Krishna Kanta's Will (Chatterjee, Knight)/Part 1/Chapter 5
CHAPTER V.
Early next morning, Rohini was again sitting cooking, when, once more, Hara Lâl peeped into the room. Fortunately, Brahmânanda was not at home, else who knows what he might have thought? Hara Lâl slowly approached Rohini, but she did not look particularly at him. Hara Lâl said, "Look this way—the pot won’t burst."
Rohini looked and laughed. Hara Lâl asked, "What have you done?"
Bringing the stolen will, Rohini gave it to Hara Lâl to look at. He read it over, and saw that it was indeed the genuine will. The villain’s face lit up with glee. Holding the will in his hand he asked, "How did you manage it?"
Rohini began the story, but took care not to tell him the truth. She made up some false account and, as she narrated it, took back the will from Hara Lâl’s hand to show him how she had found the document lying in a writing case. As she ended her story she suddenly got up and went away, will in hand. When she returned, Hara Lâl, seeing her to be empty-handed, asked, "Where have you left the will?"
"I have put it by."
Hara. "What is the use of that? I must be going now."
Rohini. "Now, must you? What is the hurry?"
Hara. "I must not stop here any longer."
Rohini. "Then go."
Hara. "And the will?"
Rohini. "Will remain with me."
Hara. "How is that? You will not give me the will?"
Rohini. "It is all the same whether you keep it or I."
Hara. "But if you won't give it to me, why have you stolen it?"
Rohini. "I stole it for you, I keep it for you. When you marry a widow I will give this to your wife. If you take it you will destroy it."
Hara Lâl understood and said, "That can't be, Rohini, whatever money you want, I will give you."
Rohini. "A lakh of rupees would not suffice. What you said you would give is what I want."
Hara. "That can't be. If I commit a forgery, or steal, I do it for my own rights. You have committed a theft, but to benefit whom?"
Rohini's countenance fell at these words. She remained with downcast eyes.
Hara. "Whatever I have become, I am Krishna Kanta's son. The person who has committed a theft I can never make my wife."
Rohini, suddenly rising, threw back the covering from her face, and, looking straight at Hara Lâl, said, "I am a thief! You a saint! Who told me to steal? Who bribed me to do it? Who was it deceived me, seeing I was but a simple woman? The greatest of swindles, the falsest of lies, which the commonest rustic would not have deigned to utter, you, the son of Krishna Kanta Râi, have been guilty of. Alas! alas! I unworthy of you! Never unfortunate woman met so base a swindler as you are! Were you a woman I would have shown you the besom. As you are a man—go in honour."
Hara Lâl felt he had got his deserts. Dismissed—in honour—he went out with an embarrassed laugh. Rohini also felt that each had been served aright. Tightening the knot of her hair, which in her anger had become loosened, she resumed her cooking, tears starting to her eyes.