United States or British Indian Ocean Territory ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
On the way to the station, we stopped for my cousin, Jotin Ghosh, whom I called Jatinda. He was a new convert, longing for a guru in the Himalayas. He donned the new suit we had in readiness. Well-camouflaged, we hoped! A deep elation possessed our hearts. "All we need now are canvas shoes." I led my companions to a shop displaying rubber-soled footwear.
I must confess to a slight feeling of satisfaction: Jatinda too had not escaped an encounter with the police! My glance of amusement was not without some exasperation. "And I shall tell Jatinda I am glad he was prompted by no mood of treachery, as it appeared, but only by the prudent instinct of self-preservation!"
Jatinda entered the ticket office; Amar and I sat on the platform. We waited fifteen minutes, then made unavailing inquiries. Searching in all directions, we shouted Jatinda's name with the urgency of fright. But he had faded into the dark unknown surrounding the little station. I was completely unnerved, shocked to a peculiar numbness. That God would countenance this depressing episode!
He was surrounded by several officers whom I had previously selected for their ferocious appearance. Under their formidable gaze, Jatinda agreed to account for his mysterious conduct. "'I started for the Himalayas in a buoyant spiritual mood, he explained. 'Inspiration filled me at the prospect of meeting the masters.
But Jatinda averted his gaze, directing it through the window at the scampering landscape. "Let the money be divided in three portions." Jatinda broke a long silence with this suggestion. "Each of us should buy his own ticket at Burdwan. Thus no one at the station will surmise that we are running away together." I unsuspectingly agreed. At dusk our train stopped at Burdwan.
After inquiries in our Calcutta neighborhood, I learned that cousin Jatinda had been absent one night but had arrived home the following morning in European garb. I sought him out and invited him to dinner. He accepted, quite disarmed by my friendly manner. On the way I led him unsuspectingly to a police station.
Word Of The Day