I would much rather take all the criticism that people dish out without a murmur of protest.’

Rajlakshmi laughed. ‘Just listen to yourself.’

Mahendra said, ‘But it is a fact that when a wife comes in, she gets all of the son’s sympathies. The mother who loved and nurtured him for so many years suddenly grows distant. Even if you can take that, I cannot.’

Secretly thrilled, Rajlakshmi called out to her widowed sister-in-law, Annapurna, who was passing by. ‘Just listen to my son, Mejo-bou. He doesn’t want to marry for fear that his wife would oust me from his affections. Have you ever heard such nonsense in your life?’

Annapurna said, ‘My son, that is going a little too far. There’s a time for everything in life. This is the time for you to leave your mother’s lap and build a life for yourself with your wife beside you. Such childish behaviour at this age is unbecoming.’

These words did not please Rajlakshmi at all. The words she spoke in response may have been forthright, but they certainly weren’t pleasant. She said, ‘Mejo-bou, why does it distress you if my son loves his mother more than most other sons? If you had a son you would know what it means to a mother.’

Rajlakshmi felt that the empty womb was envious of the proud provider of the male scion.

Annapurna said, ‘I said that only because you broached the subject of Mahin’s marriage. Otherwise, what right do I have to speak?’

Rajlakshmi said, ‘Why should it trouble you if my son refuses to bring home a bride? Actually, if I have been able to bring up my son and care for him all these years, I can carry on doing so for the rest of my life—I don’t need anyone else.’

Annapurna shed some silent tears as she walked away. Mahendra felt upset over this fallout; when he came back from his college he went straight to his aunt’s room.

He knew that his aunt had only spoken out of affection for him. He was also aware that his aunt had an orphaned niece and that the childless widow would like to see her married to Mahendra so that she could have her close at hand. Although Mahendra was opposed to marriage, he thought this little wish of his aunt’s was a very natural one and he empathized with it.

When Mahendra walked into the room, the light was already failing. Annapurna was resting her head on the bars of the window and staring out despondently. Her lunch lay covered and untouched on a table.

Mahendra was given to tears easily. This vision of his aunt made his eyes moist; he went closer and said, ‘Aunty.’

Annapurna tried to smile. ‘Mahin, come, sit.’

Mahendra said, ‘I am very hungry and I’d love to have some leftovers from your lunch.’

Annapurna understood that he was trying to comfort her and checked her tears with great difficulty. She ate her lunch and fed him at the same time.

Mahendra’s heart overflowed with pity and affection. At the end of his meal, just to cheer up his aunt, he spoke on impulse, ‘Aunty, remember that niece of yours you’d mentioned—won’t you show her to me?’ The minute the words were out, he wished he hadn’t said them.

Annapurna laughed and said, ‘Are you thinking of marriage now?’

Mahendra spoke quickly, ‘No, no, not for me. I think I might get Behari to agree. You must arrange for us to see her once.’

Annapurna said, ‘The poor girl, will fate be so kind to her? If only she is lucky enough to have Behari for a husband.’

Mahendra turned to leave; at the door he bumped into his mother. ‘What were you two discussing all this while?’ she asked.

Mahendra said, ‘No discussion, I just came for a paan.’

Rajlakshmi said, ‘But your paan is ready in my room.’

Mahendra went away without speaking. Rajlakshmi entered the room, took one look at Annapurna’s tear-stained face and her imagination ran wild. ‘Well, well, Mejo-bou, carrying tales to my son, were we?’ she hissed as she turned and left without waiting for an answer.

2

MAHENDRA HAD ALMOST FORGOTTEN HIS PROMISE TO SEE THE GIRL, BUT Annapurna hadn’t. She wrote to the girl’s relatives (on her father’s side) in Shyambazar and arranged a date for her to be seen. When Mahendra heard that a date was fixed he said, ‘Why did you rush things so much, Aunty? I haven’t even spoken to Behari yet.’

Annapurna said, ‘But Mahin, now if you don’t go to see her, it won t look good.’

Mahendra sent for Behari and explained everything. He said, ‘Let’s go and see her at least; then if you don’t like her, no one will force you.’

Behari said, ‘I am not so sure of that.