Chandrashekhar (Mullick)/Part2/Chapter 3
CHAPTER III.
WHAT BECAME OF DALANI?
AT night, with only a single female attendant, the queen stood on the public highway and wept.
“What will you do now?” enquired Kulsam.
“Come let us stand under yonder tree,” replied Dalani wiping her tears, “and wait till daybreak.”
“If we allow the night'to dawn upon us here, we are sure to be found out.”
“What is the fear in that? Of what misdeed am I guilty that I shall be afraid?”
“We have stolen out of the palace like thieves. Why we have done it, is best known to you. But just imagine what people will think and the Nawab too.”
“Whatever the Nawab may think, God is my only judge——I care not for other judgment. If the worst comes to the worst, I shall only die. What is the harm?”
“But what earthly purpose will be served by standing here?”
“I shall be caught, and that is why I purpose to stand here. I want to be caught. Where can I be taken to when I am caught?”
“To the Nawab, I suppose.”
“To my lord? That is the place where I want to go. I have nowhere else to go to. Should he order my death, still with my last breath I shall be able to tell him that I am innocent. Rather, let us go to the fort-gate and take our seat there; we shall be caught there all the sooner.”
Just at this moment, both observed with apprehension, the tall figure of a man moving in the darkness towards the Ganges. On this they betook themselves to the foot of a tree and lay concealed in the gloom. Again they noticed with alarm, the man turn from his path and advance towards the sheltering trees. At this, both dived into deeper darkness.
The man came just to the very same spot. “Who are you here?” he asked. Immediately after, it seemed as if he muttered to himself in a low tone, “Who can this hapless creature be that wakes the night in the public streets like myself?”
The tall stature of the man had at first generated fear in the minds of the women, but the sound of his voice soon reassured them; it was very sweet—full of sadness and pity.
“We are women, who are you pray?” said Kulsam.
“We!” cried the man, “how many are you?”
“We are only two,” replied Kulsam.
“What are you doing here at this time of night?” asked the man.
“We are ill-fated women,” interposed Dalani. “What is the good of your hearing the tale of our sorrow?”
“Even a very insignificant person,” averred the stranger, “can sometimes render service; if you are in trouble, I can try to help you as far as it lies in my power.”
“To help us,” said Dalani, “is almost next to impossible Who are you?”
“I am an insignificant man,” replied the stranger “a poor Brahmin only——an ascetic.”
“Whoever you might be,” said Dalani, “your words invite our confidence. A drowning man never discusses the strength of his support. If you want to hear the tale of our sorrow, then step aside a little; one cannot be sure who might be about in the night. We cannot guard our secret too carefully against chance auditors.”
“Then follow me,” said the ascetic
With these words he led the way, and accompanied them to the town. Stopping in front of a small house he knocked at the door and called out, “Ramcharan.”' Ramcharan came and unfastened the door. The ascetic directed him to strike a light.
After lighting a lamp, Ramcharan made his obeisance to the ascetic by prostrating himself at his feet. The ascetic dismissed him saying, “Now you can go back to your sleep.” Ramcharan bestowed a glance on Dalani and Kulsam and went away. Superfluous to say, that he could not sleep that night anymore. Why had the ascetic brought these two young women with him at such a late hour of the night, became uppermost in his mind. He looked upon the ascetic as a god. He knew him to be a man who had subjugated his senses—that faith of his was not shaken. He at last came to this conclusion— "Perhaps, these two women have lately become widows. The ascetic has called them here to persuade them to follow their husbands into the funeral pyre. Confound it all! I could not make out this simple thing all this time!”
The ascetic squatted on a piece of square blanket, the women sat on the bare ground. First of all, Dalani gave an account of herself, then she described all the events of the night without reserve.
After hearing her, the ascetic said to himself, “Who can cancel the inevitable? What is fated must happen, yet no one should overlook the free-will of man. I must do my duty.”
Alas, ascetic! why did you burn your books? All books can be burnt to ashes, but never the book of the heart. Addressing Dalani, he said, “This is my advice—you should not present yourself before the Nawab all at once. First of all, you should inform him of all the details by a letter. If he loves you, he is sure to believe your statements. Then, after getting his permission you can appear before him.”
“But who is to carry the letter?”
“ I will have it sent. ”
Dalani then asked for pen and paper. The ascetic waked up Ramcharan again. The latter brought paper, pen, and other writing materials and left. Dalani began to write.
In the meantime the ascetic went on, “This house is not mine, but you can stay here so long as you do not hear the commands of the Nawab. No one will know or question.”
Circumstances forced the ladies to agree to it. When the letter had been finished, Dalani handed it to the ascetic. The latter went away with it after leaving all necessary instructions with Ramcharan regarding the comforts of the ladies.
He was well known to all the Hindu and Mussalman officers of the Nawab at Monghyr and they all respected him.
Secretary Ram Gobinda Ray held him in great reverence. After daybreak he entered the fort, saw Ram Gobinda and handed over Dalani’s letter to him. “Don’t mention my name please,” he warned Ram Gobinda as he gave the letter. “Only say a Brahmin brought it.”
"Come round for the reply to-morrow, please,” said the Secretary. The Secretary did not know whose letter it was. The ascetic then returned to his house He saw Dalani and said, “The reply will come to—morrow. You must manage to pass your time somehow to-day.”
In the morning Ramcharan came, and found that no preparations had been made for the self-immolation of the ladies.
In the upper story of the house another man was sleeping. It is necessary to give some account of him here. In delineating his character, this pen -of mine tainted with the stain of Shaibalini’s sin, will be hallowed.