The vision of beauty and youth dazzled him. He was confused and bewildered. He sprang on to his feet and ran home at full speed. He lay down on his mat in the shed. He was so much absorbed in his thoughts that he wouldnt get up when they called him in to dinner. His master walked to the shed DASI THE BRIDEGROOM 153 and shook him up.

What is the matter with you ?

he asked.

My marriage . She is there. She is all right.

Well, well. Go and eat and do your work, you fool, said his master.

Next afternoon Dasi was again at the Trunk Road.

This became his daily habit. Every day his courage increased. At last came a day when he could stare at her. His face relaxed and his lips parted in a smile when she pa.s.sed him, but that young lady had other thoughts to occupy her mind and did not notice him.

He waited till she returned that way and tried to smile at her again, though it was nearly dark and she was looking away. He followed her, his face lit up with joy. She opened the gate of her cottage and walked in. He hesitated a moment, and followed her in. He stood under the electric lamp in the hall.

The mother came out of the kitchen and asked Dasi, Who are you ?

Dasi looked at her and smiled ; at that the old lady was frightened. She cried,

Bama, who is this man in the hall ?

Bamini Bai came out of her room.

Who are you ?

she asked. Dasi melted at the sight of her. Even the little expression he was capable of left him. He blinked and gulped and looked suffocated. His eyes blazed forth love. His lips struggled to smile. With great difficulty he said, Wife wife, you are the wife .

What are you saying ?

You are my wife, he repeated, and moved nearer.

She recoiled with horror, and struck him in the face.

And then she and her mother set up such a cry that all the neighbours and pa.s.sers-by rushed in. Somebody i 54 DASI THE BRIDEGROOM brought in a police Sub-Inspector. Dasi was marched off to the police station. The members of the Mantapam used their influence and had him released late in the night. He went home and lay on his mat.

His body had received numerous blows from all sorts of people in the evening ; but he hardly felt or remembered any of them. But his soul revolted against the memory of the slap he had received in the face . When they called him in to eat, he refused to get up. His master went to him and commanded, Go and eat, Dasi. You are bringing me disgrace, you fool. Dont go out of the house hereafter.

Dasi refused to get up. He rolled himself in the mat and said,

Go, I dont eat. He turned and faced the wall.

On the following day Dasi had the misfortune to step out of his house just when the children of the Elementary School were streaming out at midday interval. They had heard all about the incident of the previous evening. They now surrounded him and cried,

Hey, bridegroom. He turned and looked at them ; there were tears in his eyes. He made a gesture of despair and appealed to them : Go, go, dont trouble me . Go.

Oh, the bridegroom is still crying ; his wife beat him yesterday, said a boy. On hearing this Dasi let out a roar, lifted the boy by his collar and hurled him into the crowd. He swung his arms about and knocked down people who tried to get near him.

He rushed into the school and broke chairs and tables.

He knocked down four teachers who tried to restrain him. He rushed out of the school and a.s.saulted everyone he met. He crashed into the shops and threw things about. He leapt about like a panther DASI THE BRIDEGROOM 155 from place to place ; he pa.s.sed through the streets of the Extension like a tornado .

Gates were hurriedly shut and bolted. A group of persons tried to run behind Dasi, while a majority preferred to take cover. Soon the police were on the scene, and Dasi was finally overpowered.

He was kept that night in a police lock-up, and sent to the Mental Hospital next day. He was not very easy to manage at first. He was kept in a cell for some weeks. He begged the doctor one day to allow him to stand at the main gate and look down the road.

The doctor promised this as a reward for good behaviour. Dasi valued the reward so much that he did everything everyone suggested for a whole week.

He was then sent (with a warder) to the main gate where he stood for a whole hour looking down the road for the coming of his bride.

21.

OLD MAN OF THE TEMPLE.

THE Talkative Man said : It was some years ago that this happened. I dont know if you can make anything of it. If you do, I shall be glad to hear what you have to say ; but personally I dont understand it at all. It has always mystified me. Perhaps the driver was drunk ; perhaps he wasnt.

I had engaged a taxi for going to k.u.mb.u.m, which as you may already know, is fifty miles from Malgudi.

I went there one morning and it was past nine in the evening when I finished my business and started back for the town. Doss, the driver, was a young fellow of about twentyfive. He had often brought his car for me and I liked him. He was a well-behaved, obedient fellow, with a capacity to sit down and wait at the wheel, which is really a rare quality in a taxi driver.

He drove the car smoothly, seldom swore at pa.s.sers-by, and exhibited perfect judgment, good sense, and sobriety ; and so I preferred him to any other driver whenever I had to go out on business.

It was about eleven when we pa.s.sed the village Koopal, which is on the way down. It was the dark half of the month and the surrounding country was swallowed up in the night. The village street was deserted. Everyone had gone to sleep ; hardly any light was to be seen. The stars overhead sparkled OLD MAN OF THE TEMPLE 157 brightly. Sitting in the back seat and listening to the continuous noise of the running wheels, I was half lulled into a drowse.

. All of a sudden Doss swerved the car and shouted : You old fool ! Do you want to kill yourself?

I was shaken out of my drowse and asked : What is the matter ?

Doss stopped the car and said, You see that old fellow, sir. He is trying to kill himself. I cant understand what he is up to.

I looked in the direction he pointed and asked, Which old man ?

There, there. He is coming towards us again. As soon as I saw him open that temple door and come out I had a feeling, somehow, that I must keep an eye on him.

I took out my torch, got down, and walked about, but could see no one. There was an old temple on the roadside ; it was utterly in ruins ; most portions of it were mere mounds of old brick ; the walls were awry ; and there was a main doorway with doors shut, and brambles and thickets grew over and covered them. It was difficult to guess with the aid of the torch alone what temple it was and to what period it belonged.

The doors are shut and sealed and dont look as if they had been opened for centuries now, I cried.

No, sir, Doss said coming nearer.

I saw the old man open the doors and come out. He is standing there ; shall we ask him to open them again if you want to go in and see ?

I said to Doss,

Let us be going. We are wasting our time here.

We went back to the car. Doss sat in his seat, pressed the self-starter, and asked without turning his head, Are you permitting this fellow to come with 158 OLD MAN OF THE TEMPLE us, sir? He says he will get down at the next milestone.

Which fellow? I asked.

Doss indicated the s.p.a.ce on his left.

What is the matter with you, Doss ? Have you had a drop of drink or something ?

I have never tasted any drink in my life, sir, he said, and added, Get down, old boy. Master says he cant take you.

Are you talking to yourself?

After all I think we neednt care for these unknown fellows on the road, he said.

Doss, I pleaded.

Do you feel confident you can drive ? If you feel dizzy dont venture to start the car.

Thank you, sir, said Doss.

I would rather not start the car now. I am feeling a little out of sorts. I looked at him anxiously. He closed his eyes, his breathing became heavy and noisy, and gradually his head sank.

Doss, Doss, I cried desperately. I got down, walked to the front seat, opened the door, and shook him vigorously. He opened his eyes, a.s.sumed a hunched-up position, and rubbed his eyes with his hands, which trembled like an old mans.

Do you feel better ?

I asked.

Better ! Better ! Hi ! Hi !

he said in a thin, piping voice.

What has happened to your voice ? You sound like someone else, I said.

Nothing. My voice is as good as it was. When a man is eighty he is bound to feel a few changes coming on.

You arent eighty, surely, I said.

OLD MAN OF THE TEMPLE 159.

Not a day less, he said.

Is n.o.body going to move this vehicle ? If not there is no sense in sitting here all day. I will get down and go back to my temple.