Ishwarchandra raised his head with a start and said, ‘Why? Is it midnight? No, it’s barely ten o’clock. I’m not in the least bit hungry.’
‘Just eat a little something, please.’
‘Not even a bite. I have to finish my article now.’
‘I’m watching you get worse day by day. You should get some medicine. You can’t work if you ruin your health.’
‘Should I worry about my health or should I worry about the conflict that has engulfed the entire nation? What’s one life lost in sacrifice defending thousands or tens of thousands of lives?’
‘Why don’t you hire a capable assistant?’
Ishwarchandra sighed and said, ‘I’ve looked everywhere but I can’t find one. I’ve been thinking about something for several days now and I will tell you if you promise to listen patiently.’
Manaki averred, ‘Say it. I will listen. And I’ll even agree if it’s agreeable.’
‘I want to bring Krishnachandra into this line of work. He has his MA now. He is also keen on this profession. It seems as if God has made him just for this line of work.’
Contemptuously, Manaki said, ‘Is your plan to drag him down with you? Is anyone going to worry about our family or is everyone just worried about the nation?’
‘Krishnachandra will not be worse off than anyone.’
‘Forgive me, but there is no way. He will enter some other profession where he has the chance to make a living. You can keep your home-ruining profession to yourself.’
‘Mark my words, you will regret it if you send him to law school. Krishnachandra is totally unsuited for that line of work.’
‘I don’t care if he has to work as a day labourer, but he will never go into your line of work.’
‘You’re trying to use me as an example that this profession has nothing but poverty to offer. But there are also fortunate people in this country who have become rich and famous because of newspapers.’
‘Even if it rained gold for people in this line of work, I still wouldn’t let him do it. This whole life has been wasted in austerity. I want to spend at least some of my life in luxury, too.’
This honest servant of the nation could not simultaneously bear the troubles of his people and the problems of his illness. It was barely nine months after this conversation when Ishwarchandra departed from the world. He had spent his whole life in nurturing the truth, defending justice and protesting the suffering of his people. There were countless times he had to become the object of his colleagues’ scorn or endure the mistrust of the people, even lose his friends, all to maintain his principles, but he never sacrificed his soul. He believed that money was nothing compared to self-respect.
As soon as the sad news spread, the entire city was overcome with lamentation. The markets were closed, memorial services were held, other newspapers abandoned their critical attitudes and, from all directions, one could hear people saying that the nation had lost an independent, honest and thoughtful editor, a fearless, selfless patriot, and that his place could never be filled again. His family had no idea that Ishwarchandra was so beloved by the people. When his funeral procession set out, the entire city marched with his bier. Monuments were being built to him. Scholarships were organized in his name, portraits of him were produced, but the most important was the statue that the members of the working class had erected for him.
It made Manaki happy to see the honour bestowed upon her husband by society. She now regretted that she had never recognized his godlike qualities or valued his pure feelings or his lofty thoughts. The entire town is mourning him. His writings must have made impressions so deep that they will never forget him, while I was a constant thorn in his way; I kept tormenting him with my frustrated desires until the very end. I would have been happy and considered it my good fortune if he had covered me with gold, built me a mansion or had acquired some land. But then no one in this country would have shed tears for him or sang his praises. Here lies one rich man after another. They leave the world and no one feels a thing. I’ve heard that they are going to name scholarships for students after my husband. Those students who will receive their education because of his scholarship will bless his soul until their dying breaths. Alas! I did not realize the essence of his frugality. My selfishness had made me blind.
As these feelings began to grow in Manaki’s heart; it also made her devotion to her husband grow. She was a proud woman. The commemorations and public honours lifted her head high. Besides, her economic status was not as troubling to her as it had been. Krishnachandra’s extraordinary assiduousness and intellectual fortitude had stood out in the courts. He certainly participated in national projects and he wrote articles for the papers when he was able. He had a special love for this work. But Manaki always tried to keep him away from such things. Krishnachandra restrained himself from saying anything to her. He didn’t want to hurt his mother.
It was the first anniversary of Ishwarchandra’s death. A feast for the Brahmins was organized in the evening. The poor were fed through half the night. In the morning, Manaki took her carriage to bathe in the Ganga. Her son’s devotion to his mother had allowed her long-held wish to be fulfilled. She was returning when she heard a band playing and after a moment she saw a procession coming towards her. In the lead was a contingent of horses and behind them was a mounted volunteer militia. Behind them were hundreds of horse-drawn carriages. And at the very end was the idol of some God on a decorated chariot. Countless men were pulling this chariot forward. Manaki started to think, Which God’s
