the hungry stones and other stories-第24部分

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〃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　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；