction；　I　think；〃　said　Nilratan。

〃Is　it　necessary？〃　said　Nabendu　loftily。　Must　I　contradict　every　little　thing　they　choose　to　say　against　me？　〃

Labanya　filled　the　room　with　a　deluge　of　laughter。　Nabendu　felt　a　little　disconcerted　at　this；　and　said：　〃Why？　What's　the　matter？〃　She　went　on　laughing；　unable　to　check　herself；　and　her　youthful　slender　form　waved　to　and　fro。　This　torrent　of　merriment　had　the　effect　of　overthrowing　Nabendu　completely；　and　he　said　in　pitiable　accents：　〃Do　you　imagine　that　I　am　afraid　to　contradict　it？〃

〃Oh；　dear；　no；〃　said　Labanya；　〃I　was　thinking　that　you　haven't　yet　ceased　trying　to　save　that　race…course　of　yours；　so　full　of　promise。　While　there　is　life；　there　is　hope；　you　know。〃

〃That's　what　I　am　afraid　of；　you　think；　do　you？　Very　well；　you　shall　see；〃　said　Nabendu　desperately；　and　forthwith　sat　down　to　write　his　contradiction。　When　he　had　finished；　Labanya　and　Nilratan　read　it　through；　and　said：　〃It　isn't　strong　enough。　We　must　give　it　them　pretty　hot；　mustn't　we？〃　And　they　kindly　undertook　to　revise　the　composition。　Thus　it　ran：　〃When　one　connected　to　us　by　ties　of　blood　turns　our　enemy　he　becomes　far　more　dangerous　than　any　outsider。　To　the　Government　of　India；　the　haughty　Anglo…Indians　are　worse　enemies　than　the　Russians　or　the　frontier　Pathans　themselvesthey　are　the　impenetrable　barrier；　forever　hindering　the　growth　of　any　bond　of　friendship　between　the　Government　and　people　of　the　country。　It　is　the　Congress　which　has　opened　up　the　royal　road　to　a　better　understanding　between　the　rulers　and　the　ruled；　and　the　Anglo…Indian　papers　have　planted　themselves　like　thorns　across　the　whole　breadth　of　that　road；〃　etc。；　etc。

Nabendu　had　an　inward　fear　as　to　the　mischief　this　letter　might　do；　but　at　the　same　time　he　felt　elated　at　the　excellence　of　its　composition；　which　he　fondly　imagined　to　be　his　own。　It　was　duly　published；　and　for　some　days　comments；　replies；　and　rejoinders　went　on　in　various　newspapers；　and　the　air　was　full　of　trumpet…notes；　proclaiming　the　fact　that　Nabendu　had　joined　the　Congress；　and　the　amount　of　his　subscription。

Nabendu；　now　grown　desperate；　talked　as　though　he　was　a　patriot　of　the　fiercest　type。　Labanya　laughed　inwardly；　and　said　to　herself：　〃Well—…　wellyou　have　to　pass　through　the　ordeal　of　fire　yet。〃

One　morning　when　Nabendu；　before　his　bath；　had　finished　rubbing　oil　over　his　chest；　and　was　trying　various　devices　to　reach　the　inaccessible　portions　of　his　back；　the　bearer　brought　in　a　card　inscribed　with　the　name　of　the　District　Magistrate　himself！　Good　heavens！What　would　he　do？　He　could　not　possibly　go；　and　receive　the　Magistrate　Sahib；　thus　oil…besmeared。　He　shook　and　twitched　like　a　koi…fish；　ready　dressed　for　the　frying　pan。　He　finished　his　bath　in　a　great　hurry；　tugged　on　his　clothes　somehow；　and　ran　breathlessly　to　the　outer　apartments。　The　bearer　said　that　the　Sahib　had　just　left　after　waiting　for　a　long　time。　How　much　of　the　blame　for　concocting　this　drama　of　invented　incidents　may　be　set　down　to　Labanya；　and　how　much　to　the　bearer　is　a　nice　problem　for　ethical　mathematics　to　solve。

Nabendu's　heart　was　convulsed　with　pain　within　his　breast；　like　the　tail　of　a　lizard　just　cut　off。　He　moped　like　an　owl　all　day　long。

Labanya　banished　all　traces　of　inward　merriment　from　her　face；　and　kept　on　enquiring　in　anxious　tones：　〃What　has　happened　to　you？　You　are　not　ill；　I　hope？〃

Nabendu　made　great　efforts　to　smile；　and　find　a　humorous　reply。　〃How　can　there　be；〃　he　managed　to　say；　〃any　illness　within　your　jurisdiction；　since　you　yourself　are　the　Goddess　of　Health？〃

But　the　smile　soon　flickered　out。　His　thoughts　were：　〃I　subscribed　to　the　Congress　fund　to　begin　with；　published　a　nasty　letter　in　a　newspaper；　and　on　the　top　of　that；　when　the　Magistrate　Sahib　himself　did　me　the　honour　to　call　on　me；　I　kept　him　waiting。　I　wonder　what　he　is　thinking　of　me。〃

Alas；　father　Purnendu　Sekhar；　by　an　irony　of　Fate　I　am　made　to　appear　what　I　am　not。

The　next　morning；　Nabendu　decked　himself　in　his　best　clothes；　wore　his　watch　and　chain；　and　put　a　big　turban　on　his　head。

〃Where　are　you　off　to？〃　enquired　his　sister…in…law。

〃Urgent　business；〃　Nabendu　replied。　Labanya　kept　quiet。

Arriving　at　the　Magistrate's　gate；　he　took　out　his　card…case。

〃You　cannot　see　him　now；〃　said　the　orderly　peon　icily。

Nabendu　took　out　a　couple　of　rupees　from　his　pocket。　The　peon　at　once　salaamed　him　and　said：　〃There　are　five　of　us；　sir。〃　Immediately　Nabendu　pulled　out　a　ten…rupee　note；　and　handed　it　to　him。

He　was　sent　for　by　the　Magistrate；　who　was　writing　in　his　dressing…gown　and　bedroom　slippers。　Nabendu　salaamed　him。　The　Magistrate　pointed　to　a　chair　with　his　finger；　and　without　raising　his　eyes　from　the　paper　before　him　said：　〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　Babu？〃

Fingering　his　watch…chain　nervously；　Nabendu　said　is　shaky　tones：　〃Yesterday　you　were　good　enough　to　call　at　my　place；　sir—〃

The　Sahib　knitted　his　brows；　and；　lifting　just　one　eye　from　his　paper；　said：　〃I　called　at　your　place！　Babu；　what　nonsense　are　you　talking？〃

〃Beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　faltered　out　Nabendu。　There　has　been　a　mistake　some　confusion；〃　and　wet　with　perspiration；　he　tumbled　out　of　the　room　somehow。　And　that　night；　as　he　lay　tossing　on　his　bed；　a　distant　dream…like　voice　came　into　his　ear　with　a　recurring　persistency：　〃Babu；　you　are　a　howling　idiot。〃

On　his　way　home；　Nabendu　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　Magistrate　denied　having　called；　simply　because　he　was　highly　offended。

So　he　explained　to　Labanya　that　he　had　been　out　purchasing　rose…water。　No　sooner　had　he　uttered　the　words　than　half…a…dozen　chuprassis　wearing　the　Collectorate　badge　made　their　appearance；　and　after　salaaming　Nabendu；　stood　there　grinning。

〃Have　they　come　to　arrest　you　because　you　subscribed　to　the　Congress　fund