the hungry stones and other stories-第29部分

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n　Mini　would　run　in　smiling；　with　her；　〃O！　Cabuliwallah！　Cabuliwallah！〃　and　the　two　friends；　so　far　apart　in　age；　would　subside　into　their　old　laughter　and　their　old　jokes；　I　felt　reassured。

One　morning；　a　few　days　before　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　go；　I　was　correcting　my　proof　sheets　in　my　study。　　It　was　chilly　weather。　　Through　the　window　the　rays　of　the　sun　touched　my　feet；　and　the　slight　warmth　was　very　welcome。　　It　was　almost　eight　o'clock；　and　the　early　pedestrians　were　returning　home；　with　their　heads　covered。　　All　at　once；　I　heard　an　uproar　in　the　street；　and；　looking　out；　saw　Rahmun　being　led　away　bound　between　two　policemen；　and　behind　them　a　crowd　of　curious　boys。　　There　were　blood…stains　on　the　clothes　of　the　Cabuliwallah；　and　one　of　the　policemen　carried　a　knife。　　Hurrying　out；　I　stopped　them；　and　enquired　what　it　all　meant。　　Partly　from　one；　partly　from　another；　I　gathered　that　a　certain　neighbour　had　owed　the　pedlar　something　for　a　Rampuri　shawl；　but　had　falsely　denied　having　bought　it；　and　that　in　the　course　of　the　quarrel；　Rahmun　had　struck　him。　　Now　in　the　heat　of　his　excitement；　the　prisoner　began　calling　his　enemy　all　sorts　of　names；　when　suddenly　in　a　verandah　of　my　house　appeared　my　little　Mini；　with　her　usual　exclamation：　〃O　Cabuliwallah！　Cabuliwallah！〃　　Rahmun's　face　lighted　up　as　he　turned　to　her。　　He　had　no　bag　under　his　arm　today；　so　she　could　not　discuss　the　elephant　with　him。　　She　at　once　therefore　proceeded　to　the　next　question：　〃Are　you　going　to　the　father…in…law's　house？〃　　Rahmun　laughed　and　said：　〃Just　where　I　am　going；　little　one！〃　Then　seeing　that　the　reply　did　not　amuse　the　child；　he　held　up　his　fettered　hands。　　〃　Ali；〃　he　said；　〃　I　would　have　thrashed　that　old　father…in…law；　but　my　hands　are　bound！〃

On　a　charge　of　murderous　assault；　Rahmun　was　sentenced　to　some　years'　imprisonment。

Time　passed　away；　and　he　was　not　remembered。　　The　accustomed　work　in　the　accustomed　place　was　ours；　and　the　thought　of　the　once…free　mountaineer　spending　his　years　in　prison　seldom　or　never　occurred　to　us。　　Even　my　light…hearted　Mini；　I　am　ashamed　to　say；　forgot　her　old　friend。　　New　companions　filled　her　life。　　As　she　grew　older；　she　spent　more　of　her　time　with　girls。　　So　much　time　indeed　did　she　spend　with　them　that　she　came　no　more；　as　she　used　to　do；　to　her　father's　room。　　I　was　scarcely　on　speaking　terms　with　her。

Years　had　passed　away。　　It　was　once　more　autumn　and　we　had　made　arrangements　for　our　Mini's　marriage。　　It　was　to　take　place　during　the　Puja　Holidays。　　With　Durga　returning　to　Kailas；　the　light　of　our　home　also　was　to　depart　to　her　husband's　house；　and　leave　her　father's　in　the　shadow。

The　morning　was　bright。　　After　the　rains；　there　was　a　sense　of　ablution　in　the　air；　and　the　sun…rays　looked　like　pure　gold。　　So　bright　were　they　that　they　gave　a　beautiful　radiance　even　to　the　sordid　brick　walls　of　our　Calcutta　lanes。　　Since　early　dawn　to…day　the　wedding…pipes　had　been　sounding；　and　at　each　beat　my　own　heart　throbbed。　　The　wail　of　the　tune；　Bhairavi；　seemed　to　intensify　my　pain　at　the　approaching　separation。　　My　Mini　was　to　be　married　to…night。

From　early　morning　noise　and　bustle　had　pervaded　the　house。　　In　the　courtyard　the　canopy　had　to　be　slung　on　its　bamboo　poles；　the　chandeliers　with　their　tinkling　sound　must　be　hung　in　each　room　and　verandah。　　There　was　no　end　of　hurry　and　excitement。　　I　was　sitting　in　my　study；　looking　through　the　accounts；　when　some　one　entered；　saluting　respectfully；　and　stood　before　me。　　It　was　Rahmun　the　Cabuliwallah。　　At　first　I　did　not　recognise　him。　　He　had　no　bag；　nor　the　long　hair；　nor　the　same　vigour　that　he　used　to　have。　　But　he　smiled；　and　I　knew　him　again。

〃When　did　you　come；　Rahmun？〃　　I　asked　him。

〃Last　evening；〃　he　said；　〃I　was　released　from　jail。〃

The　words　struck　harsh　upon　my　ears。　　I　had　never　before　talked　with　one　who　had　wounded　his　fellow；　and　my　heart　shrank　within　itself；　when　I　realised　this；　for　I　felt　that　the　day　would　have　been　better…omened　had　he　not　turned　up。

〃There　are　ceremonies　going　on；〃　I　said；　〃and　I　am　busy。　　Could　you　perhaps　come　another　day？〃

At　once　he　turned　to　go；　but　as　he　reached　the　door　he　hesitated；　and　said：　〃May　I　not　see　the　little　one；　sir；　for　a　moment？〃　　It　was　his　belief　that　Mini　was　still　the　same。　　He　had　pictured　her　running　to　him　as　she　used；　calling　〃O　Cabuliwallah！　Cabuliwallah！〃　　He　had　imagined　too　that　they　would　laugh　and　talk　together；　just　as　of　old。　　In　fact；　in　memory　of　former　days　he　had　brought；　carefully　wrapped　up　in　paper；　a　few　almonds　and　raisins　and　grapes；　obtained　somehow　from　a　countryman；　for　his　own　little　fund　was　dispersed。

I　said　again：　〃There　is　a　ceremony　in　the　house；　and　you　will　not　be　able　to　see　any　one　to…day。〃

The　man's　face　fell。　　He　looked　wistfully　at　me　for　a　moment；　said　〃Good　morning；〃　and　went　out。　　I　felt　a　little　sorry；　and　would　have　called　him　back；　but　I　found　he　was　returning　of　his　own　accord。　　He　came　close　up　to　me　holding　out　his　offerings　and　said：　〃I　brought　these　few　things；　sir；　for　the　little　one。　　Will　you　give　them　to　her？〃

I　took　them　and　was　going　to　pay　him；　but　he　caught　my　hand　and　said：　〃You　are　very　kind；　sir！　　Keep　me　in　your　recollection。　　Do　not　offer　me　money！You　have　a　little　girl；　I　too　have　one　like　her　in　my　own　home。　I　think　of　her；　and　bring　fruits　to　your　child；　not　to　make　a　profit　for　myself。〃

Saying　this；　he　put　his　hand　inside　his　big　loose　robe；　and　brought　out　a　small　and　dirty　piece　of　paper。　　With　great　care　he　unfolded　this；　and　smoothed　it　out　with　both　hands　on　my　table。　　It　bore　the　impression　of　a　little　band。　　Not　a　photograph。　　Not　a　drawing。　　The　impression　of　an　ink…smeared　hand　laid　flat　on　the　paper。　　This　touch　of　his　own　little　daughter　had　been　always　on　his　heart；　as　he　had　come　year　after　year　to　Calcutta；　to　sell　his　wares　in　the　streets。

Tears　came　to　my　eyes。　　I　forgot　that　he　was　a　poor　Cabuli　fruit…seller；　while　I　wasbut　no；　what　was　I　more　than　he？　　He　also　was　a　father。　That　impression　of　the　hand　of　his　little　Parbati　in　her　distant　mountain　home　reminded　me　of　my　own　little　Mini。

I　sent　for　Mini　immediately　from　the　inner　apartment。　　Many　difficulties　were　raised；　but　I　would　not　listen。　　Clad　in　the　red　silk　of　her　wedding…day；　with　the　sandal　paste　on　her　forehead；　and　adorned　as　a　young　bride；　Mini　came；　and　stood　bashfully　before　me。

The　Cabuliwallah　looked　a　little　staggered　at　the　apparition。　　He　could　not　revive　their　old　friendship。　　At　last　he　smiled　and　said：　〃Little　one；　are　you　going　to　your　father…in…law's　house？〃

But　Mini　now　understood　the　meaning　of　the　word　〃father…in…law；〃　and　she　could　not　reply　to　him　as　of　old。　　She　flushed　up　at　the　question；　and　stood　before　him　with　her　bride…like　face　turned　down。

I　remembered　the　day　when　the　Cabuliwallah　and　my　Mini　had　first　met；　and　I　felt　sad。　　When　she　had　gone；　Rahmun　heaved　a　deep　sigh；　and　sat　down　on　the　floor。　　The　idea　had　suddenly　come　to　him　that　his　daughter　too　must　have　grown　in　this　long　time；　and　that　he　would　have　to　make　friends　with　her　anew。　　Assuredly　he　would　not　find　her；　as　he　used　to　know　her。　　And　besides；　what　might　not　have　happened　to　her　in　these　eight　years？

The　marriage…pipes　sounded；　and　the　mild　autumn　sun　streamed　round　us。　But　Rahmun　sat　in　the　little　Calcutta　lane；　and　saw　before　him　the　barren　mountains　of　Afghanistan。

I　took　out　a　bank…note；　and　gave　it　to　him；　saying：　〃Go　back　to　your　own　daughter；　Rahmun；　in　your　own　country；　and　may　the　happiness　of　your　meeting　bring　good　fortune　to　my　child！〃

Having　made　this　present；　I　had　to　curtail　some　of　the　festivities。　　I　could　not　have　the　electric　lights　I　had　intended；　nor　the　military　band；　and　the　ladies　of　the　house　were　despondent　at　it。　　But　to　me　the　wedding　feast　was　all　the　brighter　for　the　thought　that　in　a　distant　land　a　long…lost　father　met　again　with　his　only　child。





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