EYESORE
By Rabindranath Tagore.
XVI.
"THIS won't do at all," thought Vihari, "I must take a hand in this affair. None of them want me, I know—still I must be there."
Without waiting to be asked or welcomed Vihari made his plans to cut in through Mahendra's guard. "Look here, sister Binod," said he, "This is a fellow whom his mother has spoilt, whom his friend has spoilt, and whom his wife is still spoiling; don't follow suit, I pray you, but try some new diversion!"
Mahendra.—"That is to say—?"
Vihari.—"That is to say me for instance, whom no one else has ever deigned to look at."
Mahendra.—"So you want to be spoilt, eh, friend Vihari! That's not such an easy matter,—a mere petition is not enough."
"The capacity to be spoilt must also be there, Vihari Babu," laughed Binodini.
Vihari.—"Couldn't the skill of the operator make up for the patient's failings? Do try the experiment, won't you?"
Binodini.—"You mustn't be so determined, you should simply resign yourself. What say you, my Eyesore? Won't you try your hand on friend Vihari?"
Asha pushed Binodini away with the tips of her fingers. Vihari likewise refused to pursue this suggestion.
It had not escaped Binodini how sensitive Vihari was to being chaffed about Asha. It riled her that he should respect Asha and treat herself lightly. "This cunning mendicant," said she to Asha, "is really begging for your favour through me. Grant him at least something, my dear!"
Asha felt really annoyed.
Vihari got red in the face but, recovering himself in a moment, said with a smile: "So I'm to be put off with a draft while Dada gets all the cash?"
Mahendra in his turn, was annoyed. Plain speaking was hardly compatible with a romantic situation. He replied with some acerbity: "My dear Vihari, your Dada does not trade in these things. He is quite satisfied with what he has."
"He may not want to," Vihari rejoined, "but he is one of those lucky people towards whom trade-winds have a way of blowing."
"And which way does the wind blow with you, friend Vihari, who have nothing of your own!"—Binodini nudged Asha, her eyes sparkling mischief the while.
Asha indignantly left the room.
Vihari felt himself worsted and maintained an angry silence. He was on the point of rising to go when Binodini went out of the room with a parting shot: "Don't despair, Vihari Babu, I'll go and send my Eyesore Back."
With Binodini's departure Mahendra's irritation came to a head. Seeing the gloom settling on his countenance Vihari could stand it no longer and blurted out: "If you want to spoil your own life, Dada, you're welcome. That's a thing you've been consistently trying to do. But don't ruin the life of the pure-souled simple-hearted girl who is so trustfully clinging to you." Vihari's voice choked with emotion.
"I don't understand a word of what you are saying," replied Mahendra, sullenly, "will you leave off speaking in riddles and talk plainly?"
"I'll put it quite plainly," said Vihari. "Binodini is deliberately luring you into the path of sin, and you, like a fool, are blindly following her lead."
"That's a lie," shouted Mahendra in a towering rage. "If you are capable of harbouring such unworthy suspicions you aren't fit to come into the inner apartments[1] at all."
At this juncture Binodini re-entered with a little collation of sweetmeats arranged on a metal salver, which she placed before Vihari with a smile.
"Why this feast?" exclaimed Vihari, "I'm afraid I have no appetite."
"No excuses please," said Binodini. "You must refresh yourself before you leave."
"So my petition is granted, the spoiling has begun!"
Binodini's smile was full of meaning as she replied: "You have a claim as the friend of the family. Where there's a right why beg? You can insist on being made much of."—"Isn't that so, Mahendra Babu?"
Mahendra was speechless.
Binodini.—"You're not doing any justice to the sweets, Vihari Babu; are you bashful or is it a protest? Shall I ask someone else to come in?"
Vihari.—"No more, thank you, I've had enough!"
Binodini.—"Still sarcastic? There's no getting even with you! My poor sweets can't stop your mouth."
That night when Asha spoke out her resentment at Vihari's ways, Mahendra did not as usual laugh it away, but heartily joined in.
The very next morning Mahendra went off to Vihari's lodgings and said: "Look here, Vihari, you mustn't forget that Binodini isn't quite one of the family. I suspect she doesn't relish the familiarity of your coming into her presence."
"Oh indeed!" said Vihari. "In that case it's certainly not the thing to do. If she doesn't like it, why need I go?"
Mahendra felt greatly relieved. He was afraid of Vihari, and had not expected that this trying interview would pass off so easily.
That very day Vihari turned up in the inner apartments of Mahendra's house and said to Binodini: "Sister Binod, you must forgive me."
Binodini.—"What for, Vihari Babu?"
Vihari.—"Mahendra tells me you are annoyed at the liberty I've been taking, so I'm here to ask your forgiveness before finally ceasing my visits."
"Nonsense, Vihari Babu, why should you stay away because of a bird of passage like me? I'd never have come to this house had I known it would lead to all this trouble;" with which Binodini went off with troubled mien, as if to hide her tears.
It flashed across Vihari that perhaps he had been hasty in suspecting Binodini and had wronged the poor girl.
That evening Rajlakshmi came to Mahendra in great dismay. "Mahin," she cried, "Bipin's widow insists on going back home."
"Why, mother?" asked Mahendra, "what's wrong here?"
Rajlakshmi.—"Nothing, but she says people may begin to talk if a young widow like her goes on staying with another family."
Mahendra was hurt. "So we are strangers after all!" he said, and he glared at Vihari who was seated in the room.
"I must have let fall something savouring of a reflection on her, which has wounded Binodini," thought the repentant Vihari.
Both husband and wife made a regular onslaught on Binodini. "So we are only strangers, my dear!" said one. "After all this time we are nothing to you," added the other.
"Would you keep me captive for ever?" sighed Binodini.
"Dare we hope so much?" asked Mahendra. "Then why did you steal away our hearts," wailed Asha.
Nothing was settled that day. "No, my friends," said Binodini firmly, "why prolong the agony?—staying on would only make the wrench harder;" at the conclusion of which speech she threw a heart-broken glance at Mahendra.
The next day Vihari came and said: "Why are you talking of leaving, sister Binod, is it a punishment for any crime of mine?"
Turning away her face to hide her emotion Binodini replied: "Why your crime? 'Tis my fate!"
"If you go, I'll never forgive myself, said Vihari.
Binodini looked at Vihari with mournful pleading eyes as she asked: "Do you really think I ought to stay, tell me truly?"
Vihari was in a dilemma. How could he say that she really ought to? "Of course I know you must go," he said at length, "but what's the harm in staying on just for a while?"
"If all of you insist on my remaining," said Binodini with downcast eyes, "I suppose I must yield to your entreaties. But I tell you, you are not doing right." And from beneath her long eyelashes big tear-drops coursed down her cheeks.
These silent tears were too much for Vihari. "You've won everybody's heart in the short time you've been here, that's why nobody wants to let you go," said he consolingly. "Who'd willingly part with a treasure?"
After that Binodini did not again broach the subject of her departure.
- ↑ The woman's part of the house. Relatives and intimate friends of the family are the only men who have access to it.