Indira and Other Stories/The Two Rings/Chapter 10
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Hiranmayi, in obedience to the raja's commands, entered her palanquin, returned home, and having procured the torn scrap of paper of which we have already spoken, conveyed it to the raja, who, after carefully examining it, produced a similar fragment and gave it to Hiranmayi. He told her to put the two pieces of paper together. On doing so, she found that the two edges fitted one another.
"Read, now, what is written," said the raja.
Hiranmayi read as follows:—
"(By examination of the stars I observed) that the plans you have made are inauspicious. (A golden image such as Hiranmayi) should not be submitted to the risk of long widowhood. Her marriage would cause terrible misfortune. I have found by astrological calculation that she will be a widow at an early age. Nevertheless, if husband and wife do not for five years (see one another), in that case I may be able to indicate a line of action whereby (they may be) able to escape from the evil planetary influences which threaten them."
When Hiranmayi had read this, the raja said,
"This paper was given to your father by Ananda Swami."
"So I now understand," said Hiranmayi. "I see now why our eyes were blindfolded at our wedding, why the ceremony was performed in so extraordinary and secret a fashion, why we were forbidden to wear our rings during five years. This much I understand, but the rest is still a mystery to me."
"Surely you comprehend," replied the raja, "why your father on receiving this communication suspended the negotiation for your marriage with Purandar, and why Purandar himself in despair undertook the voyage to Ceylon. Meanwhile Ananda Swami was making enquiries for a suitable and auspicious bridegroom. His search was successful. On examining the young man's horoscope, he found that he was destined to reach the age of eighty years, if he should escape a risk of death at the age of twenty-eight. By his learned calculations he ascertained that before the youth had attained to that age, and within five years of his marriage, he would incur a terrible risk of dying in his nuptial couch. But the stars showed plainly that if he could survive these fateful five years, he would live to a good old age.
"It was therefore settled that the marriage should take place when the bridegroom was twenty-three years old. But there was also the fear that if you remain seemingly unmarried all these years you might commit some imprudent act, or secretly marry someone else. That was why, in order to frighten you, the torn scrap of paper was left in your jewel casket. You know already how arrangements were made that you should not have sight of your husband during the five years of probation. It was precisely for that reason that you were prevented from seeing one another during the ceremony.
"But, a few months ago, all these wise and careful provisions were much disturbed by the unexpected course of events. When Ananda Swami came here secretly a few months ago he was much grieved to learn that you had been reduced to poverty. He got a glimpse of you, though you were not aware of the fact. He came to me however, and informed me of all the romantic incidents of your marriage. He told me that if he could have guessed what hardships were destined to befall you, he would have made arrangements for a suitable maintenance for you. He entrusted the task of providing for your comfort to me, and made himself responsible for any expenditure I might incur. Moreover he laid this injunction upon me. Your husband, so he informed me, is an inhabitant of this city and he desired me to take such measures as would make it impossible for you and him to meet. He has told me who your husband is. Since that time I have supplied Amala with the funds required to keep you in health and comfort. It was really I who purchased your father's house and caused you to enter into occupation of it. It was I who sent you the diamond necklace. That was to test your fidielity."
"Where, then," asked Hiranmayi, "did your highness procure this ring? Why did you put me to pain and shame by pretending that you yourself were my lord and master? Why, too, did you allow me to remain in the belief that I was Purandar's tenant and under obligations to him?"
"From the day that I received Ananda Swami's orders", replied the raja, "I appointed people to watch over you. Then it was that I instructed Amala to tempt you with the offer of the necklace. Finally, knowing that to-day your long probation is concluded, I sent for your husband and told him that I was acquainted with all the strange circumstances of your lives, I told him that to-day his wife would at last be entrusted to him. 'With all due submission to your highness's orders,' he said, 'I have no desire whatever to see her. Better far that we should not meet.' I replied, nevertheless, 'Such are my orders.' He of course agreed that he had no course but to obey. 'But,' he objected, 'it is your highness only who knows what her life has been during these years and whether she is fitted to take her place in an honest gentleman's home. I take it that a personage of your highness's rank and reputation would not ask me to live with a woman who has been the object of scandal.' In reply I bade him leave his ring with me, telling him that by its means I would make test of your fidelity to your marriage vows. He paid me the compliment of saying that he would not have entrusted the ring to anyone else in the world, but that in my case he had no scruples. Let me hasten to add that you have triumphantly sustained the little test to which I subjected you."
"But," objected Hiranmayi, "I do not even now understand the nature of the test to which your highness was pleased to subject his humble servant!"
Even as she spoke, the lofty halls of the palace resounded with joyous nuptial music. "The eleventh hour has struck," said the raja, "I will tell you about the test of your now proved constancy later. Your husband has arrived. Your first sight of him occurs at an auspicious moment."
At this moment a door behind Hiranmayi was thrown open. A tall and handsome man stepped gravely into the chamber. The raja said,
"Hiranmayi, let me present you to your husband!"
Hiranmayi looked up; her brain reeled; she knew not whether she was awake or dreaming. For the newcomer was—Purandar!
The happy pair stood, too astonished to move or speak, neither could believe the joy that had befallen them.
The raja said, "Friend, Hiranmayi deserves all your love and respect. Take her, sir, with all due affection to your home. To this day she loves you as dearly as she has always loved you. Day and night I have had her under careful observation, and I know that her heart is wholly yours. At your request, sir, I subjected her to a wholly unnecessary trial. I went so far as to inform her that she was in fact my own wife. Not even the thought of princely honours shook her heartwhole devotion to you. I hinted to her that, though she was my wedded wife, I suspected her of a guilty passion for you. If she had been offended at a charge so revolting to her womanly modesty, if she had asserted her innocence, and had begged me to take her to my arms, I should have known that she had forgotten her lifelong affection for you. What do you think, sir, was this gentle creature's answer to a most offensive accusation? 'I am a guilty woman,' she said, 'and not worthy to be your highness's wife.' Hiranmayi, it was with pleasure and respect that I comprehended the motive that led a good woman to accept a cruel and false insinuation. Rather than yield yourself to a union without love, you were willing to endure a slanderous accusation. My child, with all my heart, I wish you and your husband all happiness!"
But even now Hiranmayi was not fully satisfied.
"Maharaj," she said, "satisfy your servant's curiosity on one other point. If Purandar was absent in Ceylon, how was it that he was able to be present at the wedding in Benares? And if he was able to proceed to the Sacred City at that time, how was it that we were all kept in ignorance of the fact?"
"Ah," said the raja, "that is easily explained. The Swami and Purandar's father arranged that your husband should go straight to Benares from Ceylon and return thither when the marriage ceremony was completed. He did not visit his home on the way. That is how his movements were concealed from the gossips of my excellent town of Tamluk."
Purandar here bowed low and said, "Maharaj, as your highness has to-day fulfilled my heart's dearest desire, so may kind Providence fulfil your highness's every wish. In all your highness's dominions there is no happier man to-day than your highness's humble slave and subject, Purandar Chetty."