As soon as he saw Doctor Sahib, Budh hid the bottle and, getting up, salaamed him. An old lady brought out a stool for him. With some embarrassment Doctor Sahib laid out the whole incident. Budh said, ‘Huzoor, this is no big deal. Just this Sunday the police inspector’s watch was stolen, several investigations undertaken but nothing found. They called me. I found out as we spoke. I got five rupees as reward. Yesterday the Corporal Sahib’s horse went missing. He was running around in all directions. I gave him the address where the horse was found grazing. Thanks to these skills all the lords and masters trust me.’
The doctor was not interested in this talk about the inspector and the corporal. Whatever they are in the eyes of these illiterates, they are merely an inspector and a corporal. He said, ‘I don’t just want to get to the bottom of the robbery, I also want to punish the thief.’
Budh shut his eyes for a moment, yawned, snapped his fingers, then said, ‘This is the work of somebody from the house.’
The doctor said, ‘It doesn’t matter, whoever it is.’
The old woman said, ‘Later if anything goes amiss, huzoor will think ill of us.’
The doctor said, ‘Don’t you worry about that. I’ve given it a lot of thought. In fact, if this is the mischief of someone from the house then I want to be even stricter with them. If an outsider tricks me then he deserves pardon, but I could never forgive a family member.’
Budh said, ‘So what does huzoor want?’
‘Just that I get my money and misfortune strikes the thief.’
‘Shall I cast the spell?’
The old woman said, ‘No, son, don’t go near the spell. Who knows which way it’ll fall?’
The doctor said, ‘You cast the spell, whatever the fee and reward, I’m willing to pay.’
The old woman said, ‘Son, I’m saying it again. Don’t go after the spell. If something dangerous happens and this same babuji harasses you again, you won’t be able to remedy a thing. Don’t you know how hard it is to reverse the spell?’
Budh said, ‘Yes, Babuji! Think carefully one more time. I could cast the spell, but I don’t take responsibility for undoing it.’
‘Didn’t I just say I won’t ask you to undo it? Cast it now.’
Budh made a long list of the necessary items. The doctor thought it might be better to give him money instead of these things. Budh agreed. As he was leaving, the doctor said, ‘Cast such a spell that by morning the thief is before me with the money.’
‘Don’t you worry,’ Budh said.4
It was eleven when the doctor took off from there. The winter night was bitterly cold. His wife and mother were both up, on the lookout for him. To while away the time they had put a brazier between them which affected their minds more than their bodies. Coal was an item of luxury for them. The old maid, Jagiya, lay nearby, huddled under a piece of torn matting. Now and again, she would get up and go into her small, dark room, feel around for something in the alcove and then return to lie down in her place. ‘How late is it?’ she’d ask repeatedly. She’d start at the slightest sound and look around her with worried eyes. It surprised everyone that the doctor was not back at his usual time. He rarely went out at night to see patients. Even if some people had faith in his treatment, they dared not enter this alley at night. And he had no taste for cultural clubs and societies, or for the company of friends.
His mother said, ‘I wonder where he went, the food has gone completely cold.’
‘If a person goes somewhere he informs and goes. It’s past midnight,’ said Ahalya.
‘Something must have hindered him. Otherwise, when does he go out of the house?’
Ahalya said, ‘I’m going off to sleep, he can return when he likes. Who’s going to sit and keep watch all night?’
They were talking thus when Doctor Sahib returned. Ahalya stayed where she was; Jagiya stood up and stared at him in fear.
‘Where were you held up for so long today?’ his mother asked.
‘You’re all sitting pretty, aren’t you! I am late but why should you care? Go, sleep happily, I’m not fooled by these superficial demonstrations. If you got the chance you’d cut my throat, and you’re making an issue of this!’
Pained, his mother said, ‘Son! Why do say these hurtful things? Who is your enemy in the house to think ill of you?’
‘I don’t consider anyone my friend; all are my enemies, the destroyers of my life. Otherwise, would five hundred rupees vanish from my table as soon as my back was turned? The door was bolted from outside, no stranger came in, the money disappeared as soon as I put it there. Why should I consider them mine, those who are thus bent on slitting my throat? I’ve found out everything, I’m just returning from a sorcerer. He clearly said it’s the doing of someone in the house. It’s fine—as you sow, so shall you reap. I’ll show you how I’m no well-wisher of my enemies. If it was an outsider I’d perhaps have let him go but if the family for whom I toil day and night deceives me like this, they deserve no leniency. See what shape the thief is in
