"One is bound to bear luck. Everything depends on luck. If you were lucky, the husband wouldn't leave his wife," she said.
"You
were proud of your husband," I told her. "He was a unique diamond. Now
there you are. Men are too selfish. They love women until they are
young to satisfy them. When the wife gets older, they go out in search
of young women."
She added, "Why are you adding sorrow in my
mortal life? Whatever it may be, he was my husband for ten years. Do you
remember the days when he sat in a hunger strike for seven days to
marry me? Is it not he that promised in front of you to love and keep me
as his queen." She wept.
"What are you going to do next?" I
asked in a quiet voice. "If you agree, you can go to my parent's home.
You can pass the days there easily. You can hold a small business there.
I am ready to help you there," I told her.
"Wonderful, your
friend fled away from thetown. What a naughty girl." This very news
spread all over the town before ten years; the incident of their flight
had created a kind of storm in the society. The meeting of so-called
gentleman of the town pleaded in favor of and against them.
She
belonged to a rich family. She was the daughter of the officer. She was
compared to a butterfly while walking. Every neighboring young gentleman
was ready to marry her. When she had failed standard VII twice, his
father had sent his well-wishers and assistants to search for a young
man-- it was publicly heard. On the other hand, she loved her boyfriend
who was good in study, intelligent in speaking. Being an intelligent and
clever boy, he was able to hold a job.
"I love you in this
world." She had promised, in the presence of an aunt by holding his
hand. "Hey, are you engaged with a notorious and naughty boy? If you
marry him, your relationship with us will cut be forever. See! you are
proposed by the young men of well-to-do families." These words from her
father are reeling like a film in her mind now.
She ignored her
family and fled with the boy, pretending that she was going to pray.
She couldn't imagine that they had spent several days eating cheap food.
They had made the moon and stars their friends. In icy-winter night he
covered her with his clothes and he himself went to saint's fire-place
in the public shelter. They worked as porters, dish washers, and cooks
in hotels. At night they tried to forget the difficulties by embracing
each other. They wiped out each other's tears. For several years, they
were unable to take a room in rent.
"Oh! my wife I again got the
job as primary school teacher. Now soon we are going to a rented room
leaving this old Compartment. I want to finish my Bachelor. If I become
successful, I will make you queen with my handsome earning. I would not
allow you to work any where outside." He had promised these things in
2010.
He doesn't know how his college fees were paid by her. She
fought with many obstacles. Meat would not be eaten more than two times
in a year. Her days for disco and parties went for washing dishes for
others. She silently underwent family planning, thinking she could not
work and provide fees for her husband, after the birth of a new baby. He
passed his B.A.-level exam after seven years, which was the happiest
day for her. She was pleased to hear that her husband passed the Public
Service Commission and got the post of officer in the revenue office.
Her eyes were crying. She and her husband then hugged for hours weeping,
which she regards as a dream now.
He who used to play with
flowers on the hill, carried stones and bricks as a labor and brought
sweets and meat for her, is now completely changed. He now began to
visit bars. He who used to reach home at 5:27 pm now reaches home at 1
or 2 after midnight. He who could not separate from his wife for a
minute now lives without her daily. He now-a-days neglects her and goes
out without information. He goes around with young girls now.
She
remembers the day. She compares the days of ten years back when she
stayed with her parents and the days of to-day, she finds no difference.
She is now in a hanging position. As she was pennilessten years
before, today she is in the same condition. The cheeks that he used to
kiss days and nights are now wrinkled and faded.
She slowly went
to her husband's rented room. For her justice she thought it would be
better to talk with her husband--The husband for whom she devoted her
youthful days to upgrade, hid her sorrows and grief, to spread joy and
trust. She remembered the past, how she sang to make her husband happy
in a full moonlight night under the world of stars, how they promised to
live and die together. She couldn't remember more than that. She
entered the rented room of her husband. In front of her eyes, there were
her husband and his girl friend. She couldn't resist.
She went to the bathroom, washed her face and wept, and is still weeping.
--
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