He said, “Forgive me, Paru, I didn’t know.”
“Shut up! I don’t want to hear!”
“I’ll get my parents to agree, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Parvati glared fiercely at him.
“Are you the only one with parents ? Don’t I have a mother and father too ? Don’t they matter too ?”
Devdas was ashamed. “Of course they matter, Paru! But they don’t object to our…”
“Who says they don’t object! They do object! Absolutely!”’
Devdas tried to smile and failed. “No, dear, they don’t object. I know it very well. If you will just …”
Parvati cut in sharply,”If I will! With you! For shame!”
At that, Devdas’s eyes blazed, but his voice was icy, ”Parvati! Have you forgotten me?”
At first, Parvati was speechless, then she recovered herself and replied in a low, harsh voice,”No, why should I forget you ? I’ve known you since childhood, I’ve feared your moods since childhood, but if you’re trying to frighten me now, then you don’t know me at all!” and she gazed fearlessly up at him.
“You’ve always feared me and nothing else ?”
Parvati said steadily, “No, nothing else.”
“Liar! Tell the truth.”
“I’ll tell you this – truly - I can’t trust you , or rely on you. The man I’m going to marry, he is wealthy, and more than that, he is intelligent, steady, and moral. My parents, who love me, and wish me to be happy, would never give me away to a thoughtless, restless, devil-driven creature like you! Now let me go!.
Devdas hesitated, he even made to step aside, but in the next instant he sneered, “Aren’t we proud!”
Parvati said,”And why not ? You can stand tall, and I can’t ? You have beauty, but lack brains, but I have both! Your father may be rich, and powerful, but my father is not a beggar either. No, I’m in no way less than you, do you understand ?”
Devdas stood amazed.
Parvati continued,”You think you can hurt me, and yes, you can. So! Hurt me if you wish, but let me go!”
“Hurt you! How ?”
“By slandering me! Let me go!”
Devdas was still smouldering, and Parvati’s words hit him like blows.
He could only say, “I slander you !”
Parvati smiled mirthlessly, and her next words seared like venom,”You can tell the world how poor Parvati came to you at night, alone. Go, shout it to the four winds, if it gives you satisfaction.” And her lips quivered.
This was too much for Devdas; gripping his fishing rod, he rasped in a terrible voice, “Listen, Parvati, too much pride is not a good thing. Nor is too great a beauty. It increases vanity and pride.”
He paused,”That is why the beautiful moon has marks on it, that is why the black bee mars the beauty of the lotus by hovering on it. Your beautiful face deserves a mark too.”
With that, he brought the fishing-rod down hard, hitting her face and cutting it from cheek to eyebrow. Immediately, she was awash in blood.
Parvati fell to the ground, crying out, “Devda, what have you done !”
Devdas broke the rod in two and threw it into the river before replying.
“Its nothing much, just a small cut.”
Parvati cried out again,”Oh, Devda!”
Devdas tore off a piece of his shirt, soaked it in water, washed the cut and bandaged it.
“Don’t be afraid, Paru! It will heal soon, perhaps it will leave scar. And if anyone asks you, you can answer truly how you came by it!”
“Oh, Great Mother, help me!”
“For shame. Paru! This is our last farewell, I’m just leaving a little sign to remember me by. You will look in the mirror often, I’m sure, to see your lovely face, and you’ll remember me each time.”
He began walking away.
Parvati sobbed uncontrollably, “Oh, Devda!”
Devdas came back, there were tears in his eyes.
With great tenderness, he knelt by her and asked, “Why ? Paru.”
“Don’t tell anyone.”
Devdas kissed her gently, “Be easy, I won’t. You’re my own, my Paru.
Don’t you remember when you were naughty, I’d box your ears ?”
“Devda, forgive me.”
“Paru, have you forgotten me completely, then ? I’ve never stayed angry with you.”
“Devda !”
“Parvati, you know I’m a silent sort of man, I don’t make fancy speeches, I don’t think too deeply either! I jump in as my heart directs.”, saying this Devdas placed his hand on Parvati’s head, as if in blessing.
“You’ve done the right thing, Paru. You would not have found contentment with me. But – you would have made your Devdas unutterably happy.”
Just then they saw people approaching. Slowly, Parvati took up her pitcher, and she and Devdas began walking homeward.
It was almost dusk when Parvati returned home. Hearing her enter, grandmother called out, “Paru, how long you’ve been! Were you digging a well for the water ?”
Then she saw Parvati’s blood-stained face and screamed.
Parvati’s mother came running. She too shrieked out. “Oh Great Mother!”
“What terrible thing happened to you , Paru ?”
Parvati lowered the pitcher to the floor with a steady hand and answered in an easy voice,
“I slipped and got a cut from a stone in the path, mother. Its not deep, just looks awful.”
The women gathered about Parvati, bathing her wound, applying salves, changing her blood-stained clothes.
The cut healed easily, and in a few days, faded without trace.
Soon after this, came the bridegroom, the Zamindar of Hathopotha, Sri Bhubon Mohan Choudhury. He was middle-aged, perhaps forty three, light-skinned, tending to plumpness, a salt and pepper mustache, and a small bald patch on his head.
Some people smirked on beholding him, some were silent, but none dared indulge in the usual rough-housing and merriment that regularly attends a wedding. The bridegroom’s quiet, solemn, exterior discouraged the women’s usual teasing, but during the “Shubho Drishti, that is the “Good Luck vision” of the wedding ceremony, when the bride and groom look into each other’s eyes, it was Parvati who looked boldly at him, and it was Bhubon’s eyes that dropped like shy girl’s. Parvati’s friends giggled, and the older women laughed out loud.
Parvati’s father, Nilkanto Chokrovorty, ran here and there, seeing to it that everything functioned smoothly. Narayan Mukherjee, Devdas’s father, as an old family friend, gave Parvati away. The ceremonies concluded harmoniously.
Next morning, Sri Bhubon opened a casket of ornaments and presented Paravti with its contents. She was soon clad in rings, earrings, bracelets, bangles, chokers, necklaces, until she seemed to shimmer in golden armor. Watching, Parvati’s mother could not help the tears escaping and trickling down her face. Quickly, Devdas’s mother drew her away. “Don’t cry,” she whispered, “Do you want to bring misfortune to the couple ?”
In the evening, Monoroma visited Parvati. The two friends sat talking privately in a small room.
“See, love,” Monoroma said “It was all for the best, you will live like a queen, in great contentment.”
Parvati laughed. “I will, but I’ve come to know the god of despair, too!”
“Paru! No! What do you mean ?”
“You will see.”
Monoroma changed the subject.
“Don’t you wish Devdas could see you now ? A vision of loveliness, clad in gold!”
Parvati sat up sharply. “Could you do it, my sister ? Could you bring him to me just once more ?”
Monoroma shivered. “Oh, Paru!” then she hugged Parvati, and the two clung to each other and wept.
The evening darkness deepened, and they heard grandmother calling, “Paru! Mono! Come on out, my dears.”
That night Parvati went to her husband.
Chapter 9
And Devdas? where was he? He
spent that night sitting on a bench in the Eden Gardens in Calcutta. It wasn’t as though he was wrung with grief, instead he was troubled by a lack of feeling, a kind of numbness. Sometimes, people who have lost a limb, whether through accident or disease, try to move that missing arm or hand, and are puzzled, for a moment, that nothing happens, before they realise that it is no longer there to respond to their command. So too, felt Devdas, that which he thought was forever his, was suddenly lopped away from him, and no word or command of his would have any effect now, any rights he had held, had been struck away.
At this point, the sun rose, Devdas stood up and wondered, ‘What now ? Where shall I go ?”
Suddenly, he thought of the boarding house where he used to stay. Choonilal would be there. Devdas began walking, sometimes he stumbled, once he fell, once he swayed into someone – who thought he was drunk and pushed him away. Somehow, after wandering here and there, he made it to the boarding house, arriving just as Choony, fashionably dressed, was leaving.
“Hey, if it isn’t Devdas!”
Devdas stared at him silently.
“When did you get back? You do look worn out- what are you doing!”
This because Devdas had sat down on the sidewalk. Choony helped him up and led him indoors. Taking Devdas to him own room, he asked, “What’s the matter, Devdas?”
“I left home yesterday.”
“Yesterday? Where’ve you been all day ? and all night ?”
“In the Eden Gardens.”
“Are you crazy ? Tell me, what’s up ?”
“What’s the point ?”
“Well, never mind, have something to eat now. Where are your things ?”
“I didn’t bring anything.”
“Oh, all right! Come, eat something.”
ChooniLal forced Devdas to eat a little, then made him lie down on his bed.
“Try to sleep a little. I’ll wake you up later.” With that Choony left.
When he returned, it was about ten at night, he found Devdas in a deep sleep. He did not wake him, instead he took a blanket and a mat, and made a bed for himself on the floor. Devdas did not wake all night, and slept through daybreak. Finally, at ten the next morning, he woke and sat up. “Choony! When did you get back ?”
Choony replied, “Just now.”
“I hope I haven’t put you out ?”
“Not a bit!”
Devdas gazed at Choony. “Choony! I have no one. Will you adopt me ?”
Choony laughed, he knew Devas’ family was very wealthy. So he said, “Adopt you? Fine. Stay with you me as long as you wish.”
“Choony, what’s your income ?”
“Brother, my income is slight. I have some property from which my elder brother sends me seventy rupees a month and that suffices me very well.”
“Why do you never go home ?”
Choony turned away slightly. “That is a long story.” but he didn’t explain further.
In time, the dinner bell rang, and two descended to the mess hall for lunch. After they had eaten, they returned to Choony’s rooms. Choony asked, “Devdas, have you quarreled with your family ?”
“No.”
“With anyone else ?”
“No.”
Choony pondered. Then a thought struck him “Ah! You’re not married yet, are you!”
This time, Devdas lay down on the bed and turned his face to the wall. After a few minutes, Choony saw that he was asleep. In this way two days passed, with Devdas asleep most of the time. On the third day, Devdas sat up, looking more or less normal, the grey , sick look had disappeared. Choony inquired, “So how do you feel now ?”
Instead of replying to this, Devdas asked, “Choony, where do you go at night ?”
Embarrassed, Choony said, “Why bring that up ?”
“Very well; but you don’t attend college either ?”
“No, I dropped out.”
“But why ? You know enough. Why not take the exams ?”
“No, I’ve had enough.”
Devdas asked again, “Won’t you tell me where you go ? I would go with you.”
Looking Devdas straight in the eye, Choony answered,”You know Devdas, I don’t go to a very good place.”
Devdas murmured to himself, “Good, bad, bad, good.”
“Choony! Won’t you take me with you ?”
“I could take you, but you shouldn’t go.”
“No, I will come. If I don’t like it, I won’t go again – but you look forward eagerly to each evening , there must be something in that – whatever happens, Choony, I would like to go!”
Choony smiled, “Very well, then, you will come with me.”
In the afternoon, Dharmadas showed up with Devdas’s things. On seeing Devdas, he cried out, Devdas, do you know that your mother has been weeping for the last three days ?”
“But why, Dharma?”
“You left without a word! So suddenly!” Dharma fished out a letter and handed it to Devdas. “From your mother.”
Devdas read the letter, his mother was begging him to come home. She, alone of his family, guessed the cause of his sudden departure. She also sent, secretly, some money with Dharmadas. Giving the money to Devdas, Dharmadas said, “Devdas, come home!’
“I’m not going. You can go back.”
So Dhormodas went back, without Devdas.
That evening the two friends put on their finest attire and set out. Devdas was not at all inclined to “fancy dress” but Choony refused to take him otherwise. They took a cab to a mansion in the Chitpore district. The lady of the house was named Chondromookhi and she came herself to greet them. As soon as he set eyes on her, Devdas felt himself burning up, he had not realized how much he had turned against the female sex in the last few days. Frowning, he turned to Choony, “Choony, you have brought me to a god-forsaken place!”
Choony and Chondromookhi were greatly taken aback by the fierceness of his voice and looks, then Choony recovered himself. Instead of getting angry, he said in a calm voice, “Come on, let’s go in and sit down.”
Devdas did not reply, but he did enter, and sat down, head lowered, a look of distaste on his face. Chondromookhi, too, sat down without a word. Presently, a maidservant appeared, carrying a silver-inlaid water pipe filled with tobacco. She offered it to Devdas, who would not touch it. Choony refused it too. At a loss, the servant finally offered it to Chondromookhi, who accepted it. She had taken but two puffs, when Devdas glanced sharply at her, and said in a cutting voice, ”How uncivil! And how disagreeable it looks!”
Heretofore, no one had bested Chondromookhi in quick repartee. It was a hard task indeed to affect her feelings, but Devdas had done just that. For a second, she stayed dumbstruck, then she pulled on the pipe a couple more times, after which she handed the pipe to Choony and observed Devdas carefully. All three continued to sit silently, only the water pipe gurgled now and then, in a timid sort of way.
Sometimes, when friends have an argument, and then they fall quiet, each one wondering to himself ‘how did this happen ?” so it was with our three. All three were agitated. Choony put the pipe down and wandered downstairs. Perhaps because the other two could think of nothing else to do, they remained as they were. Presently, Devdas raised his face and looking directly at Chondromookhi, inquired, “Do you take money ?”
Chondromookhi found herself unable to reply at first. In her twenty four years, she had spent the last ten working, and had met many different kinds of people, but she had never met anyone as strange as Devdas. After a little hesitation, she said, "Since you have graced this house with your presence ..."”Devdas did not let her finish, "Never mind all that! Do you take money ?”
“But of course! How else would I get by ?”
So saying, he pulled a note from his wallet and gave it to her, not bothering to see how much it was.
Chondromookhi asked gently, “Are you leaving now ?”
Without answering, Devdas stepped outside onto the verandah.
Chondromoo
khi had a sudden impulse to return the money, but she did not. Throughout the years, she had encountered indifference, anger, insults, and grown immune to it all. She stood like a block of wood, holding on to the money. Devdas returned and started going down the stairs. On the way he met Choony coming up.
Choony asked, “Where are you going, Devdas?”
“I’m going back.” He continued on his way down.
Choony said, “Well, all right, I’ll go too.”
Devdas stopped, and took him eagerly by the arm, “Then, let’s go!”
“Wait a minute for me. I was just going upstairs.”
“No, no, let me go, I’ll see you later,” with that, Devdas hurried out.
Upstairs, Choony found Chondromookhi still standing, with the money in her hand. Seeing Choony, she asked, “Has your friend left ?”
“Yes.”
Chondromookhi showed him the money Devdas had given her. “Look at this ! If you think it proper, take it back with you and give it to your friend.”
ChooniLal said, “Since he gave it to you willingly, why should I return it to him ?”
At last, Chondromookhi smiles, but there was very little mirth in her smile.
“Not willingly, no, but in anger. Yes, anger, because we take money. Tell me, Chooni Lal, is the man crazy ?”
“No, no. However, he has been very depressed for a while.”
“Do you know why he is unhappy ?”
“No, I don’t know, only that something happened while he was away; something to do with his family.”
“Why did you bring him here ?”
“I didn’t invite him. He insisted on coming with me.”
Now Chondromookhi was puzzled. “He insisted on coming ? Knowing where he was coming ?”
Chooni Lal pondered a little before answering.
“Yes, he knew. I did not lie to him.”
Chondromookhi was silent for a while, then she said “Where does your friend live ?”
“Right now, he’s staying with me.”
“Choony, will you do this ? Bring your friend here again.”
Devdas Page 4