The Complete Short Stories

sickly, she grew bigger and bigger like the waxing moon. After much running around, Munshiji heard about a well-educated boy. His father worked in the excise department at a monthly salary of four hundred rupees. Gulzarilal said to his wife, ‘We’ve got a boy from a good family. But the problem is—the boy doesn’t want to marry. His father and others have tried to persuade him; I also did my bit. But he’s not budging an inch. Says he’ll never marry. I can’t figure out why he hates marriage so much. He doesn’t give any reasons. Simply says it’s his wish. He is the only son of his parents. It is their greatest desire that he should get married, but what can they do? Well, they have accepted our gift of fruits, but made it clear to me that the boy is obstinate. If he doesn’t agree they’ll return the gift.’

‘Didn’t you ask the boy in private?’ his wife asked.

‘I did. He just kept sitting before me and crying. Then he got up. What can I say? I fell at his feet. But he just left the place without saying anything.’

‘Wait and see. How much we’ll have to suffer for this girl!’ his wife lamented.

‘Nowadays, boys are not serious. One reads in English books that many people in Europe like to stay unmarried. They are obsessed with the idea that peace and happiness in life is ensured if one remains unattached. Marriage brings with it all kinds of problems. When I was in college I too believed that I’d stay alone and enjoy myself.’

‘It’s true, actually. Marriage is the root of all problems. If you hadn’t married you wouldn’t have faced these problems. I’d have lived in peace too if I had stayed unmarried.’2

After a month the bridegroom wrote the following letter to Gulzarilal.

Esteemed Sir

Sincere greetings!

I’m writing this letter to you today in the midst of a mental dilemma. Please forgive my audacity.

Since you left our house, both my parents have been pressurizing me to get married. My father is annoyed with me while my mother keeps crying. They feel that I’m running away from marriage out of sheer obstinacy. They have also started thinking that I may have lost my character. I’m scared of telling them the actual reason because it will be a shock to them which might prove fatal. That is why I want to reveal to you the secret I’ve been harbouring in my mind for so long. I request you earnestly to keep it a secret and not to reveal it to them under any circumstances. What is bound to happen will happen. But I don’t want to drown them in sorrow as long as I can help it. For the last five or six months I have suspected that I have tuberculosis. All its symptoms are becoming apparent. Doctors too have the same opinion. I have shown myself to the two most experienced doctors here. Both of them are of the opinion that I have tuberculosis. If I tell this to my parents they will die crying. When I know that I am going to be in this world for a short while only, it is sin for me to even think of marriage. It is possible that if I take all the precautions I may live for one or two more years. But that’ll be very risky in my situation because if there are children then they too will be infected and die a premature death. My wife may also catch the infection from me. If I stay a bachelor, my decision will affect only me. If I marry, the lives of several people will be ruined. That is why my request to you is not to bind me in this bond. If you do, you’ll only regret it later.

Yours obediently,

Hazarilal

Gulzarilal read out the letter to his wife and asked, ‘What do you think of this letter?’

‘It looks as though he’s making it all up,’ his wife said.

‘Of course. I’m of the same opinion. He thinks people will leave him alone if he makes up such an excuse. He can’t be sick. I saw him, his face was glowing. It is pretty obvious when one is actually sick.’

‘Take God’s name and just fix the marriage. No one can read anyone’s fate anyway.’

‘I’m also thinking along these lines.’

‘Or show the boy to a doctor. If he really is afflicted with the disease then poor Amba will be left high and dry.’

‘Are you crazy? This is merely an excuse. I know very well how these lads think—he’s enjoying his life now and that once he gets married, it will all come to an end.’

‘Then prepare to send the lagan at an auspicious hour.’3

Hazarilal was in a dilemma. He was being forced to wear the shackles of marriage and he couldn’t do a thing about it. He had shared his secret with his prospective father-in-law, but no one believed what he said. He couldn’t muster enough courage to let his parents know about his ailment, thinking of the impact it would have on their minds and what they might do as a consequence. He toyed with the idea of sending testimonies from some doctor to his father-in-law, but what if his father-in-law didn’t believe that either? It was not at all difficult to get fake testimonies from doctors. ‘He must have paid some doctor to write the testimonies for him,’ he’d think. He wanted to marry, but the doctors had opined that if he married, his lifeline might be weakened. Instead of months, he might die in a matter of days.

The lagan had arrived. Preparations for the wedding were afoot. Guests were visiting. But Hazarilal stayed away from the house most of the time. Should I run away from home? His heart came to his mouth at the thought of marriage. What’ll happen to the poor girl? he wondered. What will she think of me when she gets to know about my ailment? Who will atone