34

The following day Baradasundari and the rest of their party arrived. Haran Babu, unable to restrain his vexation regarding Lalita, came directly to Paresh Babu’s house instead of going first to his lodgings. Baradasundari, in anger and wounded pride, entered her room without so much as a glance at Lalita and without exchanging a word with her. Labanya and Leela had also come away nursing a great deal of resentment against Lalita. Lalita’s and Binoy’s departure had left their recitation and performance so dismally incomplete that they were boundlessly mortified. Sucharita, however, had taken no part whatsoever in Haran Babu’s wrathful and caustic agitation, nor in Baradasundari’s tearful lamentations, nor in Labanya and Leela’s embarrassed despondency — she had remained utterly silent throughout, performing her allotted tasks as if by rote. Today as well she entered the house mechanically, last of all the group. Sudhir, shrunken with shame and remorse, turned back from the very gate of Paresh Babu’s house and went to his lodgings — Labanya repeatedly entreated him to come in, and when she failed, she fell out with him in her resentment.

Haran entered Paresh Babu’s room and declared at once, “A very great wrong has been done.”

Lalita was in the adjoining room; the moment the words reached her ears, she came and stood with both hands resting on the back of her father’s chair, her gaze fixed upon Haran Babu’s face without wavering.

Paresh Babu said, “I have heard everything from Lalita. There is no use in discussing what has already happened.”

Haran regarded the composed and temperate Paresh as a man of feeble character. He therefore spoke with a certain disdain: “Events, it is true, come and pass — but character remains; and for that very reason even what has passed must be discussed. What Lalita has done today would never have been possible had she not always been indulged by you — how much harm you have done her, you will understand clearly when you hear the whole of today’s affair.”

Paresh Babu felt a slight movement against the back of his chair, and quickly drawing Lalita to his side, took firm hold of her hand — and, smiling a little, said to Haran, “Panu-babu, when the time comes, you will discover that even affection has its necessary part in rearing a child.”

Lalita put one arm around her father’s neck, bent close, and whispered in his ear, “Baba, your bathing water will grow cold — go and bathe.”

Paresh Babu, mindful of Haran, replied softly, “I shall go presently — it is not so very late yet.”

Lalita said in a gentle voice, “No, Baba, go and bathe now — we shall be here with Panu-babu in the meantime.”

When Paresh Babu had left the room, Lalita seated herself firmly in a chair, fixed her gaze steadily upon Haran Babu’s face, and said, “Do you imagine you have the right to say whatever you please to everyone!”

Sucharita knew Lalita well. On another day, seeing Lalita in such a mood, she would have grown inwardly anxious. Today she sat in a chair near the window, a book opened before her, and looked silently at its pages. To hold herself contained within herself was Sucharita’s lifelong nature and habit. Over these several days, the pain of many kinds of blows had been gathering within her, and the more it accumulated the more silent she had grown. Today the weight of that silence had become unbearable — and so, when Lalita sat down to deliver her reckoning to Haran, the pent-up force within Sucharita’s sealed heart found, it seemed, some release.

Lalita said, “What duty Baba owes to us — do you suppose you understand it better than Baba himself? You have appointed yourself headmaster of the entire Brahmo Samaj!”

Haran Babu had at first been utterly taken aback by such audacity. He was now about to deliver a very sharp retort — but Lalita cut him short and said to him, “We have endured your sense of superiority for long enough. But if you intend to set yourself above Baba, then no one in this house will be able to tolerate you — not even our bearer.”

Haran Babu exclaimed, “Lalita, you —”

Lalita interrupted him and said in a sharp voice, “Be silent. We have heard enough from you; now hear what I have to say. If you do not believe me, ask Suchi-didi — my father is far greater than you imagine yourself to be. Now you may offer me whatever counsel you wish to give.”

Haran Babu’s face darkened. He rose from his chair and said, “Sucharita!”

Sucharita raised her eyes from the pages of her book. Haran Babu said, “Lalita is going to insult me in your very presence!”

Sucharita replied in a quiet voice, “It is not her intention to insult you — Lalita means only that you should show Baba the respect he deserves. There is no one we know who is as deserving of respect as he.”

For a moment it seemed Haran Babu would leave at once, but he did not rise. He remained seated with an expression of extreme gravity. The more he felt his dignity being eroded in this household, the more strenuously he exerted himself to occupy his seat of authority here. He forgot that a shelter which has grown unsound only crumbles the more the harder one clings to it.

Seeing Haran Babu sit in sullen silence, Lalita rose and went to sit beside Sucharita, and began to talk with her in a low voice — as though nothing of any consequence had occurred.

In the meantime Satish came into the room, took hold of Sucharita’s hand, and pulled at it saying, “Elder-didi, come.”

Sucharita said, “Where must I go?”

Satish said, “Come along — I want to show you something. Lalita-didi, you haven’t told her, have you!”

Lalita said, “No.”

It had been agreed between Satish and Lalita that Lalita would not reveal to Sucharita what concerned his aunt; Lalita had kept her promise.

Sucharita could not leave while a guest remained; she said, “Baktiyar, I shall come a little later — let Baba come first after his bath.”

Satish fidgeted restlessly. Had he been able to somehow make Haran Babu disappear, he would have spared no effort. But as he feared Haran Babu greatly, he could say nothing to him. Haran Babu had maintained no connection with Satish beyond occasional attempts to reform his character.

The moment Paresh Babu returned from his bath, Satish drew both his elder sisters away with him.

Haran said, “That proposal concerning Sucharita — I wish to delay no longer. It is my wish that the matter be settled this very coming Sunday.”

Paresh Babu said, “I have no objection to it — it needs only Sucharita’s consent.”

Haran. Her consent was obtained some time ago.

Paresh Babu. Very well then, let that be settled.