34

Since morning Rajlakshmi had not sent for Binodini. Binodini went to the storeroom as she always did; Rajlakshmi did not raise her head to look at her. Binodini noticed this and said, "You are unwell, Pisima, I can tell. Small wonder, after your son's performance last night --- arriving like a madman at that hour. I did not sleep a wink after it." Rajlakshmi sat with her face set and stern and made no reply, neither yes nor no.

"No doubt he and his little wife have had some trifling spat," said Binodini, "and who must he come to straight away? There he is, running to me for either judgement or remedy before the night is out. I must say it, Pisima --- though I know you will not like it --- your son has a thousand virtues, but patience he has none. That is the cause of all our quarrels."

"Enough, Bou," said Rajlakshmi.

"You are talking falsehood. I do not wish to hear another word today."

"I do not wish to hear it either, Pisima," said Binodini.

"I have been lying to spare your feelings --- trying to cover your son's fault. But things have gone so far that they cannot be covered any longer."

"I know my son's faults and his virtues," said Rajlakshmi.

"But I did not know what a sorceress you were." Binodini drew breath to speak, then checked herself.

"You are right, Pisima," she said.

"No one truly knows anyone. Do we even know our own hearts? Let me ask you this --- have you never, out of displeasure with your daughter-in-law, wished to use this so-called sorceress to turn your son's mind elsewhere? Think carefully before you answer." Rajlakshmi blazed up like a fire.

"You wretched creature --- you dare slander a mother to her face regarding her own son? Has your tongue no shame?" Binodini said, quite unmoved: "Pisima, we are both of a kind --- sorceresses, as you say. What spell I was casting I did not fully know; you saw it. What spell you were casting you did not fully know; I saw it. But spells were being cast on both sides --- else none of this would have happened. I set my trap partly knowingly and partly without knowing. You set yours the same way. That is the nature of our kind." Rajlakshmi was so choked with rage that she could not speak.

She turned and walked rapidly out of the room. For a brief moment Binodini stood alone and still in the room. A fire kindled in both her eyes. When the morning's household tasks were done, Rajlakshmi sent for Mahendra. He understood that the events of last night were about to be discussed. His mind at that moment was already in disarray from the reply he had received to his letter to Binodini. The recoil from that blow had sent every wave of his turbulent heart surging towards her with greater force than before.

An exchange of recriminations with his mother on top of all this was more than he could manage. He knew that if his mother took him to task about Binodini, his resistance would fail him and he would blurt out the truth; and once the truth was spoken, a ruinous domestic war would be upon them. The wisest course was to go away from the house and think everything through clearly. So he told the servant: "Tell Ma that I have urgent business at college today and must leave at once --- I shall see her when I return." And with that he fled the house like a truant schoolboy, dressing hurriedly and going out unfed.

In his haste he left without the shirt in which he had been carrying Binodini's devastating letter --- the letter he had read over and over that morning and carried in his pocket. A heavy shower fell and then settled into a grey, steady drizzle. Binodini was in a black humour. When her mind was troubled, her habit was to plunge into work with greater vigour. Today she had assembled all manner of laundry and set to marking it. Seeing Asha's expression when she went to collect the clothes had soured her mood still further.

If the world will insist on making her the guilty party, why should she bear all the disgraces of guilt while reaping none of its pleasures? The rain came on in earnest, drumming heavily down. Binodini sat on the floor of her room surrounded by a mountain of clothes. Khemi the maidservant was handing the garments to her one by one, and Binodini was stamping each with marking-ink. Without knocking or announcing himself, Mahendra opened the door and walked straight in. Khemi threw her sari over her head and bolted from the room.

Binodini dropped the garment from her lap, was on her feet in an instant, and said: "Get out. Leave my room this moment."

"Why?" said Mahendra.

"What have I done?"

"What have you done?" said Binodini.

"You coward, you poltroon! What are you capable of doing? You cannot love properly; you cannot do your duty properly. Why do you ruin me before the world for nothing?"

"Do you say I do not love you?" said Mahendra.

"That is exactly what I am saying," said Binodini.

"Furtiveness and subterfuge, first this way then that --- I have grown to despise this sneaking quality in you. I want no more of it. Go." Mahendra seemed to crumple entirely.

"You despise me, Binod?"

"Yes. I despise you."

"There is still time to make amends, Binod," said Mahendra.

"If I hesitate no longer --- if I give up everything and go --- will you come away with me?" And with this he seized both her hands and pulled her towards him.

"Let go of me," said Binodini.

"You are hurting me."

"Let it hurt," said Mahendra.

"Tell me --- will you come with me?"

"No," said Binodini.

"I will not. Not on any terms."

"Why will you not? It is you who have drawn me to the edge of ruin --- you cannot abandon me here. You must come." And with great force he pulled Binodini against his chest and held her there, saying: "Not even your contempt can turn me back. I will take you with me, and one way or another, you will love me." Binodini wrenched herself free with all her strength.

"You have lit fires on every side," said Mahendra, "and now you can neither put them out nor run from them." His voice rose as he spoke; he said at full pitch: "Why did you play this game, Binod? You will not escape it by calling it a game now. For you and for me, there is but one end to this." Rajlakshmi came into the room.

"Mahin --- what are you doing?" Mahendra's wild gaze turned to his mother's face for one instant; then he looked back at Binodini and said: "I am leaving everything. Will you come with me?" Binodini glanced once at Rajlakshmi's furious face.

Then she stepped forward and, with perfect composure, took Mahendra's hand.

"I will," she said.

"Then wait for today. I am going now --- and from tomorrow, no one in the world shall exist for me but you." And with that Mahendra went out.

At that moment the dhobi appeared and said to Binodini: "Mistress, I cannot sit here any longer. If you haven't the time for me today, I'll come back tomorrow for the clothes." Khemi came in and said: "Bouthakrun, the groom says the grain has run out." It had always been Binodini who weighed out the week's grain and sent it to the stables, and stood herself at the window to watch the horses fed.

The servant Gopal came in and said: "Bouthakrun, Jhandu the bearer has had a quarrel today with Grandfather --- with Sadhucharan. He says once his kerosene accounts are settled he will go to Sarkar-babu and draw his wages and quit." The household went on as it always had.