the hungry stones and other stories-第7部分

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oy；　and　seems　nothing　more　than　a　deep　slumber　of　a　single　night。　　When　the　story　ends　the　tired　eyelids　are　weighed　down　with　sleep。　　Thus　it　is　that　we　send　the　little　body　of　the　child　floating　on　the　back　of　sleep　over　the　still　water　of　time；　and　then　in　the　morning　read　a　few　verses　of　incantation　to　restore　him　to　the　world　of　life　and　light。



THE　HOME…COMING

Phatik　Chakravorti　was　ringleader　among　the　boys　of　the　village。　　A　new　mischief　got　into　his　head。　　There　was　a　heavy　log　lying　on　the　mud…flat　of　the　river　waiting　to　be　shaped　into　a　mast　for　a　boat。　　He　decided　that　they　should　all　work　together　to　shift　the　log　by　main　force　from　its　place　and　roll　it　away。　　The　owner　of　the　log　would　be　angry　and　surprised；　and　they　would　all　enjoy　the　fun。　　Every　one　seconded　the　proposal；　and　it　was　carried　unanimously。

But　just　as　the　fun　was　about　to　begin；　Makhan；　Phatik's　younger　brother；　sauntered　up；　and　sat　down　on　the　log　in　front　of　them　all　without　a　word。　　The　boys　were　puzzled　for　a　moment。　　He　was　pushed；　rather　timidly；　by　one　of　the　boys　and　told　to　get　up　but　he　remained　quite　unconcerned。　　He　appeared　like　a　young　philosopher　meditating　on　the　futility　of　games。　　Phatik　was　furious。　〃Makhan；〃　he　cried；　〃if　you　don't　get　down　this　minute　I'll　thrash　you！〃

Makhan　only　moved　to　a　more　comfortable　position。

Now；　if　Phatik　was　to　keep　his　regal　dignity　before　the　public；　it　was　clear　he　ought　to　carry　out　his　threat。　　But　his　courage　failed　him　at　the　crisis。　　His　fertile　brain；　however；　rapidly　seized　upon　a　new　manoeuvre　which　would　discomfit　his　brother　and　afford　his　followers　an　added　amusement。　　He　gave　the　word　of　command　to　roll　the　log　and　Makhan　over　together。　　Makhan　heard　the　order；　and　made　it　a　point　of　honour　to　stick　on。　　But　he　overlooked　the　fact；　like　those　who　attempt　earthly　fame　in　other　matters；　that　there　was　peril　in　it。

The　boys　began　to　heave　at　the　log　with　all　their　might；　calling　out；　〃One；　two；　three；　go；〃　　At　the　word　〃go〃　the　log　went；　and　with　it　went　Makhan's　philosophy；　glory　and　all。

All　the　other　boys　shouted　themselves　hoarse　with　delight。　　But　Phatik　was　a　little　frightened。　　He　knew　what　was　coming。　　And；　sure　enough；　Makhan　rose　from　Mother　Earth　blind　as　Fate　and　screaming　like　the　Furies。　　He　rushed　at　Phatik　and　scratched　his　face　and　beat　him　and　kicked　him；　and　then　went　crying　home。　　The　first　act　of　the　drama　was　over。

Phatik　wiped　his　face；　and　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　a　sunken　barge　on　the　river　bank；　and　began　to　chew　a　piece　of　grass。　　A　boat　came　up　to　the　landing；　and　a　middle…aged　man；　with　grey　hair　and　dark　moustache；　stepped　on　shore。　　He　saw　the　boy　sitting　there　doing　nothing；　and　asked　him　where　the　Chakravortis　lived。　Phatik　went　on　chewing　the　grass；　and　said：　〃Over　there；〃　but　it　was　quite　impossible　to　tell　where　he　pointed。　　The　stranger　asked　him　again。　　He　swung　his　legs　to　and　fro　on　the　side　of　the　barge；　and　said；　〃Go　and　find　out；〃　and　continued　to　chew　the　grass　as　before。

But　now　a　servant　came　down　from　the　house；　and　told　Phatik　his　mother　wanted　him。　　Phatik　refused　to　move。　　But　the　servant　was　the　master　on　this　occasion。　　He　took　Phatik　up　roughly；　and　carried　him；　kicking　and　struggling　in　impotent　rage。

When　Phatik　came　into　the　house；　his　mother　saw　him。　　She　called　out　angrily：　〃So　you　have　been　hitting　Makhan　again？〃

Phatik　answered　indignantly：　〃No；　I　haven't；　who　told　you　that？　〃

His　mother　shouted：　〃Don't　tell　lies！　　You　have。〃

Phatik　said　suddenly：　〃I　tell　you；　I　haven't。　　You　ask　Makhan！〃　But　Makhan　thought　it　best　to　stick　to　his　previous　statement。　He　said：　〃Yes；　mother。　　Phatik　did　hit　me。〃

Phatik's　patience　was　　already　exhausted。　　He　could　not　hear　this　injustice。　　He　rushed　at　Makban；　and　hammered　him　with　blows：　〃Take　that〃　he　cried；　〃and　that；　and　that；　for　telling　lies。〃

His　mother　took　Makhan's　side　in　a　moment；　and　pulled　Phatik　away；　beating　him　with　her　hands。　　When　Phatik　pushed　her　aside；　she　shouted　out：　〃What　I　you　little　villain！　　would　you　hit　your　own　mother？〃

It　was　just　at　this　critical　juncture　that　the　grey…haired　stranger　arrived。　　He　asked　what　was　the　matter。　　Phatik　looked　sheepish　and　ashamed。

But　when　his　mother　stepped　back　and　looked　at　the　stranger；　her　anger　was　changed　to　surprise。　　For　she　recognised　her　brother；　and　cried：　〃Why；　Dada！　　Where　have　you　come　from？　〃As　she　said　these　words；　she　bowed　to　the　ground　and　touched　his　feet。　　Her　brother　had　gone　away　soon　after　she　had　married；　and　he　had　started　business　in　Bombay。　　His　sister　had　lost　her　husband　while　he　was　In　Bombay。　　Bishamber　had　now　come　back　to　Calcutta；　and　had　at　once　made　enquiries　about　his　sister。　He　had　then　hastened　to　see　her　as　soon　as　he　found　out　where　she　was。

The　next　few　days　were　full　of　rejoicing。　　The　brother　asked　after　the　education　of　the　two　boys。　　He　was　told　by　his　sister　that　Phatik　was　a　perpetual　nuisance。　　He　was　lazy；　disobedient；　and　wild。　　But　Makhan　was　as　good　as　gold；　as　quiet　as　a　lamb；　and　very　fond　of　reading；　Bishamber　kindly　offered　to　take　Phatik　off　his　sister's　hands；　and　educate　him　with　his　own　children　in　Calcutta。　　The　widowed　mother　readily　agreed。　　When　his　uncle　asked　Phatik　If　he　would　like　to　go　to　Calcutta　with　him；　his　joy　knew　no　bounds；　and　he　said；　〃Oh；　yes；　uncle！　〃　　In　a　way　that　made　it　quite　clear　that　he　meant　it。

It　was　an　immense　relief　to　the　mother　to　get　rid　of　Phatik。　　She　had　a　prejudice　against　the　boy；　and　no　love　was　lost　between　the　two　brothers。　　She　was　in　daily　fear　that　he　would　either　drown　Makhan　some　day　in　the　river；　or　break　his　head　in　a　fight；　or　run　him　into　some　danger　or　other。　　At　the　same　time　she　was　somewhat　distressed　to　see　Phatik's　extreme　eagerness　to　get　away。

Phatik；　as　soon　as　all　was　settled；　kept　asking　his　uncle　every　minute　when　they　were　to　start。　　He　was　on　pins　and　needles　all　day　long　with　excitement；　and　lay　awake　most　of　the　night。　　He　bequeathed　to　Makhan；　in　perpetuity；　his　fishing…rod；　his　big　kite　and　his　marbles。　　Indeed；　at　this　time　of　departure　his　generosity　towards　Makhan　was　unbounded。

When　they　reached　Calcutta；　Phatik　made　the　acquaintance　of　his　aunt　for　the　first　time。　　She　was　by　no　means　pleased　with　this　unnecessary　addition　to　her　family。　　She　found　her　own　three　boys　quite　enough　to　manage　without　taking　any　one　else。　　And　to　bring　a　village　lad　of　fourteen　into　their　midst　was　terribly　upsetting。　　Bishamber　should　really　have　thought　twice　before　committing　such　an　indiscretion。

In　this　world　of　human　affairs　there　is　no　worse　nuisance　than　a　boy　at　the　age　of　fourteen。　　He　is　neither　ornamental；　nor　useful。　　It　is　impossible　to　shower　affection　on　him　as　on　a　little　boy；　and　he　is　always　getting　in　the　way。　　If　he　talks　with　a　childish　lisp　he　is　called　a　baby；　and　if　he　answers　in　a　grown…up　way　he　is　called　impertinent。　　In　fact　any　talk　at　all　from　him　is　resented。　　Then　he　is　at　the　unattractive；　growing　age。　　He　grows　out　of　his　　clothes　with　indecent　haste；　his　voice　grows　hoarse　and　breaks　and　quavers；　his　face　grows　suddenly　angular　and　unsightly。　　It　is　easy　to　excuse　the　shortcomings　of　early　childhood；　but　it　is　hard　to　tolerate　even　unavoidable　lapses　in　a　boy　of　fourteen。　　The　lad　himself　becomes　painfully　self…conscious。　　When　he　talks　with　elderly　people　he　is　either　unduly　forward；　or　else　so　unduly　shy　that　he　appears　ashamed　of　his　very　existence。

Yet　it　is　at　this　very　age　when　in　his　heart　of　hearts　a　young　lad　most　craves　for　recognition　and　love；　and　he　becomes　the　devoted　slave　of　any　one　who　shows　him　consideration。　　But　none　dare　openly　love　him；　for　that　would　be　regarded　as　undue　indulgence；　and　therefore　bad　for　the　boy。　　So；　what　with　scolding　and　chiding；　he　becomes　very　much　like　a　stray　dog　that　has　lost　his　master。

For　a　boy　of　fourteen　his　own　home　is　the　only　Paradise。　　To　live　in　a　strange　house　with　strange　people　is　little　short　of　torture；　while　the　height　of　bliss　is　to　receive　the　kind　looks　of　women；　and　never　to　be　slighted　by　them。

It　was　anguish　to　Phatik　to　be　the　unwelcome　guest　in　his　aunt's　house；　despised　by　this　elderly　woman；　and　slighted；　on　every　occasion。　　If　she　ever　asked　him　to　do　anything　for　her；　he　would　be　so　overjoyed　that　he　would　overdo　it；　and　then　she　would　tell　him　not　to　be　so　stupid；　but　to　get　on　with　his　lessons。

The　cramped　atmosphere　of　neglect　in　his　aunt's　house　oppressed　Phatik　so　much　that　he　felt　that　he　could　hardly　breathe。　　He　wanted　to　go　out　into　the　open　country　and　fill　his　lungs　and　breathe　freely。　　But　there　was　no　open　country　to　go　to。　Surrounded　on　all　sides　by　Calcutta　houses　and　walls；　be　would　dream　night　after　night　of　his　village　home；　and　long　to　be　back　there。　　He　remembered　the　glorious　meadow　where　he　used　to　By　his　kite　all　day　long；　the　broad　river…banks　where　he　would　wander　about　the　livelong　day　singing　and　shouting　for　joy；　the　narrow　brook　where　he　could　go　and　dive　and　swim　at　any　time　he　liked。　　He　thought　of　his　band　of　boy　companions　over　whom　he　was　despot；　and；　above　all；　the　memory　of　that　tyrant　mother　of　his；　who　had　such　a　prejudice　against　him；　occupied　him　day　and　night。　　A　kind　of　physical　love　like　that　of　an