‘Who said you’re terrible? Haven’t I known you ever since you were a child?’
‘Do you really know me?’
‘Why wouldn’t I? Listen, if the balance sheet itself is wrong, you will never be able to reconcile it, Riziya. That’s the truth. I think there were a great many errors in your balance sheet! But there’s no point thinking about all that and causing yourself pain.’
‘But I don’t feel like staying on here even for a minute. I’ll either commit suicide, or walk away to wherever my legs carry me.’
‘Don’t be crazy, Rizi!’
‘I’m not crazy, Dada. Perhaps I don’t want to commit suicide. But it is the final option. Or else I’ll try to go to Raqib. I heard that he is in Pune. Can you tell me how I can go to him?’
‘Why do you want to go to Raqib, dear? Have you lost your head altogether?’
‘Hmm, but that’s what everyone wanted at one time. Maybe that’s what is in my fate. You could say that.’
‘Isn’t there any other man in the world? If that is so, let me tell Kaka that they should look for Raqib and bring him back. Let them get you married to him after that, exactly as they wished. Why should you go looking for him?’
‘No one knows where Raqib is. He has not been in touch since
he left.’
‘Do you know?’
‘No.’
‘Then how will you go? And tell me why on earth you should go to a drunken rascal like him?’
‘I’m helpless, Dada. I have no other option now than to go to him. I’m sure I will find him. He must have gone to Pune to find a job. Can you do me a favour, Dada? Can you arrange for some money? And can you put me on a train?’
A mysterious smile appeared on Suman’s countenance. Just like the smile of respectable folk when they hear the childlike words of a beloved. And then, feigning a stern air, he said, ‘I think you’ve completely lost your senses. Do you think Pune is a small village? When you’ve decided to run away somewhere, go to Imam Saheb’s village house instead. I’ll get you his address. What do you think?’
Riziya’s face flushed. As soon as Imam Saheb’s name was mentioned, she reacted fiercely and said, ‘No! He’s a pure man, of a heavenly disposition! Since he’s left for fear of being sullied, let him be. Don’t mention him again.’
‘Shall I tell you something?’
‘Tell me.’
‘Will you come with me?’
‘I told you I’ll go with you. You’ll put me on a train. But get me out of here first.’
Suman couldn’t figure out how to tell her the real thing! He was in a terrible fix. He wondered how she would take it if he proposed to her directly. Right now, Riziya was impatient to leave this place. So did he need to engage in a bit of deception? How unethical would it be if he undertook deception while endeavouring to save someone’s life! And if it indeed was unethical, he did not think it was so condemnable. Suman said, ‘Get ready. I’ll take you away tonight itself.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘Yes. Trust me. I’ll be off now. So that’s it then.’ And as he said that, he rose from the chair. But before he took a step, he bent down a bit and said in a whisper, ‘Won’t you be able to make it somehow to the Shiva temple in Jogipara?’
‘Yes, I will. At what time?’
‘Let’s say, at two at night. Can you do that?’
‘I can, Dada. This is about me. I have to do it.’
‘Good girl!’
Riziya suddenly felt pleased to hear that. As if she had suddenly solved a difficult maths problem. And Suman had acknowledged that by calling her ‘good girl’! As students, there was a lot of competition to hear this phrase. But it was she who always defeated everyone and won the ‘good girl’ badge. The man could be trusted. Besides, she had no other option too!
Suman returned home and found that Sandip wasn’t there. He ardently wanted to announce his conquest of the world, his success. He switched the light off and sat in solitude in the darkness for a while. Suddenly, Sandip arrived. He had come by bicycle. Suman asked him, ‘Where had you gone at this time?’
‘I had some work to attend to, man! Do all the shops here shut by eleven at night?’
‘I guess you need cigarettes?’
‘No. I have them. I didn’t go to get cigarettes. I couldn’t do what I wanted. Let it be. Tell me your news, about that other matter. How far did you get?’
‘She’s agreed.’
‘Wow! If she’s willing, then who’s to say anything!’ Sandip said, laughing loudly. And then he said, ‘Come along with me tomorrow. We’ll make some arrangements.’
‘That’s not possible. I have to take her away tonight itself, in a few hours.’
‘What are you saying! How can I handle it if you people suddenly run away without any plan?’
‘Dada, you don’t have to handle anything. If Riziya can set out, why can’t I?’
‘Achchha, all right. And money?’
‘I have it. I have cash, there’s some money in the bank. There won’t be a problem.’
