Krishna Kanta's Will (Chatterjee, Knight)/Part 2/Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX.
Entering the house, Gobind Lâl told the servants not to let any one go upstairs. The music-teacher had gone to his dwelling. Gobind Lâl took Rohini into the private sleeping chamber and closed the door. Rohini stood trembling before Gobind Lâl like a reed shaking in the current of a stream. Gobind Lâl in a gentle tone said, "Rohini!"
"What is it?"
"What are you to me?"
"Nothing. So long as you retain me at your feet, I am your servant. Otherwise, nothing at all."
"I have placed you at my head, not at my feet. Princely wealth, wealth greater than princely, an unstained character, an unbroken faith, all these I have abandoned for you. What are you, Rohini, that for your sake I should have given up all this and become an exile? What are you, Rohini, that for your sake I have deserted Bhramar, who is unequalled in the world, a comfort to my thoughts, a never-failing source of joy, nectar in sorrow?"
With these words, no longer able to restrain the tide of sorrow and passion, Gobind Lâl spurned Rohini away with his foot. Rohini sat down; she said not a word, but fell a-crying. Gobind Lâl did not see that she was weeping, he said, "Stand up, Rohini."
Rohini stood up.
"You once went to destroy yourself. Have you the courage again to die?"
Rohini now desired to die. In agonised tones she said, "How can I not wish to die? My destiny is fulfilled."
"Then stand still; don't move."
Rohini remained standing. Gobind Lâl opened the pistol-case and took out a pistol. It was loaded—it was always kept loaded. Holding the pistol in front of Rohini, Gobind Lâl said, "Well, are you ready to die?"
Rohini meditated. The day that she had gone so easily, so calmly to drown herself in the Bârunî waters, Rohini had forgotten. That trouble was gone and her courage with it. She thought, "Why should I die? If I do not, he may cast me off if he likes to do so. Well, let him. I can never forget him; but is that a reason why I should die? That I shall think of him, that in poverty I shall remember him, shall recall these delights in Prasâdpur, that is in itself a joy, in itself a hope. Why should I die?" So she said, "I will not die. Do not kill me. If you will not keep me, give me leave to depart."
"I give you leave." And raising the pistol, Gobind Lâl aimed it at Rohini's brow.
"Don't kill me! Don't fire! I am young, and happiness is new to me. I will never come near you, never cross your path. I am going at once. Do not kill me!"
The click of the pistol was heard, then a loud sound, and all became dark. Rohini fell, lifeless, to the ground. Gobind Lâl, flinging down the pistol, fled from the house.
At the sound of the pistol, Rupo and the other servants came to see what had happened. They found the dead body of Rohini cast on the floor like a lotus snapped by the fingers of a boy. And Gobind Lâl nowhere to be seen.