the hungry stones and other stories-第6部分

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　to　the　papers。

So　I　pray　with　all　my　heart　that　my　grandmother　may　be　born　a　grandmother　again；　and　not　through　some　cursed　fate　take　birth　as　her　luckless　grandson。

So　with　a　throb　of　joy　and　delight；　I　asked　Grannie：　　〃What　then？〃

Grannie　went　on：　　Then　the　princess　took　her　little　husband　away　in　great　distress；　and　built　a　large　palace　with　seven　wings；　and　began　to　cherish　her　husband　with　great　care。

I　jumped　up　and　down　in　my　bed　and　clutched　at　the　bolster　more　tightly　than　ever　and　said：　〃What　then？〃

Grannie　continued　：　　The　little　boy　went　to　school　and　learnt　many　lessons　from　his　teachers；　and　as　he　grew　up　his　class…fellows　began　to　ask　him：　〃Who　is　that　beautiful　lady　who　lives　with　you　in　the　palace　with　the　seven　wings？　〃　　The　Brahman's　son　was　eager　to　know　who　she　was。　　He　could　only　remember　how　one　day　he　had　been　gathering　sticks；　and　a　great　disturbance　arose。　　But　all　that　was　so　long　ago；　that　he　had　no　clear　recollection。

Four　or　five　years　passed　in　this　way。　　His　companions　always　asked　him：　〃Who　is　that　beautiful　lady　in　the　palace　with　the　seven　wings？〃　　And　the　Brahman's　son　would　come　back　from　school　and　sadly　tell　the　princess：　〃My　school　companions　always　ask　me　who　is　that　beautiful　lady　in　the　palace　with　the　seven　wings；　and　I　can　give　them　no　reply。　　Tell　me；　oh；　tell　me；　who　you　are！〃

The　princess　said　：　〃Let　it　pass　to…day。　　I　will　tell　　you　　some　　other　day。〃　And　　every　　day　　the　Brahman's　son　would　ask；　〃Who　are　you？　〃　and　the　princess　would　reply：　〃Let　it　pass　to…day。　　I　will　tell　you　some　other　day。〃　　In　this　manner　four　or　five　more　years　passed　away。

At　last　the　Brahman's　son　became　very　impatient；　and　said：　〃If　you　do　not　tell　me　to…day　who　you　are；　O　beautiful　lady；　I　will　leave　this　palace　with　the　seven　wings。〃　　Then　the　princess　said：　〃I　will　certainly　tell　you　to…morrow。〃

Next　day　the　Brahman's　son；　as　soon　as　he　came　home　from　school；　said：　〃Now；　tell　me　who　you　are。〃　　The　princess　said：　〃To…night　I　will　tell　you　after　supper；　when　you　are　in　bed。〃

The　Brahman's　son　said　：　〃Very　well　〃　；　and　he　began　to　count　the　hours　in　expectation　of　the　night。　　And　the　princess；　on　her　side；　spread　white　flowers　over　the　golden　bed；　and　lighted　a　gold　lamp　with　fragrant　oil；　and　adorned　her　hair；　and　dressed　herself　in　a　beautiful　robe　of　blue；　and　began　to　count　the　hours　in　expectation　of　the　night。

That　evening　when　her　husband；　the　Brahman's　son；　had　finished　his　meal；　too　excited　almost　to　eat；　and　had　gone　to　the　golden　bed　in　the　bed…　chamber　strewn　with　flowers；　he　said　to　himself：　〃To…night　I　shall　surely　know　who　this　beautiful　lady　is　in　the　palace　with　the　seven　wings。〃

The　princess　took　for　her　the　food　that　was　left　over　by　her　husband；　and　slowly　entered　the　bed…chamber。　　She　had　to　answer　that　night　the　question；　　which　was　the　beautiful　lady　who　lived　in　　the　palace　with　the　seven　wings。　　And　as　she　went　up　to　the　bed　to　tell　him　she　found　a　serpent　had　crept　out　of　the　flowers　and　had　bitten　the　Brahman's　son。　Her　boy…husband　was　lying　on　the　bed　of　flowers；　with　face　pale　in　death。

My　heart　suddenly　ceased　to　throb；　and　I　asked　with　choking　voice：　〃What　then？　〃

Grannie　said；　〃Then　。　。　。〃

But　what　is　the　use　of　going　on　any　further　with　the　story？　　It　would　only　lead　on　to　what　was　more　and　more　impossible。　　The　boy　of　seven　did　not　know　that；　if　there　were　some　〃What　then？　〃　after　death；　no　grandmother　of　a　grandmother　could　tell　us　all　about　it。

But　the　child's　faith　never　admits　defeat；　and　it　would　snatch　at　the　mantle　of　death　itself　to　turn　him　back。　　It　would　be　outrageous　for　him　to　think　that　such　a　story　of　one　teacherless　evening　could　so　suddenly　come　to　a　stop。　　Therefore　the　grandmother　had　to　call　back　her　story　from　the　ever…shut　chamber　of　the　great　End；　but　she　does　it　so　simply：　it　is　merely　by　floating　the　dead　body　on　a　banana　stem　on　the　river；　and　having　some　incantations　read　by　a　magician。　　But　in　that　rainy　night　and　in　the　dim　light　of　a　lamp　death　loses　all　its　horror　in　the　mind　of　the　boy；　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