A week had passed, and there was still no news of Rama. One person said one thing, another said something else. Poor Ramesh Babu came several times a day to inquire. All sorts of guesses were being made. The only thing known for certain was that Ramanath had gone toward the railway station at eleven o’clock. Munshi Dayanath suspected, though he did not say so openly, that Rama had committed suicide. This was what happened in such circumstances. He himself had seen several examples with his own eyes. Both the mother-in-law and father-in-law were putting all the blame on Jalpa. They openly said that he had died because of her. She had made his life unbearable. “Tell me, with such a small income, why did you think of going out every day and giving feasts? Why did you need all this?” No one felt pity for Jalpa. No one wiped her tears. Only Ramesh Babu praised her promptness and good sense, but in Munshi Dayanath’s eyes that act had no value. Running with water after setting a house on fire does not make one innocent!
One day Dayanath returned from the reading room with a long face. His face was naturally rather mournful, and when he wore such a look, even a child could have said that his temper was spoiled.
Jageshwari asked, “What is it? Did you get into an argument with someone?”
Dayanath—“No, I am worn out by these demands for payment. Wherever I go, people come running to tear at me. Who knows how much debt he has taken on? Today I made it quite clear: I know nothing. I owe nobody anything. Go and ask Mem Sahib for the money.”
Jalpa came in at that very moment and heard these words. In these seven days her appearance had changed so much that she could hardly be recognized. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Hearing these harsh words from her father-in-law, she was stung and said, “Yes. Send them directly to me. I will either explain matters to them or pay what they are owed.”
Dayanath said sharply, “What will you pay? It is a matter of thousands. Seven hundred alone is owed to one goldsmith. How much have you paid so far?”
Jalpa—“His ornaments are still here. They have been worn only two or three times. If he comes, send him to me. I will return his things. At most, he will take ten or fifteen rupees as compensation.”
As she said this and was going upstairs, Ratan arrived. Embracing her, she said, “Is there still no news?”
To Jalpa, there seemed to be an ocean of affection and sympathy in these words. This woman, who was not even a relative, was so concerned, while her own father-in-law and mother-in-law were relentlessly pursuing her. Strangers were better than one’s own people. With tears in her eyes, she said, “There is still no news, sister.”
Ratan—“What happened? Did you have some quarrel with him?”
Jalpa—“Not at all, I swear. He never even mentioned to me that the notes had been lost. If he had given me even the slightest hint, I would have given him the money. When he did not come home by noon and I went to the office looking for him, I learned that some notes had been lost. I went and deposited the money immediately.”
Ratan—“I think he has fallen for someone. In ten or fifteen days you will find out. If this does not prove true, I will give you whatever you ask.”
Jalpa asked in confusion, “Have you heard something?”
Ratan—“No, I haven’t heard anything, but that is my guess.”
Jalpa—“No, Ratan, I do not believe it at all. He does not have that fault, whatever other faults he may have. I have no reason to suspect him.”
Ratan laughed and said, “These men are experts at this art. What would a poor thing like you know about it?”
Jalpa said firmly, “If they are experts at this art, we women are not any less skilled at reading the heart. I cannot believe it. If he was my husband, then I was his wife too.”
Ratan—“All right, come on. Will you go out somewhere? Come, I’ll take you somewhere.”
Jalpa—“No, I have no time right now. Besides, the people at home are already determined to make my life miserable; if I go out now, they will not spare me. Where were you thinking of going?”
Ratan—“Nowhere. I just wanted to go to the market.”
Jalpa—“What do you have to buy?”
Ratan—“I’ll look at one or two things at the jewelers’ shop. That’s all. I want a bangle like yours. Babuji has finally returned the money after several months. Now I’ll look for one myself.”
Jalpa—“What is so special about my bangle? You can find much better ones in the market.”
Ratan—“I want one of exactly that design.”
Jalpa—“A ready-made one in that design will be difficult to find, and having one made takes months. If you cannot wait, take my bangle. I’ll have another made.”
Ratan exclaimed delightedly, “Oh, if you give me your bangle, what could be better! Shall I beat drums and announce it to the whole world? It cost six hundred, didn’t it?”
Jalpa—“Yes, it cost six hundred, but I had to spend months going from one goldsmith’s shop to another. I personally supervised the setting. I will give it to you.”
Jalpa took out the bangle and put it into Ratan’s hands. A strange look of pride appeared on Ratan’s face, as though a pauper had suddenly found the philosopher’s stone. This was the height of spiritual delight. In a voice filled with gratitude, she said, “I am ready to give you as much as you ask. I do not want to take advantage of you. Isn’t it already a great thing that you have given it to me? But there is one thing. I cannot pay all the money right now. Would it be a problem if I gave you another two hundred rupees later?”
Jalpa said courageously, “Not at all. If you wish, you need not give me anything.”
Ratan—“No, I have four hundred rupees with me at present, and I’ll give them to you. If I keep them, they will be spent somewhere else. Money never stays in my hands. What can I do? Until I spend it, I feel a kind of anxiety, as though a burden were sitting on my head.”
When Jalpa took out the bangle box to give it to her, her heart ached. How happy Rama used to be when he saw this bangle on her wrist.
If he were here today, would this thing have left Jalpa’s hands in this way? And who knew whether she would ever have the fortune to wear the bangle again? She tried very hard to control herself, but the tears came anyway.
Seeing her tears, Ratan said, “Leave it for now, sister. I’ll take it later. There is no hurry.”
Jalpa held the box out toward her and said, “Why, because you saw my tears? I am giving it to you for your sake. Otherwise, it was dearer to me than life itself. If I see it with you, it will give me some comfort. Please be kind enough not to give it to anyone else.”
Ratan—“Why would I give it to anyone else? I will regard it as a keepsake from you. Today, after so long, the desire in my heart has been fulfilled. The only sorrow is that Babuji is no longer here. My heart tells me he will return soon. He has gone away out of shame, and there is no other reason. The lawyer was also deeply saddened when he heard about it. People say that lawyers have hard hearts, but I see that he cannot hear of anyone’s trouble without becoming distressed.”
Jalpa smiled and said, “Sister, may I ask you something? You won’t take offense, will you? You cannot really love the lawyer, can you?”
For a moment Ratan’s cheerful, playful face became gloomy, as though someone had reminded her of that enduring affection over whose name she had wept long ago. She said, “It never even occurred to me, sister, that I am young and he is old. Whatever love and affection there is in my heart, I have offered all of it to him. Affection does not arise from youth, beauty, or wealth. Affection arises from affection. It is because of me that he is working so hard at this age, and who else does he have? Is that a small thing? Will you go somewhere tomorrow? Shall I come in the evening if you like?”
Jalpa—“I won’t go anywhere, but you must come. It will cheer me up for a couple of hours. Nothing feels good anymore. My mind runs from place to place like a monkey. I cannot understand why he was so reserved with me. That too is my fault. He must have seen something in me that made him feel it necessary to hide things from me. My only sorrow is that I could not win his true affection. We keep no secrets from the person we love.”
When Ratan got up to leave, Jalpa noticed that the bangle box was still lying on the table. She said, “Take it with you, sister. Why are you leaving it here?”
Ratan—“I’ll take it. What is the hurry? You haven’t even received the full amount yet!”
Jalpa—“No, no, take it. I will not agree otherwise.”
But Ratan went down the stairs. Jalpa remained standing with the bangle in her hand. A little later, Jalpa took five hundred rupees from the chest and went to Dayanath. She said, “Take this money and send it to Narayandas. I will pay the remaining amount very soon.”
Dayanath said awkwardly, “Where did you get the money?”
Jalpa replied without hesitation, “I sold the bangle to Ratan.”
Dayanath stared at her in astonishment.