"I don't seem to recognize you." "Have you just come?" "That's right." "My name is Sri Gobindolal Chakraborty." "I teach in this village." "I am here for twenty years." "Namaste." "Sitting here... in the evening... on the Saha's ghat..." "No... no... don't misunderstand me but... those who believe in... ghosts and spirits they prefer the evenings..." "What about you?" "I am carefree." "I also have a special interest in ghosts and spirits but I haven't been fortunate enough to spot one myself." "You see this book?" "In this house of the Sahas an absolutely astonishing event happened." "It's all recorded here." "You got an interview with one, I bet." "That's right but... how many appreciate my powers?" "They think I am high on hash but who can make them understand?" "Even Ayurveda says that smoking hash stokes the imagination." "Your story..." "Want to hear it?" "You can call it a story or history... please listen carefully," "listen:" "about thirty years ago, in the beginning of the month of January, one morning, a carriage stopped at the Saha residence at Manikpur." "From the carriage alighted a young Bengali man" "Saha and his wife Monimalika." "The old manager of the estate," "Teenkori, escorted the couple to the upstairs room." "Upon the death of the father, the son had inherited the estate." "Phanibhusan relocated himself and his wife from Calcutta to" "Manikpur to claim his inheritance." "It is a matter of pride that you have come to stay here." "I'll finish all the work and then quietly bide my time." "Well, now you take charge of everything." "Everything is yours but I am concerned about your wife." "There is no need to worry." "She will get used to living here after awhile." "Anyway I am here for anything you may need." "Don't worry." "There won't be any problems." "Okay." "Then I will carry on." "Okay." "Take your leave." "Moni," "how do you like it?" "See that?" "Boats with our jute, our boats." "What bird is that singing?" "Ask Bhagirath." "Bhagirath?" "My servant." "So tell me." "How do you like it Moni?" "How calm." "How peaceful." "Moni," "I brought you here because you wanted to come." "If you don t like it then..." "I like it very much." "My aunty." "She was known for her beauty." "If I wore as much jewellery" "I would be too." "Even without it, you are." "Oh!" "So you don't want to give me jewellery, I suppose." "Haven't I given it to you before?" "So you won't give me anymore?" "I will, now I will." "What do you say?" "Oh!" "There is a condition, I suppose?" "What?" "What condition?" "You have to love me." ""You have to love me."" "By uttering these magic words he thought he could gain her love." "He was under that impression." "He failed to realize that crudeness would have more impact than gentlemanly behaviour." "Women like to have sour mango and hot pepper." "A deer seeks a hard tree trunk to sharpen its antlers." "It is not satisfied with the soft banana tree." "Phanibhusan was like the banana tree." "Anyway, one afternoon after this incident:" "Mistress, someone is here to see you." "Why is he here?" "The master is in the office." "He has come to see you." "To see me?" "That's right." "He claims to be your brother." "My..." "Do you recognize me?" "Bhagirath, you may go now." "I think you don't recognize me." "My name is..." "I know." "Oh, you remember me?" "How fortunate I am." "What do you want?" "I live in the next village." "I heard you had come." "What do you want from me?" "Don't worry Moni, I haven't come to talk about the past." "What past?" "And what is there to talk about?" "Even if there was, I did not come to speak about that." "You are getting me wrong." "I don't have time." "Tell me what you want." "I need some work." "What work?" "Alms." "What?" "I will die of starvation." "Monimalika, I have come to you..." "What can I do?" "If you talk to your husband for your distant cousin, a job in his office..." "I will speak to him if you promise never to return to this house." "Sure, unless the office falls under the domain of this house." "I don't want to listen to you anymore." "Okay then I won't disturb you anymore." "Don't." "Or else it won't be good." "If ever you need me for anything..." "No." "I don't see that happening." "Okay." "I am leaving." "Moni" "Moni" "Bhagirath" "What's this?" "Oh you." "I was getting worried." "How do I look?" "What's the reason?" "Just like that." "Didn't you say you don't have any jewellery?" "Have you seen how I have decorated the bed?" "If I don't do all this how do I bide my time?" "Is this anything to say?" "If you are finding it difficult to pass your time here then don't stay." "Go back to Calcutta." "No, not to Calcutta." "Not anymore." "They don't like me." "You think I don't know?" "What are you saying, Moni?" "Who doesn't like you?" "Who doesn't like you?" "All the relatives because I couldn't have a child." "Moni..." "Moni... now, now." "You are behaving like a child." "No I am not behaving like a child." "We are married for ten years." "You are laughing?" "Don't you feel anything?" "You actually don't feel anything?" "Tell me, honestly tell me, don't you think I am unlucky?" "That I am a bad omen?" "Moni..." "Moni." "How can you think such thoughts?" "How?" "How can you say this?" "You don't think so?" "Listen to me..." "Moni..." "look at me." "We both want a child." "Just because... can't you understand how much I love you eh?" "Moni..." "Moni?" "Then how did I get this feeling?" "You won't any more, don't let it." "Throw all your fears and worries into the river." "What do you say?" "Oh, what did he say his name was?" "Er... er..." "Madhu..." "Madhusudhan." "That's right." "He's my... your distant cousin, isn't he?" "That's right." "Do you think you can..." "Yes." "I have already made arrangements." "Are you happy?" "Yes." "The tune plays softly the tune plays softly" "Oh, you have come?" "What's that?" "But that's not the reward for your song" "for that I'll owe you one." "What happened?" "Moni..." "Monimalika..." "You know..." "Yes, tell me." "How long has Bhagirath been employed here?" "Why do you ask?" "You tell me." "Before my birth." "Why?" "Moni?" "Today as I was looking through my jewellery box he entered my room... and... was looking longingly." "Don't laugh." "Look here Moni." "You can doubt me if you want but not Bhagirath." "What if he does something?" "Then I shall punish him and why do you keep playing with your jewellery all the time?" "People will think you are mad." "What else is there to do?" "You tell me." "Fine." "Play with your jewellery as much as you please." "It's your right to do so, you are a queen." "Of cards?" "Do you know what queen?" "What queen?" "Jute queen" "Alas, Phanibhusan, did your simple mind ever imagine that all your fancy dreams would come to nought?" "The crux of your wealth your peace, your happiness... jute." "That same jute one day would light up to darken your future." "The losses are immense, aren't they?" "Yes." "I have to do something," "There's no other way." "What will happen?" "Don't worry," "I'll make some arrangements." "How?" "Don't worry... don't worry..." "Then why are you worrying?" "What arrangements?" "Tell me." "This is all business talk." "You won't understand" "Tell me, I'll try." "I have to make good the losses." "How much?" "Do you have the money?" "That's what i am thinking about." "Can't my jewellery make up for the losses?" "What?" "My jewellery?" "Moni, will you give me your jewellery?" "What happened?" "What happened?" "I did not ask for your jewellery, Moni?" "You would have." "What?" "How can you..." "You would have" "I know, you would have." "That's what you were thinking." "No." "No, Moni." "I never even considered such a thing." "Then what were you thinking?" "... I was thinking..." "I was thinking of going to Calcutta to arrange for some money, but how can I leave you alone here and go?" "And you won't go to Calcutta." "I have no other option but this Moni." "Oh, you can go." "I'll be all right." "I won't have any problems." "You will be all alone?" "So what?" "I'll be all right." "Moreover, Bhagirath is also here." "I won't have any problems." "You go." "I have to go, Moni." "I have no other option, almost thirty thousand rupees." "What if you don't get the money?" "I will get it." "Once I get the money, I'll get you a..." "Careful, Phanibhusan, the future seems unfavourable." "You went to Calcutta because you had no other option, but then why didn't you compel your wife to go with you?" "What is wrong with your manhood?" "Don't you know that your wife is sick?" "and incapable of making decisions?" "Is this obsessive greed of" "Monimalika normal?" "Who's that?" "It's me, Madhusudhan." "Oh, come in." "Where are you?" "What happened?" "Have you dyed your hair?" "I can't believe it." "I have to go to my father's house." "You have to take me, you have to take me." "It's very important." "Can't you go after a couple of days?" "In just a couple of days, your husb..." "I know." "I can't tell you anything." "Don't ask me." "Tell me." "Will you take me?" "You want to go to your father's house?" "And I have to take you there?" "Your husband?" "Will you take me or not?" "Tell me, will you take me or not?" "Will you go or not?" "Tell me." "Wait, wait Monimalika," "Wait." "Let me sit down." "Let me think." "Will you go or not, tell me." "I will go, but then what?" "Do you know why my husband has gone to Calcutta?" "I can well guess." "She wants to go to her father's house and I..." "See?" "Can you see?" "If he can't arrange the money none of this will be left." "Then nothing will be left, everything will be over." "I will not let that happen." "Are you planning to take it with you?" "If I don't take it, how will I survive?" "I will die." "When do you plan to come back?" "Will you go?" "Will you go?" "Tell me, will you go?" "Tell me, will you go or not?" "Today, there is a drama." "Today?" "Send Bhagirath to watch it." "This very day?" "This very day?" "Come in." "Are you ready?" "Just a minute." "Let me sit down for a while." "A question has come to my mind." "I thought I would ask you." "Tell me." "You are deserting a person so dear to you... don't you have any regrets?" "I have one regret." "He had promised to bring me some jewellery." "I won't get that." "Let's go." "Come." "What about..." "What?" "Your box?" "What box?" "Your jewellery box?" "I have worn them all." "I won't part with them as long as I live." "What... come on." "Moni?" "Moni?" "Moni!" "What happened?" "Yesterday there was a drama... she told me..." "Tell me, where has she gone?" "Don't blame me..." "I don't know... anything..." "I don't know anything..." "There was no news of her." "You have to pay for your sins." "There's no forgiveness, no escape." "Did you call, master?" "Turn off the lamp." "Moni" "Moni" "Moni" "Moni" "Did you want something?" "No." "Are you listening?" "I thought you had fallen asleep." "Okay, listen." "The next day was the full moon." "Moni you have come back?" "So?" "You heard the story?" "How did you like it?" "Excellent story but full of factual errors" "Errors?" "How do you know?" "My name is Phanibhusan Saha" "Namaste."