Mahendra said, ‘It’s all right, don’t bother.’
Binodini paid no heed and quickly fetched some eau-de-cologne mixed with cool water. She handed the wet towel to Asha and said, ‘Put this on Mahendrababu’s temple.’
Mahendra went on saying, ‘It’s all right.’
Behari checked his laughter as he watched this performance. Mahendra felt smug that Behari could witness how precious he was to the two women.
Shyness in Behari’s presence caused Asha’s fingers to tremble and she wasn’t very deft with the towel; a few drops of eau-de-cologne sloshed into Mahendra’s eyes. Binodini took the towel from her hands and applied it skillfully; she then wet another piece of cloth with the liquid and wrung it out over the towel. Asha veiled her head and fanned her husband quietly.
Binodini asked in soothing tones, ‘Mahendrababu, do you feel better?’
Having spoken such honeyed words, Binodini shot an oblique glance at Behari’s face. She found his eyes twinkling in merriment. The whole thing was a farce to him. Binodini realized this man couldn’t be fooled easily—nothing escaped him.
Behari laughed. ‘Binod-bouthan, with therapy like this the ailment is likely to intensify rather than subside.’
Binodini said, ‘How would I know that, we are only ignorant women. Is that what they say in your medical textbooks?’
Behari said, ‘Of course. This kind of treatment is making my own head throb. But my head had better get all right on its own. Mahin da’s head carries a far greater weight.’
Binodini dropped the wet cloth and said, ‘Forget it then; let the friend treat his comrade.’
Behari was growing quite impatient with what he saw. He had been busy with his books and wasn’t aware of just how complicated a relationship this trio had cooked up in the meantime. Today he observed Binodini carefully and she too took her measure of him.
Behari spoke a trifle harshly this time, ‘Fair enough. A friend must indeed care for his friend. I brought on the headache and now I shall leave with it. Don’t waste the eau-de-cologne.’ He glanced at Asha. ‘Bouthan, prevention is better than cure.’
16
BEHARI THOUGHT, ‘I CAN’T STAY AWAY ANY LONGER. SOMEHOW, I MUST make my place among these people. None of them will want it, but it must be done.’
So he began to infiltrate Mahendra’s circle without waiting to be invited. He said to Binodini, ‘Binod-bouthan, this man has been spoilt by his mother, by his friend and then by his wife; I beg of you, don’t spoil him further; show him a different path instead.’
Mahendra said, ‘Meaning—’
Behari said, ‘Meaning that a man like me, whom nobody spares a second glance—’
‘Should be spoilt instead?’ Mahendra quipped. ‘It’s not that easy; simply putting in an application is not enough.’
Binodini laughed. ‘One has to have the capacity to be spoilt, Beharibabu.’
Behari said, ‘That depends on who is doing the spoiling. Why don’t you give it a try?’
Binodini said, ‘It doesn’t work if you are forewarned and forearmed; unawares is how it has to catch you, isn’t it, dear Chokher Bali?Why don’t you take on this brother-in-law of yours?’
Asha lifted two fingers and pushed her away. Behari also refrained from joining in the joke. It had not escaped Binodini that Behari wouldn’t stand any nonsense where Asha was concerned. It hurt her that Behari idolized Asha but wanted to pull her down a peg or two. She looked at Asha again and said, ‘This poor brother of yours is actually begging your love, though he addresses me—so give him some, dear friend.’
Asha was very cross. Behari blushed for an instant and in the next he laughed and said, ‘So when it’s my turn you pass the plea on to others but when it’s Mahin da you take the matter in your own hands, do you, and deal in cash?’
It was obvious to Binodini that Behari was intent on upsetting her applecart; she’d have to be careful where he was concerned. Mahendra was annoyed—all this straight talk rang a false note in the melody. He addressed Behari a trifle harshly, ‘Behari, your Mahin da doesn’t need to go into any deals; he’s happy with what he has.’
Behari said, ‘He may not need to go into it, but if fate ordains it, a succession of such deals will come and crash on his doorstep like as many waves.’
Binodini said, ‘You have nothing in hand at the moment; but where are your waves crashing right now?’ She laughed at Asha and poked her in jest. Incensed, Asha got up and walked away. Behari held his tongue in thwarted rage; as he made to rise, Binodini said, ‘Don’ t go away unhappy, Beharibabu. I’ll go and send my Chokher Bali to you right away.’
When Binodini left, Mahendra was displeased that the gathering had broken up. His disgruntled face set Behari’s nerves on edge and he burst forth, ‘Mahin da, you are free to court disaster for yourself—it’s something you have always done. But please don’t ruin the simple, pious woman who has sought refuge with you. I beg of you, don’t ruin her life.’ Behari choked on the last words.
Mahendra shouted in righteous anger, ‘Behari, I don’t understand what you are saying. Don’ t speak in riddles; clearly say what you want to.’
Behari said, ‘I’ll do that then. Binodini is leading you astray on purpose and you are stepping on to the forbidden path like a fool.
Mahendra roared, ‘Lies! If you dare to make such false accusations about a lady from a respected family, you should be barred from the inner chambers.’
At this point Binodini walked in with a plate of sweets and smiling, placed it before Behari. He said, ‘What’s all this? I am not hungry.’
Binodini said, ‘Well, that’s how it is. You cannot go without eating some of this.’
Behari laughed, ‘Does this mean that my application has been accepted and my “spoiling” has begun?’
Binodini smiled coyly and said, ‘Since you are a younger brother-in-law, you have a right; why beg where you can demand?You may choose to seize affection if you wish, isn’t that so, Mahendrababu?’
Mahendra was lost for words.
Binodini said, ‘Beharibabu, is it modesty or anger that makes you refrain from touching the sweets? Must I call someone else here?’
Behari said, ‘There’s no need for that; what I have here is more than enough.’
Binodini said, ‘Mockery? You are incorrigible. Even sweets cannot silence you.’
That night Asha condemned Behari to Mahendra and he supported her unconditionally, unlike other days when he would laugh and brush aside her complaints against his friend.
The next morning Mahendra visited Behari and said, ‘Behari, all said and done, Binodini is not really a member of the family and in your presence she seems to feel a bit uncomfortable.’
Behari said, ‘Is that so? That’s a pity. Well, if it bothers her I guess I should stay away.’
Mahendra was relieved. He hadn’t expected this unpleasant task to be accomplished so easily. He was a little scared of Behari.
The same day Behari strolled into Mahendra’s inner chambers and said, ‘Binod-bouthan, I beg your pardon.’
Binodini asked, ‘But why?’
Behari said, ‘I heard from Mahin da that my presence in the inner chambers offends you. So I shall beg your pardon and take my leave.’
Binodini said, ‘Oh, that’s not right, Beharibabu; I am here today and gone tomorrow. Why should you leave on my account? Had I known there would be such trouble I would never have come here.’ Binodini’s face fell and she looked as though she was holding back her tears as she walked away.
In that instant Behari felt, ‘My suspicions were wrong—I have wrongly accused Binodini.’
That evening Rajlakshmi came to Mahendra in despair and said, ‘Mahin, Bipin’s wife is determined to leave us.’
Mahendra asked, ‘Why Mother, what’s troubling her here?’
Rajlakshmi said, ‘Nothing. But she says if a young widow like her stays on in another’s house for too long, tongues will wag.’
Mahendr
a was angry. ‘This is not exactly “another’s house”, is it!’
Behari was sitting there and Mahendra threw him an incensed look.
Repentant, Behari mused silently, ‘Yesterday I was perhaps too critical of Binodini and she’s upset about it.’
Both husband and wife felt offended with Binodini.
One said, ‘So you think we are “others”?’ and the other said, ‘After so long you still don’t think of us as your own.’
Binodini said, ‘But really, did you think you could keep me here forever?’
Mahendra said, ‘Oh no, we wouldn’t dare to presume any such thing!’
Asha said, ‘Why did you steal our hearts like this if you meant to go away?’
That day nothing was decided. Binodini said to Asha, ‘No, my friend, let me go. It’s best to leave before the tie grows stronger.’ She threw a poignant look at Mahendra as she said this.
The next day Behari came and said, ‘Binod-bouthan, why do you speak of going? Have we offended you—is this a penalty we have to pay?’
Binodini turned her face slightly and said, ‘Why would you offend me—my own fate is at fault.’
Behari said, ‘But if you leave I can’t help feeling it would be my fault.’
Binodini raised her eyes full of pleading and asked of Behari, ‘You tell me, is it right for me to stay?’
Behari was put in a spot. How could he answer in the affirmative? He said, ‘Of course, you must leave at some point; but why don’t you stay a while longer?’
Binodini lowered her eyes and said, ‘All of you are begging me to stay—it is rather difficult for me to override the requests—but this is really very wrong of you.’ As she spoke, the tears fell thick and fast through the dense curtain of her long lashes.
Behari was unnerved by this silent, severe deluge of tears and exclaimed, ‘In the short while that you’ve been here, you have won the hearts of everyone around you. And that is why no one wants to let you go. Please don’t take it to heart Binod-bouthan, but who would want to be separated from such grace and charm?’
Asha sat in a corner with her sari pulled over her head, and wiped her eyes repeatedly. After this incident, Binodini never spoke of leaving again.
17
IN AN EFFORT TO WIPE OUT THE MEMORY OF THIS UNPLEASANTNESS, Mahendra proposed a picnic in the farmhouse at Dumdum the following Sunday. Asha welcomed the idea but Binodini refused. Both Mahendra and Asha were crestfallen at her refusal. They thought, ‘Binodini is trying to distance herself from us these days.’
That evening, the minute Behari arrived, Binodini said, ‘Beharibabu, listen to this, Mahinbabu wants to go to the farmhouse at Dumdum for a picnic and because I refused to go, the two of them have been sulking all day.’
Behari said, ‘I can’t blame them. If you don’t go, the bedlam that’ll pass for a picnic can’t be wished upon one’s worst enemies, let alone on these two.’
Binodini said, ‘Why don’t you come along, Beharibabu? If you come, I’m willing to go.’
Behari said, ‘Brilliant suggestion. But it awaits the master’s approval—what does the master say?’
Both the master and her ladyship were miffed at this predilection on Binodini’s part towards Behari. Hearing the proposal, Mahendra’s eagerness for the outing dwindled. He was keen on persuading Behari that the latter’s presence was distasteful to Binodini at all times. But now it would be difficult to hold him back.
Mahendra said, ‘That’s fine, sounds good. But Behari, you always kick up a ruckus wherever you go—perhaps you’ll invite a whole bunch of local children there or stir up a fight with a whiteskin, one never knows what to expect with you.’
Behari understood why Mahendra was dragging his feet and he smiled quietly to himself as he said, ‘But that’s the fun of life—one never knows what’s to come, what will happen next. Binod-bouthan, we’ll have to leave at the crack of dawn. I’ll be here on time.’
At the appointed time two carriages pulled up in front of the house: an ordinary one for luggage and bearers and a deluxe carriage for the gentlemen and ladies. Behari arrived early with a huge box. Mahendra said, ‘What is that? There’s no room in the servants’ carriage.’
Behari said, ‘Don’t worry, Mahin da, I’ll take care of everything.’
Binodini and Asha got into the carriage. Mahendra hesitated, wondering what he should do about Behari. But Behari hauled the box on top of the carriage and jumped into the coachbox beside the coachman.
Mahendra heaved a sigh of relief. He was afraid Behari would want to sit inside the carriage and then there was no telling what he would do. Binodini was concerned. ‘Beharibabu, isn’t that rather unsafe?’
Behari answered her, ‘Don’t worry, my role in the performance doesn’t include “falls to the ground and bites the dust”.’
As soon as the carriage rolled away, Mahendra said, ‘Why don’t I go and sit out there and send Behari inside?’
Asha didn’t like this. ‘No , you won’t sit there.’
Binodini said, ‘Please don’t. You are not used to it; you may fall.’
Mahendra got worked up. ‘Fall indeed! Not on your life!’ He made to open the door and get off.
Binodini said, ‘You may well blame Beharibabu, but you take the cake in kicking up a fuss.’
Mahendra was in a huff. ‘Fine then,’ he said, ‘let me hire a second carriage and go in that and let Behari come in and sit here.’
Asha said, ‘if you do that, I’ll come with you.’
Binodini said, ‘And I suppose I should jump off the carriage?’ The conversation ended amidst this hullabaloo. But all the way to Dumdum, Mahendra sulked and frowned.
The carriage finally reached the farmhouse. The servants’ carriage had left long before theirs, but there was still no sign of it.
Autumn mornings could be very pleasant. The sun had risen high by now and dried up the dew; the trees glistened in the fresh morning light. The compound walls were lined with shefali trees, the earth below them was strewn with fallen flowers and the air redolent with fragrance.
Freed from the concrete jungle of Kolkata and let loose in a garden, Asha ran about excitedly like a wild fawn. She dragged Binodini along, picked up heaps of flowers, plucked ripe custard apples off the trees and ate them raw, and then the two friends had a long and leisurely bath in the pond. Between the two of them, they filled the shade of the trees, the light off the branches, the water in the pond and the flowers in the garden with a sense of sheer delight.
After their bath, the two friends came back to find that the servants’ carriage had still not turned up. Mahendra was sitting on a stool on the veranda, looking quite forlorn and reading an advertisement of a foreign store.
Binodini asked, ‘Where is Beharibabu?’
Mahendra answered curtly, ‘I don’t know.’
Binodini said, Come on, let’s look for him.’
Mahendra said, ‘I don’t think anyone will steal him away. He’ ll turn up even without our looking.’
Binodini said, ‘But he may be worried sick about you, for fear that he might lose his precious jewel. Let’s go and comfort him.’
Near the pond there was a mammoth banyan tree with a cemented bench around its girth. At that spot Behari had opened up his box, taken out a kerosene stove, lit it and started heating some water. The minute everyone arrived, he welcomed them, made them sit on the bench and served them cups of steaming tea and little plates laden with sweets and snacks. Binodini repeated again and again, ‘Thank goodness Beharibabu came so well prepared; or else I shudder to think what would have happened to Mahendrababu without his cup of tea.’
Mahendra was greatly relieved to have his tea, but he still protested, ‘Behari takes things too far. It’s a picnic and it takes the fun out of it if one comes so well prepared.’
Behari said, ‘Very well my friend, please hand back that cup of tea. You are most welcome to stay unfed and enjoy the true spirit of the picnic.’
Th
e day wore on and there was still no sign of the servants. Behari’s box now began to yield all the necessary food items: rice, dal, vegetables and even tiny jars of ground spices. Binodini was stunned and said, ‘Beharibabu, you amaze me. Considering you do not have a wife at home, how did you learn to be so methodical?’
Behari said, ‘Necessity has forced me to this—I have to look after myself, you see.’
Behari spoke in jest but Binodini was solemn as she looked at him with eyes full of sympathy.
Behari and Binodini went about setting things up for cooking lunch. Asha offered to help, albeit very hesitantly, but Behari stopped her. Mahendra, inept as he was, did not even proffer his services. He leaned against the tree trunk, hoisted one leg over the other and immersed himself in watching the play of light on the trembling leaves of the banyan tree.
When lunch was nearly ready, Binodini said, ‘Mahinbabu, you won’t ever finish counting those leaves. Go and have your bath.’
By now the bunch of servants had arrived with their cargo. Their carriage had broken down on the way.
After lunch a game of cards under the tree was proposed. Mahendra refused to join in and by and by he drifted off to sleep in the shade. Asha went indoors, shut the door and planned to have a lie-in.