40

Sucharita came down to the room below and stood before Haran-babu, saying, “Tell me what it is you have to say.”

Haran-babu said, “Sit down.”

Sucharita did not sit; she remained standing, still and composed.

Haran-babu said, “Sucharita, you are doing me a wrong.”

Sucharita said, “You are also doing me a wrong.”

Haran-babu said, “Why — what I have pledged to you still remains —”

Sucharita interrupted him midway and said, “Is right and wrong a matter of words alone? On the strength of those words do you intend to oppress me in deed? Is not one truth greater than a thousand falsehoods? If I have erred a hundred times, will you insist by force that my error takes precedence? Now that my error has been corrected, I will not honour any word I uttered before — to do so would be wrong on my part.”

Haran-babu could in no way understand how such a transformation in Sucharita could be possible. That it could have been brought about by him — that her natural stillness and gentleness could have been broken in this manner — he had neither the humility nor the insight to conceive. Silently laying the blame on Sucharita’s new companions, he asked, “What error had you committed?”

Sucharita said, “Why do you ask me that? I was of one mind before; I am of another mind now — is that not sufficient?”

Haran-babu said, “We have an accounting to render before the Brahmo Samaj. What will you say to the members of the community — and what shall I say?”

Sucharita said, “I shall say nothing at all. If you wish to speak, you may say — Sucharita is young, she has no sense, her mind is unsteady. Say whatever you please. But let this be the last word between us on this matter.”

Haran-babu said, “This cannot be the last word. If Paresh-babu —”

Even as he spoke, Paresh-babu arrived and said, “What is it, Panu-babu — what were you saying about me?”

Sucharita was at that moment moving toward the door to leave the room. Haran-babu called out, “Sucharita, do not go — let the matter be settled in Paresh-babu’s presence.”

Sucharita turned and stood. Haran-babu said, “Paresh-babu, after all this time Sucharita now says she does not consent to the marriage! Was it right of her to have made sport of so grave a matter for so long? And for this disagreeable development that has now occurred — must you not also bear a share of responsibility?”

Paresh-babu gently passed his hand over Sucharita’s head and said in a soft voice, “My dear, there is no need for you to remain here — go.”

The moment she heard these simple words, Sucharita’s eyes flooded with tears in an instant, and she quickly departed from that place.

Paresh-babu said, “The suspicion that Sucharita had given her consent to the marriage without fully understanding her own mind had arisen in my thoughts a good while ago — and it was for that very reason that I could not comply with your request to make your engagement public before the community.”

Haran-babu said, “Is it not possible to suspect that Sucharita then gave her consent with a full understanding of her own mind, and is now withdrawing it without any such understanding?”

Paresh-babu said, “Either is possible; but under such uncertainty a marriage cannot take place.”

Haran-babu said, “Will you not counsel Sucharita wisely?”

Paresh-babu said, “You know very well that I could never, to the best of my ability, counsel Sucharita unwisely.”

Haran-babu said, “Were that so, Sucharita could never have come to such a pass. The various things now happening in your household are entirely the result of your lack of judgment — I say this to your face.”

Paresh-babu smiled slightly and said, “You are quite right — who but I shall bear responsibility for all the consequences within my family?”

Haran-babu said, “You will have to repent for this — I tell you so plainly.”

Paresh-babu said, “Repentance is God’s mercy. It is transgression I fear, Panu-babu — not repentance.”

Sucharita entered the room, took Paresh-babu’s hand, and said, “Father, it is time for your prayer.”

Paresh-babu said, “Panu-babu, will you sit awhile then?”

Haran-babu said, “No.”

Saying which, he departed with swift steps.