Stories of Bengalee Life/Signs of the Times/Chapter 1
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
CHAPTER I
AN April day was nearing its close. Bijai Mitra sat card-playing in Gopal Sarkar's reception room. Suddenly his youngest son, darting into the room, said breathlessly, "Father! come home quickly; there is a telegram." At the word "telegram" the occupants of the reception room were alarmed. The arrival of a telegram is not a daily event in villages, and as a rule telegrams bring ill news—news of misfortune.
Bijai Mitra, throwing down his cards, thrust his feet into his canvas slippers and went home at a quick pace. The Telegraph Chuprassi, heated by his walk from the distant station, sat looking very important in the verandah at the entrance, with his great staff beside him. He was surrounded by a host of curious boys and girls. Having signed the receipt, Bijai Mitra opened the telegram with trembling hands. Instantly his face became suffused with the light of joy. Entering the inner room, he found his wife anxiously awaiting his coming. "The news is good"—he said.
"What is it?"
"Binod is coming home."
"Binod! Where from? When will he be here?"
"That he does not say. He telegraphs from Mokameh, and will arrive to-morrow, I should think."
Bijai Hari and Binod Bihari were brothers. They lost their parents when Binod was small. Bijai Hari's wife had reared the boy to manhood. As Binod grew he became unruly and perverse, wrangling perpetually with his brother. Once, blinded by anger, Bijai Hari struck his brother with a shoe.[1] On that day Binod fled from home. One day, two days, a whole week passed, but Binod did not return. Then Bijai Hari began to advertise in the newspapers. He offered a reward of ten rupees, but in vain; he obtained no news of Binod. Months became years, until now three years had gone by. Having no trace of Binod, Bijai Hari was ashamed to meet his friends. And now news had come that this lost brother was coming home. In the joy of their hearts at this news, sweetmeats in abundance were offered by the family that evening on the Tulsi shrine in the courtyard, by which the village lads were not slow to profit. The good news spread through the village, and the friends awaited joyously the return of Binod.
The next afternoon Binod's carriage entered the village, and he stepped out from it, cash-box in hand. The coachman and the house servant together took down the luggage. Entering the house, Binod saluted with deference his brother and his sister-in-law, took the children on his lap, petting them with awkward caresses. Then calling to his sister-in-law, he placed his cash-box in her hands, saying—"Kindly keep this most carefully in your iron chest, sister-in-law."
The sister-in-law noticed that the box was very heavy. Much pleased, she said, as she put it away—"Where have you been so long, brother-in-law?"
"I was at Motihari."
"And you have remembered us at last?"
"How could I leave my work to come, sister?"
"What pay are you getting?"
"120 rupees a month."
"Are you married?"
"Married? Why should I marry?"
The sister-in-law began some jesting remark, when Bijai Babu, coming in, reminded his wife that the traveller must be hungry, and begged her to hasten the preparation of food and leave explanations until after the meal.
By the time that the meal was concluded it had become evening, and friends filled the reception room. The two brothers sat down in their midst. Binod's shoulders quite ached from his prostrations before preceptors and relatives. Some said—"Not hearing anything for so long we thought, where can the boy be gone? He has become a great man indeed! A salary of Rs. 120 is not easily secured now-a-days."
Other youths of the village who, having passed the B.A., were hoping for a clerkship in the Comptroller General's office in Calcutta on Rs. 30 a month; and those who, having attained the M. A., were unable to obtain a mastership on Rs. 50, were much discussed. Old Chakravarti Mahashoi said—"It is all a matter of destiny, brother; and this one has not even passed the B.A., the grand B.A. degree." Many chimed in, "That is true, indeed."—"You are quite right in saying that." A man of the new school said, "It is destiny, certainly; but with that intelligence is required." To which another added—"We always knew that Binod was intelligent." Sarkar Mahashoi, amid similar flattering remarks, struck in—"In childhood he was very perverse; but many are so at that period of life, but change as they get older. And now may he prosper in this excellent post! May his pay increase and his position improve. This is our blessing upon him!"
Bijai, looking affectionately upon his brother, replied—"Your blessings go with him, Mahashoi!"
- ↑ Striking with a shoe is considered as a very grave insult in India.