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We shall soon worm the truth out of Maini, and get plenty of eye-witnesses too." Ramzán was beside himself with terror. He followed Sádhu, clasped his feet, and groaned, "No, you won't do that! I am ready to divorce Maini. Let Allah's will be done." "Ah," replied Sádhu, "so you can listen to reason after all.
Between them was a mat, on which lay a bag full of money. Ramzán was received without salutations, and squatted down by Sádhu's side. Every one expected him to utter the formula, which would release Maini from his power. However, he sat silent, with downcast eyes.
"Go," he replied sullenly, and the old woman gathered up her belongings in a bundle and departed, leaving him to face the dark future alone. While brooding over his fate, he was startled by the sudden arrival of Sádhu. "Now I'm in for it," he thought and began to tremble violently while his features assumed an ashen hue. But Sadhu sat down by his side and said, "Ramzán, I've come about Maini".
"On Thursday morning she came to our house dripping wet and quite exhausted, with a story that your mother had turned her out of doors and that she was on her way to live with us when, on crossing the Padmajali Nullah, her foot slipped and she fell into the water. But Maini never told us that you were with her. Why, Ramzán, you're quaking in every limb.
On returning one evening from the fields, Ramzán was hailed by his mother who was evidently in a worse temper than usual. "Hi! Ramzán," she shrieked, "I am an old woman, and you, doubtless, find me an incumbrance. Speak out, my son; you have only to say 'go, and I will leave this house in half an hour." "Why, what's the matter, mother?" asked Ramzán with open eyes. "Matter," she yelled.
And the old woman wiped her tears away with a corner of her cotton wrapper, adding with eyes cast heavenwards, "Merciful Allah, to think that I should come to this in my old age!" "But what did she say?" repeated Ramzán wearily. "She told me to my face that I had forgotten to put salt into the curry!" "That's hardly abusive," rejoined Ramzán. "You think so," shouted Fatima.
The first night's march took the Guides sixteen miles to Nowshera, where after barely two hours' rest came orders to push on to Attock, another eighteen miles. To add to the hardships of this march, it so chanced that the Mahomedan fast of Ramzan was in observance, during which no follower of the Prophet may eat or drink between sunrise and sunset.
Their celebration of the Moharram, with tasteless and extravagant ceremonies, and their forty days' fast in Ramzan, were alike misplaced in a country where, from the movable nature of their dates, they sometimes fell in seasons when the rigour of the climate was such as could never have been contemplated by the Arabian Prophet.
"Foolish girl!" he exclaimed, "do you wish to return to a mother-in-law who hates and persecutes you? Will Ramzán be able to protect you?" Then lowering his voice, he added, "Is your life safe with those people?" "Life and death," rejoined Maini, "are in Allah's hands. It is his will that we should fulfil our destinies, and mine is to cling to my husband.
He is willing to pay the den mohur of Rs. 100 which would be due from you in case of repudiation. Now we want you to divorce her." Ramzán was overcome by his wife's magnanimity, and the thought of losing her drove him to distraction. "No!" he shouted, "I won't divorce her. I'll fetch her back this very day!" "That's quite out of the question," rejoined Sádhu.
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