the hungry stones and other stories-第26部分

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；　stood　there　grinning。

〃Have　they　come　to　arrest　you　because　you　subscribed　to　the　Congress　fund？〃　whispered　Labanya　with　a　smile。

The　six　peons　displayed　a　dozen　rows　of　teeth　and　said：　Bakshish　Babu…Sahib。〃

》From　a　side　room　Nilratan　came　out；　and　said　in　an　irritated　manner：　〃Bakshish？　What　for？〃

The　peons；　grinning　as　before；　answered：　〃The　Babu…Sahib　went　to　see　the　Magistrateso　we　have　come　for　bakshish〃

〃I　didn't　know；〃　laughed　out　Labanya；　〃that　the　Magistrate　was　selling　rose…water　nowadays。　Coolness　wasn't　the　special　feature　of　his　trade　before。〃

Nabendu　in　trying　to　reconcile　the　story　of　his　purchase　with　his　visit　to　the　Magistrate；　uttered　some　incoherent　words；　which　nobody　could　make　sense　of。

Nilratan　spoke　to　the　peons：　〃There　has　been　no　occasion　for　bakshish；　you　shan't　have　it。〃

Nabendu　said；　feeling　very　small：　〃Oh；　they　are　poor　menwhat's　the　harm　of　giving　them　something？〃　And　he　took　out　a　currency　note。　Nilratan　snatched　it　way　from　Nabendu's　hand；　remarking：　〃There　are　poorer　men　in　the　worldI　will　give　it　to　them　for　you。〃

Nabendu　felt　greatly　distressed　that　he　was　not　able　to　appease　these　ghostly　retainers　of　the　angry　Siva。　When　the　peons　were　leaving；　with　thunder　in　their　eyes；　he　looked　at　them　languishingly；　as　much　as　to　say：　〃You　know　everything；　gentlemen；　it　is　not　my　fault。〃

The　Congress　was　to　be　held　at　Calcutta　this　year。　Nilratan　went　down　thither　with　his　wife　to　attend　the　sittings。　Nabendu　accompanied　them。

As　soon　as　they　arrived　at　Calcutta；　the　Congress　party　surrounded　Nabendu；　and　their　delight　and　enthusiasm　knew　no　bounds。　They　cheered　him；　honoured　him；　and　extolled　him　up　to　the　skies。　Everybody　said　that；　unless　leading　men　like　Nabendu　devoted　themselves　to　the　Cause；　there　was　no　hope　for　the　country。　Nabendu　was　disposed　to　agree　with　them；　and　emerged　out　of　the　chaos　of　mistake　and　confusion　as　a　leader　of　the　country。　When　he　entered　the　Congress　Pavilion　on　the　first　day；　everybody　stood　up；　and　shouted　〃　Hip；　hip；　hurrah；〃　in　a　loud　outlandish　voice；　hearing　which　our　Motherland　reddened　with　shame　to　the　root　of　her　ears。

In　due　time　the　Queen's　birthday　came；　and　Nabendu's　name　was　not　found　in　the　list　of　Rai　Bahadurs。

He　received　an　invitation　from　Labanya　for　that　evening。　When　he　arrived　there；　Labanya　with　great　pomp　and　ceremony　presented　him　with　a　robe　of　honour；　and　with　her　own　hand　put　a　mark　of　red　sandal　paste　on　the　middle　of　his　forehead。　Each　of　the　other　sisters　threw　round　his　neck　a　garland　of　flowers　woven　by　herself。　Decked　in　a　pink　Sari　and　dazzling　jewels；　his　wife　Arunlekha　was　waiting　in　a　side　room；　her　face　lit　up　with　smiles　and　blushes。　Her　sisters　rushed　to　her；　and；　placing　another　garland　in　her　hand；　insisted　that　she　also　should　come；　and　do　her　part　in　the　ceremony；　but　she　would　not　listen　to　it；　and　that　principal　garland；　cherishing　a　desire　for　Nabendu's　neck；　waited　patiently　for　the　still　secrecy　of　midnight。

The　sisters　said　to　Nabendu　：　〃To…day　we　crown　thee　King。　Such　honour　will　not　be　done　to　any　body　else　in　Hindoostan。〃

Whether　Nabendu　derived　any　consolation　from　this；　he　alone　can　tell；　but　we　greatly　doubt　it。　We　believe；　in　fact；　that　he　will　become　a　Rai　Bahadur　before　he　has　done；　and　the　Englishman　and　the　Pioneer　will　write　heart…rending　articles　lamenting　his　demise　at　the　proper　time。　So；　in　the　meanwhile；　Three　Cheers　for　Babu　Purnendu　Sekhar！　Hip；　hip；　hurrahHip；　hip；　hurrahHip；　hip；　hurrah。



THE　RENUNCIATION

I

It　was　a　night　of　full　moon　early　in　the　month　of　Phalgun。　The　youthful　spring　was　everywhere　sending　forth　its　breeze　laden　with　the　fragrance　of　mango…blossoms。　The　melodious　notes　of　an　untiring　papiya　（One　of　the　sweetest　songsters　in　Bengal。　Anglo…Indian　writers　have　nicknamed　it　the　〃brain…fever　bird；〃　which　is　a　sheer　libel。）；　concealed　within　the　thick　foliage　of　an　old　lichi　tree　by　the　side　of　a　tank；　penetrated　a　sleepless　bedroom　of　the　Mukerji　family。　There　Hemanta　now　restlessly　twisted　a　lock　of　his　wife's　hair　round　his　finger；　now　beat　her　churl　against　her　wristlet　until　it　tinkled；　now　pulled　at　the　chaplet　of　flowers　about　her　head；　and　left　it　hanging　over　hex　face。　His　mood　was　that　of　as　evening　breeze　which　played　about　a　favourite　flowering　shrub；　gently　shaking　her　now　this　side；　now　that；　in　the　hope　of　rousing　her　to　animation。

But　Kusum　sat　motionless；　looking　out　of　the　open　window；　with　eyes　immersed　in　the　moonlit　depth　of　never…ending　space　beyond。　Her　husband's　caresses　were　lost　on　her。

At　last　Hemanta　clasped　both　the　hands　of　his　wife；　and；　shaking　them　gently；　said：　〃Kusum；　where　are　you？　A　patient　search　through　a　big　telescope　would　reveal　you　only　as　a　small　speck…you　seem　to　have　receded　so　far　away。　O；　do　come　closer　to　me；　dear。　See　how　beautiful　the　night　is。〃

Kusum　turned　her　eyes　from　the　void　of　space　towards　her　husband；　and　said　slowly：　〃I　know　a　mantra　（A　set　of　magic　words。）；　which　could　in　one　moment　shatter　this　spring　night　and　the　moon　into　pieces。〃

〃If　you　do；〃　laughed　Hemanta；　〃pray　don't　utter　it。　If　any　mantra　of　yours　could　bring　three　or　four　Saturdays　during　the　week；　and　prolong　the　nights　till　5　P。M。　the　next　day；　say　it　by　all　means。〃

Saying　this；　he　tried　to　draw　his　wife　a　little　closer　to　him。　Kusum；　freeing　herself　from　the　embrace；　said：　〃Do　you　know；　to…night　I　feel　a　longing　to　tell　you　what　I　promised　to　reveal　only　on　my　death…bed。　To…night　I　feel　that　I　could　endure　whatever　punishment　you　might　inflict　on　me。〃

Hemanta　was　on　the　point　of　making　a　jest　about　punishments　by　reciting　a　verse　from　Jayadeva；　when　the　sound　of　an　angry　pair　of　slippers　was　heard　approaching　rapidly。　They　were　the　familiar　footsteps　of　his　father；　Haribar　Mukerji；　and　Hemanta；　not　knowing　what　it　meant；　was　in　a　flutter　of　excitement。

Standing　outside　the　door　Harihar　roared　out：　〃Hemanta；　turn　your　wife　out　of　the　house　immediately。〃

Hemanta　looked　at　his　wife；　and　detected　no　trace　of　surprise　in　her　features。　She　merely　buried　her　face　within　the　palms　of　her　hands；　and；　with　all　the　strength　and　intensity　of　her　soul；　wished　that　she　could　then　and　there　melt　into　nothingness。　It　was　the　same　papiya　whose　song　floated　into　the　room　with　the　south　breeze；　and　no　one　heard　it。　Endless　are　the　beauties　of　the　earth…but　alas；　how　easily　everything　is　twisted　out　of　shape。

II

Returning　from　without；　Hemanta　asked　his　wife：　〃Is　it　true？〃

〃It　is；〃　replied　Kusum。

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　long　ago？〃

〃I　did　try　many　a　time；　and　I　always　failed。　I　am　a　wretched　woman。〃

〃Then　tell　me　everything　now。〃

Kusum　gravely　told　her　story　in　a　firm　unshaken　voice。　She　waded　barefooted　through　fire；　as　it　were；　with　slow　unflinching　steps；　and　nobody　knew　how　much　she　was　scorched。　Having　heard　her　to　the　end；　Hemanta　rose　and　walked　out。

Kusum　thought　that　her　husband　had　gone；　never　to　return　to　her　again。　It　did　not　strike　her　as　strange。　She　took　it　as　naturally　as　any　other　incident　of　everyday　life…so　dry　and　apathetic　had　her　mind　become　during　the　last　few　moments。　Only　the　world　and　love　seemed　to　her　as　a　void　and　make…believe　from　beginning　to　end。　Even　the　memory　of　the　protestations　of　love；　which　her　husband　had　made　to　her　in　days　past；　brought　to　her　lips　a　dry；　hard；　joyless　smile；　like　a　sharp　cruel　knife　which　had　cut　through　her　heart。　She　was　thinking；　perhaps；　that　the　love　which　seemed　to　fill　so　much　of　one's　life；　which　brought　in　its　train　such　fondness　and　depth　of　feeling；　which　made　even　the　briefest　separation　so　exquisitely　painful　and　a　moment's　union　so　intensely　sweet；　which　seemed　boundless　in　its　extent　and　eternal　in　its　duration；　the　cessation　of　which　could　not　be　imagined　even　in　births　to　comethat　this　was　that　love！　So　feeble　was　its　support！　No　sooner　does　the　priesthood　touch　it　than　your　〃eternal〃　love　crumbles　into　a　handful　of　dust！　Only　a　short　while　ago　Hemanta　had　whispered　to　her：　〃What　a　beautiful　night！〃　The　same　night　was　not　yet　at　an　end；　the　same　yapiya　was　still　warbling；　the　same　south　breeze　still　blew　into　the　roam；　making　the　bed…curtain　shiver；　the　same　moonlight　lay　on　the　bed　next　the　open　window；　sleeping　like　a　beautiful　heroine　exhausted　with　gaiety。　All　this　was　unreal！　Love　was　more　falsely　dissembling　than　she　herself！

III

The　next　morning　Hemanta；　fagged　after　a　sleepless　night；　and　looking　like　one　distracted；　called　at　the　house　of　Peari　Sankar　Ghosal。　〃What　news；　my　son？〃　Peari　Sankar　greeted　him。

Hemanta；　flaring　up　like　a　big　fire；　said　in　a　trembling　voice：　〃You　have　defiled　our　caste。　You　have　brought　destruction　upon　us。　And　you　will　have　to　pay　for　it。〃　He　could　say　no　more；　be　felt　choked。

〃And　you　have　preserved　my　caste；　presented　my　ostracism　from　the　community；　and　patted　me　on　the　back　affectionately！〃　said　Peari　Sankar　with　a　slight　sarcastic　smile。

Hemanta　wished　that　his　Brahmin…fury　could　reduce　Peari　Sankar　to　ashes　in　a　moment；　but　his　rage　burnt　only　himself。　Peari　Sankar　sat　before　him　unscathed；　and　in　the　best　of　health。

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

〃Let　me　ask　you　one　question；〃　said　Peari　Sankar。　〃My　daughtermy　on