When Mahashay Dayanath learned that Rama had taken a job, he was very pleased. He had not expected Rama to come to his senses so quickly after marriage. He said, “It is a good position. If you work honestly, you will rise to some good post. My advice is simply this: regard other people's money as forbidden.”
Rama felt like saying plainly, “Keep your advice to yourself; it does not suit me.” But he was not quite so shameless.
Dayanath continued, “This position was supposed to pay thirty rupees. Why have you received only twenty?”
Ramanath—“How could they give a new man the full salary? Perhaps it will be increased in six months or a year. There is a great deal of work.”
Dayanath—“You are a young man; you should not be afraid of work.”
The next day Rama had a new suit made and bought a number of fashionable things. Some of the money he had received from his in-laws was still left. He borrowed some from friends. He wanted to establish his authority over the entire office by adopting an impressive, officer-like style. No one would ask him what his salary was; moneylenders would be intimidated by his appearance and manner. He knew that a good income could be earned only when one maintained an impressive appearance. A street watchman was thought to deserve only a small coin; but if he were a sergeant, no one would dare even show him a coin. A poorly dressed beggar might be given only a pinch of something; but even while feeling embarrassed, one had to give a rupee to a holy man dressed in saffron. Dress and alms have been eternal companions.
On the third day, when Rama went out wearing a coat, trousers, and hat, his bearing was entirely different. The peons bowed and saluted him. When he came to meet Ramesh Babu and take charge of his work, he saw a gentleman sitting on a trunk in a verandah, spreading registers over a torn, dirty mat, while merchants stood around him on every side. In front was a market of carts, handcarts, and ekkas. Everyone was rushing to get his own business done. In some places people were abusing one another; elsewhere the peons were laughing and joking. The entire work was being conducted in great disorder.
Rama felt that sitting on that torn, dirty mat would be an insult to him. He went straight to Ramesh Babu and said, “Do you want me to sit on this dirty mat too? Have a good table and several chairs sent here, and order the peons not to allow more than one person to come before me at a time.”
Ramesh Babu smiled and had a table and chairs sent over. Rama sat proudly in the chair. The old munshi was laughing inwardly at his arrogance. He understood: there was still the excitement of novelty, the madness of a new recruit. He handed over the charge. There was hardly anything to hand over; he only had to explain the account of the day's receipts. A printed table showing the rate at which customs duty was charged on each kind of merchandise was already available. Rama understood his work within half an hour.
Although the old munshi himself had left the position willingly, he felt sad as he departed. He had sat in that very place continuously for thirty years. It was because of that place that he had earned both wealth and reputation. Why would he not feel sad at leaving it? After handing over the charge, he went with Rama as far as the foot of the staircase. Khan Sahib was pleased by this courtesy. He smiled and said, “There is one anna fixed on every bill of lading; it is an open custom. People give it willingly. You are a rich man, but don't break the custom. Once a custom is broken, it is difficult to restore it. Half of this anna belongs to the peons. The head clerk who was here before used to take twenty-five rupees a month, but he took nothing from this.”
Rama expressed his distaste and said, “It is dirty work. I want to work honestly.”
The old gentleman laughed and said, “It seems dirty at first, but later you will enjoy it.”
After bidding Khan Sahib farewell, Rama returned to his chair and said to a peon, “Tell these people to go below the verandah. Let them come one at a time, in order of their numbers, and write everyone's name and number on a sheet of paper.”
A merchant who had been standing for two hours said happily, “Yes, sir, this will be very good.”
Ramanath—“The person who comes first should have his work done first. The others should remain outside until their number comes. It should not happen that the person at the very back makes a noise and gets served first while those who came first stand waiting.”
Several merchants said, “Yes, Babuji, this arrangement would be very good. It takes a long time in the confusion.”
This much control was enough to establish Rama's authority. That very day his manner and conduct began to be discussed and praised throughout the merchant community. Even a professor at a great college would not have gained such fame in his entire lifetime.
After only two or four days of experience, Rama learned all the tricks and tactics. He thought of things that had never even occurred to Khan Sahib in his dreams. There was no limit to the irregularities in weighing, counting, and inspecting goods. If merchants were swallowing hundreds of rupees through these irregularities, why should Rama be satisfied with one anna per bill, half of which went to the peons? By strictly enforcing the rules in the weighing and inspection of goods, he could earn both money and reputation. Why would he let such an opportunity pass? Especially when the head clerk was his close friend.
Ramesh Babu was delighted by the efficiency of this new recruit. Patting him on the back, he said, “Stay within the rules and do whatever you like. Not even a finger will be pointed at you.”
Rama's income began to increase rapidly. Along with his income, his influence also increased. Whenever the clerks who sat rubbing dry pens in the office felt like having cigarettes, betel, tea, or refreshments, they came to Rama. Everyone could wash his hands in that flowing Ganges. Rama became the talk of the entire office. As for money, he treated it like a mere potsherd. What a heart he had! And what a tongue to match it. It seemed that every vein in his body was filled with gentility. If this was the condition of the clerks, what need was there to ask about the peons and copyists? Every one of them was Rama's slave for no price at all. Their income increased, but so did their prestige. Where even cart drivers used to scold them, they could now grab even respectable people's collars and push them aside. Ramanath's word had become law.
But not a single one of Jalpa's wishes had yet been fulfilled. On the day of Nag Panchami, several young women from the neighborhood came to play Kajri songs with Jalpa, but Jalpa did not come out of her room. In the month of Bhadon came the festival of Janmashtami. A wealthy merchant lived nearby, and the festival was celebrated at his house with great pomp. An invitation came for mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Jageshwari went, but Jalpa refused to go.
During these three months she had not mentioned jewelry to Rama even once; but her love of solitude was provocative in itself. Even more provocative was the old catalog that Rama had once brought home from somewhere. It contained designs of all kinds of beautiful ornaments, with their prices written beside them. Jalpa used to examine this catalog very carefully when she was alone. As soon as Rama appeared, she would hide it. She did not want to expose this heartfelt desire and become the object of his ridicule.
When Rama returned after midnight, he saw Jalpa lying on the cot. He said with a laugh, “There was very good singing going on. You made a big mistake by not going.”
Jalpa turned her face away and said nothing.
Rama said again, “You must have felt miserable lying here alone.”
Jalpa said sharply, “You say I made a mistake; I think I did the right thing. Whose face would have been blackened there?”
Jalpa had not intended to taunt him, but Rama's words provoked her. Another reason for her anger was that the entire household had gone to see the festivities while leaving her alone. If those people had any heart at all, would they not have refused to go?
Rama said embarrassedly, “There was no question of anyone's face being blackened. Everyone knows that the jewelry was stolen, and in these times having jewelry worth two or four thousand rupees made is not like taking a morsel of food from one's mouth.”
As he uttered the word “thief,” Rama's heart began to pound. Jalpa looked sharply at her husband and remained silent. She feared that saying anything more would make matters worse. But from her look, Rama imagined that she knew the secret of the theft and was not revealing it only out of hesitation. He remembered the dream Jalpa had seen on the night of the theft. That look began to pierce his heart like an arrow. He thought, perhaps I was mistaken. There is no feeling in this look except anger; but why does she not say something? Why has she become silent? Her silence was the terrible thing. To clear his own doubts and sound the depths of Jalpa's mind, Rama seemed to take a plunge into the water: “Who knew that this calamity would welcome you the moment you stepped out of the palanquin?”
With tears filling her eyes, Jalpa said, “I am not crying to you for jewelry. Whatever was written in my fate has happened. Whatever is written will happen in the future. Do women who do not wear jewelry not get through their days?”
These words removed Rama's suspicion, but the intense pain hidden within them did not escape him. Despite making every effort during these three months, he had been unable to save more than a hundred rupees. He had to spend a great deal on entertaining and honoring the officials; but without feeding and entertaining them, the work could not go on. They would all become his enemies and begin looking for ways to get him removed. He knew very well that free money could not be swallowed by one person alone. He himself never wasted even a penny. Like a clever merchant, whatever he spent was spent only in order to earn.
He said reassuringly, “If God wills, something will be made within a month or two.”
Jalpa—“I am not one of those women who would give their lives for jewelry. Yes, it is naturally embarrassing to go in and out of people's homes like this.”
Rama's heart became tormented with remorse. Every word Jalpa spoke dripped with disappointment. Who was responsible for this immense pain? Was it not also his fault that during these three months he had never once mentioned jewelry? If Jalpa had refrained from speaking about it out of modesty, did Rama have no other way to wipe away her tears and please her except remaining silent? There was one festival or another in the neighborhood every day. Women from nearby houses came to visit every day, and invitations came every day as well. How long could poor Jalpa continue suppressing her own feelings in this way, suffering inwardly? Who does not want to laugh and talk? Who likes remaining alone like a prisoner? It was because of me that she had to endure this terrible torment.
He thought: Could jewelry not be borrowed from a jeweler? He was acquainted with several prominent jewelers, but how could he make such a request to them? What if they refused? Or perhaps they would make some excuse and put him off. He decided that it would not be right to borrow just yet. What if he failed to pay the money when promised? He would only bring humiliation upon himself and have to suffer disgrace. He should be patient for a few more days.
Suddenly he thought of asking Jalpa's opinion on the matter. Let me see what she says. If she wants, I can take some pieces from a jeweler on promise of payment; I will bear the humiliation and embarrassment. To assure Jalpa that he cared greatly about her jewelry, he said, “I want to ask your advice about something. Should I ask or not?”
Jalpa was sleepy. With her eyes closed, she said, “Let me sleep now, please. I have to get up in the morning.”
Ramanath—“If you think it would be right, I could get some jewelry from a jeweler on promise of payment. There is no harm in that.”
Jalpa opened her eyes. What a harsh question it was! To ask a guest, “Shall I bring you something to eat?” is extremely discourteous. It implies that you do not really want to feed the guest. Rama should have brought the things and placed them before Jalpa. Even if she repeatedly asked, he should have said that he had bought them after paying the price. Then she would certainly have been happy. Asking her advice on this matter was like rubbing salt into a wound.
Looking at Rama distrustfully, she said, “I am not so eager for jewelry.”
Ramanath—“No, that isn't the point. What harm is there in taking some things from a jeweler? I will gradually repay him.”
Jalpa said firmly, “No, there is no need for you to take a debt for me. I am not a prostitute who will tear you apart and go my own way. I have to live and die with you. Even if I have to remain without jewelry all my life, I will never ask you to borrow money. Women are not so hungry for jewelry. There may be other women who would put the people of their household in difficulty in order to wear jewelry. But you had said earlier that the position brought in a great deal of income; I do not see any particular savings.”
Ramanath—“There certainly is savings, and there would have been a good amount, if only the officials allowed us to keep any of it. All these devils are sitting on my head. I had no idea that I would have to worship so many ghosts here.”
Jalpa—“Then what is the hurry? They can be made gradually.”
Ramanath—“Well, since that is your advice, I will remain quiet for another month or two. The first thing I will have made is a pair of bangles.”
Jalpa said emotionally, “Where will you have so much money already?”
Ramanath—“I have a way of arranging that. What kind of bangles do you like?”
Jalpa could no longer maintain her artificial restraint. She took the catalog of jewelry from the cupboard and began showing it to Rama. At that moment she was so eager that it was as though the gold had already been placed before her and the goldsmith were already sitting there; only the design remained to be selected. She chose two designs from the catalog. Both were in fact extremely beautiful. But when Rama saw their prices, he was stunned. One cost a thousand rupees, and the other eight hundred.
Ramanath—“Perhaps such things cannot even be made here, but tomorrow I will take a stroll through the jewelers' market.”
Closing the book, Jalpa said in a sorrowful voice, “Who knows when you will have so much money? Oh well, they will be made someday, someday. No one dies from not having jewelry.”
Rama could not sleep until very late that night, caught up in these thoughts. How beautiful these jeweled bangles would look on those fair, delicate wrists! Thinking of this dream, he did not know when sleep finally came to him.