p/BhyI s{fZ_r p/Ym ahflhr Jlk\ p/iyivfnr mye wfs pfRfC ibmflr bshr Gfr. bR k~hfcr jhnlhr b[fk ahvfr jiRfz rfzfC kfzkth nhm-nh-jhnh ghfCr dhl. skhflr imi&t ahflhfy ahnf@v v[lfC ofvr kic kic phyh. Jk\Jfk k~hfcr ftibflr opfr s{fZ_r ahflh ahr kic phyhåflhr ahflhChzhr fKlh fZn jIbë ahlpnh. frhjkhr mye ibml wkkhp kiPfy cÑm[k ivfy ivfy fc&th krfC ofvr W ahnf@vr fKlhz fZhg ivfy. ikëÑ ahj fs fZn ikC[fye yh phrfCnh; fkble khfn bhjfC jz-wr kh»hBrh an[frhV, 'ipLj\ ftk fkzhr aP\ ahozhr Egl\ khet; ue uel PÇhe et\ wfgn fHhfzn ahe khm b]hk; ipLj\ fdh@t\ Prfgt\.' ibmflr glhr khfC fdlhr my wkth kI fZn ahtfk ahfC. b[fkr fByfr wkth chph b]Yh. w b]Yhr mrmI fkhYhz? khrºr-e smz fne, mn fne wmn wkth fChû Gtnhfk m{l] fvozhr. ibmflr *áI mhzh sbe fbhfJ. mhfJ mfV] fchfKr jl fmhfC; ikëÑ smz fkhYhz yhr? s}shr ahr kflfjr thnhfphfRfn fs iHmism KhfêC. ibmflr siy]khfrr shYI iCl W wkjne - fs W jz. jzfke ibml fShnhy yhr nhnhrfxr ivnåilr kYh. jz kyth b[Jy yh jhnbhr vrkhr ibmflr iClnh; mfnr vrjh K[fl Vry ahr aibrhm Vhrhz fbirfz ahsy Hhjhr Hhjhr Gtnhr fs/hy. ky ibicá *m<iy. ahj ibml chph glhz ghefy fc&th krl, 'ivnåil fmhr fshnhr K~hchz relnh, fse fZ ahmhr nhnhrfxr ivnåil'. s[r fymn fbrflhnh, ikëÑ aS/º Hfz JfR pRl yhr frStÑkÑ. wktÑ fZn Bhl fbhV krl ibml - kI Bhig]s, mhzh wKno G[imfz ahfC! fshPhz wktÑ gh wilfz ivfye ibmflr fchK pRl jz-wr fPfl Zhozh lhthe-G[iRr ivfk; ayIfyr *m<iyfy pRl ahbhr nhRh; w fZn lhthe fYfk K[fl ahsh s{fyhr wkth ivk, fZth s[rs[r kfr ftfn fbr kfr infz ahsfC ibmflr bH[ivfnr sZfyú åitfz rhKh nhnh s{fyhr bhi@dlthfk. ibml fchK bnß kfr fCfR ivl infjfk fse s{fyhr Hhfy; ahfï ahfï iPfr fgl fChtfblhr ivnåflhr snßhfn. k%pnhiblhsI mn brhbre ibmflr. ayIfyr ivnåflhr sf¤ jiRfz ahfC yhr ayIfyr k%pflhfkr khiHnI. iH@v[jhphRhz mhn[A Hflo fKlhr jgQth iCl ahkhfSr my fKhlhfmlh. rHmhn, eus[P, asIm, s[SIl ahr ibmflr G[iR oRhfnhr fkhno bhVh iCl nh. lhl, nIl, Hl[v, sb[j rfxr phylh phylh khgj pöÑr fvhkhn fYfk ikfn wfn, g~fvr ahth, b~hfSr s[phr Phen kiö, Zh eus[fPr my kfr ahr fku c~hCfy phfrnh, yhe infz FyrI Hy nhnh rfxr G[iR, l$bh l$bh flj lhghfnhfy phrvSI_ iCl asIm ... kI mjhe nh Hy ZKn G[iRåflh ahkhfS H[ H[ kfr ufT fZy. G[iRfy G[iRfy lhgy khthkhit; fs kI ufäjnh! ahjo mfn ahfC - vhv[ H~[fkh Hhfy infz wigfz ahsfyn ahr H~[fkh thnfy thnfy infv_S ivfyn - 'lhtheth Vr iTk kfr, wktÑ wigfz Zh, ipiCfz ahr wktÑ, ChR ChR ....' G[iRr oTh, nhmh, fkft Zhozhr sf¤ sf¤ vhv[r H~[fkhr thno uTy nhmy. ivvh phiTfz ivfyn m[iRr fmhzh, rHmhfnr mh ivfz ivfyn d~hsh d~hsh fpzhrh. ipphsh fpfl orh C[ft fZy mhfTr phfSe fvhln ivGIfy; a~hclh a~hclh kfr jl fKfz ahbhr fvùR mhfT - lhthe-G[iRr mhfJ. vhv[r yhmhfkr imi&t gnß, m[iRr fmhzhr s=hv ahr fpzhrhr rfsr ahs=hv ahjo ijfB flfg ahfC. ahjo mfn pfR sfnß]r fV~hzh-fV~hzh gnß, c~hv uiT uiT krfC ThkÑr vhlhfnr ufThfnr bR jhm ghCthr mhYhz, ghfCr ylhz phyh wkth fcùik, fZKhfn vhv[ bfs mHhBhry pRfyn; ahr v[p[frr nIrbyhz fZKhfn H[flh fbRhlth cÑp kfr bfs ipt\ipt\ kfr yhkhy ahr mhfJ mhfJ phzrhåflhfk yhiRfz infz fbRhy. ibml l$bh Hfz âfz pRy fcùikfy; wthe iCl yhr k%pnh krhr jhzgh. fchK bnß kfr fs C[itfz ivy yhr k%pnhr fGhRh; nh iCl yhr fkhn bhVh, nh lhghm. fs k%pnh kry, wkivn vhv[r my fso yhr nhiyr sf¤ oRhfb G[iR, ivvhr jhzghz Hhijr kry yhr ig»Ifk, fZ G~[ft ivfz Vrhfb un[n, yÑlfb bhghfn igfz fChû fChû ahkhSm[KI l}kh ahr bhnhfb Hhjhr Hhjhr m[iRr fmhzh ahr afnk afnk fmfzh, fkhnivn Zh PÑfrhfb nh. ikëÑ k%pnhr fGhRh y C[fte cly ... fCflr fbù'r Hfb mhYhBrh wkrhS cÑl; b~hVfy kI Jhfmlhe nh Hfb! yb[ b~hVh Hfb 'fshHhg fK~hph', fbnIPÑflr kÑiRr mhlh jiRfz fs kI apræp shj! fchK bnß kfre ibml b[k Bfr inS=hs inl; phglkrh fse gnß ahjo imilfz Zhzin. fchK K[ll ibml; mhzh bhYrºfm DÑfkfC. ibml fshPh fCfR fShbhr Gfr DÑkl; DÑfke fchK pRl vhv[r Cibr ivfk. âikfz Zhozh mhlh ahr c@vfnr fP~hth-pRhfnh vhv[r Cib fZn sjIb Hfz uTl. mfn pRl fse ibA» snß]h, fZivn fvS Bhg HfzfC. rhiár anßkhfr ivvh, mh, bhbhr Hhy Vfr philfz ahsh, ahr ahshr ahfge vhv[r Hhy Vfr ky khkÑiy imniy, 'vhv[, yÑim wklh fYk nh. cl, vhv[ cl.' ClCfl fchfK vhv[ bfliCfln, 'fvKh Hfb Bhe, fvKh Hfbe.' fs fvKh ahr Hzin ... khrh fZn vhv[fk v[ivn pfre kÑipfz fmfr frfK igfziCl. ivvhr b[kPhth kh»h, bhiRr sbhe fShfk aiBBçy, fku jhnfy phfrin - is~iRr fkhfn bfs ahkhfSr ivfk yhikfz ibml PÑ~ipfz PÑ~ipfz fk~fvfC ahr aiBmhn jhinfzfC, 'vhv[, yÑim nh bfliCfl fvKh Hfbe.' s[K v[:fKr phHhR fbfz ahj ibml wfs fp~ùfCfC jIbfnr uphfë. ikC[ mfnr ahSh ahr afnk Bhlbhsh ivfz fb~fVfC yhr bR shfVr bhsh. wkmhá fCfl p/Bhyfk infz yhr 's=pN', ... fse p/Bhy ibfz kfr infz ahsl k]hiYfk; mhzh fBfx pRl. ibml chel nh Hhr mhnfy; fmfn inl k]hiYfk. âV[ wkth an[frhV jhinfziCl, 'ipLj\ fdh@t itàm efzhr fHzhr fsh St_, flt et fg/h ... .' k]hiY imi&t fHfs s$miy jhinfziCl. k]hiYr mnit iCl nrm; BhryIz jIbnZháh fmfn infziCl sHfje. ibfzr pr BhryIz Vm_-vS_n infz k]hiY ahr ibmflr mfV] wkth sHj o s=hBhibk s$pk_ gfR ufTiCl. orh wke SHfr ahr wkth khChkhiC bhiRfy Yhky; mhfJ âV[ wkth phfk_r b]bVhn. yhe p/hze fvKhfShnh Hy. mhzho ahfï ahfï k]hiYfk fmfn infy iSKl. BhryIz rh»h fSKhl; pRfy fSKhl BhryIz khzvhz ShRI. k]hiYr sëhn s$Bhbnh s<i&t krl v[jfnr s$pfk_r mfV] gBIryh ... . ShârI-fbù'r g%p ânfy ânfy p/Bhy Bhby, fmfzrh kYh bfl bÄ fbSI smz n&t kfr. vIG_ivfnr pY-chozh ibml fZn nyÑn ahflhr ahBhs fpl. dhfzrI ftfn infz bfs pRl ... kÇhë ivfnr fSfA ahiC gBIr ahS=hfs k%pnh nh k%pnh nz, siy] fs fZ ahfs. fsivn SXK uTl fbfj, ul[V=in ivfy ivfy mhzh C[ft wfs jhnhl 'jz'-wr ahgmn bhy_h ... fs kI ulLhs, v[Hhy yÑfl nhcfy chel ibml. bzs HfzfC, w ahr mhnhz nh. wr pr bCr kfzk fkft fgfC; ibml ahr mhzhr p/iyivfnr khfjr yhilkhz jz-wr a}S afnkKhin. v[jfne b]ï Yhky v[bhiRr mfV] Zhozh-ahsh infz; jz iCl ibml-mhzhr jIbfnr fk@v/ib@v[. fbS s[fKe khtiCl ivnåflh. ahnf@vr ahfmfj-Brh imi&t C[itr ivnåflh jz-wr klkhkilfy Brp[r. k]hiY ip-wec-id fSA krhr ahfge e&t fkhf&tr wk nhmkrh kflfj aV]hpnhr khj fpfzfC. ibml bhVh ivflo w b]hphfr k]hiY fkhno infAV fmfn infy chel nh. wy bR s[fZhg Hhrhfy chz nh fs! p/Bhy s]hn fHhfsfy p/iyi&Ty dh|hr; wyivfnr p/]hkits fCfR yhr pfq e&t fkhf&t Zhozh s$Bb nz. p/Bhy k]hiYfk bhrbhr fbhJhfy fc&th krl, 'fyhmhr khfjr kI vrkhr? yÑim irshc_ krfy Bhlbhs, yhe infze khtho nh fkn? wfy skflre Bhl Hfb.' k]hiYr m[fKr YmYfm Bhb fvfK ibml ahr mhzh cÑp kfr rel ... shmfn khlFbShKIr e}igy! fbS ikC[ivn khtl; k]hiY p/hze C[ft C[ft ahsy. C[itChthfy y bfte. afnk fKlnh ahr be infz jz-wr mn jz krfy fc&th kry. jzfk yhr vhv[, ivvh, bhbhr khChkhiC frfK igfz k]hiY ini^cëe HfziCl. vhv[r Khftr phSitfy jz-wr Kht pfRfC; vhv[ irthzhr krhr pr vhv[r ahr jz-wr mfV] Bhb inibR fYfk inibRyr HfzfC. G[fmr ahfg vhv[r fChtfblhr g%p fShnh jz-wr iny] km_. vhv[ BÑlflo fs Vfr infz ahfs vhv[fk, ibChnhr phfS bisfz fvz; ârº Hz vhv[r J[il-Brh uphK]hn ... wkthr pr wkth. p/Bhy ikëÑ wVrf>r ibfêCv fmfn infy phriCl nh. k]hiYr sf¤ afnk rhy pZ_ë bH[ yk_ fs kfrfC; ikëÑ k]hiYr mn atl. fs fkble fbhJhfy fc&th krl p/Bhyfk - ahro ikC[ivfnr aiBôyh infz fs iPfr ahsfb. p/Bhy we wkhkIyü sH] krfy phriCl nh. evhnI} fs k]hiYfk ahr fPhn kry nh; k]hiYr p/s¤ wiRfz clfy ârº kfriCl. k]hiY fPhn krflo p/Bhy shRh ivfy chey nh. k]hiY w infz p/hze nhilS jhnhy ibml ahr mhzhr khfC. ikëÑ ibml ahr mhzh âV[ nIrb shqI; asHnIz w abÆh! ahjkhl k]hiY p/hze jz-wr sf¤ kYh bfl fPhfn; jz yhfy fbS mjh phz. 'mm\, eu fnh, vhv[ a]h@d ahe PÇhe khet wi` fd ahPthr ƒÑl. vhv[ ej\ fsh åd\ a]ht et ... eu uel lh-B\ et.' jz fbS JrJfr e}frjI kYh bfl; bh}lhth ahjkhl ârº kfrfC vhv[-ivvhr khfC Yhkfy Yhkfy ..., 'vhv[, fyhmhfk K[b Bhlbhis ahim. ivvh ahjfk ahl[ Bhjh krfb. ahim khet K[b Bhlbhis', ey]hiv. p/Bhy fCflr vhizyü p/hz p[frhthe mh-bhbhr Hhfy yÑfl ivfzfC; fkhn nh fkhn khfjr aiClhz infjfk b]ï rhfK, fZn sirfz infêC sbikC[ fYfk. ibml, mhzh sb b[fJo ïbß Hfz nIrfb fbvnhr phHhR bfz fbRhz; âV[ jz yhfvr wkmhá shëünh, ahSh, Brsh. mhzh mhfJ mfV] fk~fv fPfl, 'ahmhr Bz krfC fgh, kI fZn YmYm krfC shmfn.' H~]h, yhe Hl - wl JR. uiRfz infz fgl sb. Egl\ khetth fk fZn iC~fR infz fgl. fsivn ribbhr rhiá. wkth ajhnh ahS}kh shrhivn mhzhfk k&t ivfzfC. am¤flr s}fky ibmflr mfno fPflfC Chzh. JnJn kfr fPhn fbfj uTl; ibml C[ft igfz Vrl fPhnth. jz sfb G[imfzfC. oivfk k]hiY fBfx pfrfC kh»hz ... ahfbfg or glh YrYr krfC ... Bhbfy phfrin p/Bhy wy sHfj sb m[fC fPlfy phfr. 'wy kiTn, wy inìÑr!' ibml nIrb; fkbl jz-wr ivfk v<i&t pRfC. kic m[Kthfy kI wk ini^cië; ftid fbzhrth b[fkr khCitfy. wrpr ârº Hl ahsl pb_. aShië, ain^czyh, fkht_-khChrI, uikl. ahr wre mfV] ibml ahr jz-wr s$pk_ fZn gBIr fYfk gBIryr HfêC. mhzh ikëÑ Bz phfêC ... wktÑ wktÑ kfr sfr Yhkfy fc&th krfC ... ahbhr bj/phy Hfy phfr. Shë, inil_è p/kéiyr mhn[A mhzh. ibmflr opr jz-wr sb vhizyü chipfz ivfy phrfl fZn b~hfc ... w fZn anßkhfrr Bfz fchK bnß krh! p/Bhy-k]hiYr idfBhfs_r pr iTk HfzfC jz grfmr C[it khthfb mhfzr khfC. jz ikC[fye yh ânfb nh. vhv[-ivvhfk fCfR Zhfb nh ikC[fye; aYc mhfko khfC fpfy efêC kfr. afnk b[iJfz, wmnik imY]h kYh bfl ibml yhfk rhjI kirfzfC. G[iR oRhfnhr shYI Zhfb cfl ... mn chz nh jzfk fCfR ivfy. yb[ fZfy ivfy Hz; bhïfbr v<ª ahGhyfk sH] krfye Hfb. yhfsr Gfrr my sb fBfx pRfC ... fkhYhz wr fSA fk jhfn! ahr y ibml yhr k%pnhr fGhRh C[itfz ivfy phrfb nh; lhghmHIn fGhRh ahr y mfnr ahnf@v m[i|r ahflhz C[tfy phfb nh. ibml ahbhr b[fkr ZÖ>hth an[Bb krl. ufT igfz oA[V fKfz wfs âfz pRl jz-wr Khft. shrh ibChnhBrh jz-wr ghfzr gnß - jn\sn\ fbbI phudhfrr imi&t fnShfy ahêC» Hfz ibml G[imfz pfrfC. G[fmr mfV] icQkhr krfC ibml, 'ofr jz, Bhe lhtheth iTk kfr Vr fr, S| Hhfy Vr ... JR ahsfC ... ofr fkft fgl, fkft fgl fyhr G[iR; ahim phrlhm nh, ikC[fye phrlhm nh.' mhzhr fTlhfTilfy ibml ufT bfsfC ... mhzh k~hvfC ahr ibmflr b[fk Hhy fbhlhfêC ... "wy v[:K krC fkn? v[:K ik âV[ fyhmhr? shrh jIbnthe y G[iR oRhfnh, lhthe ahr G[iRr sf¤ ksrQ krh. G[iR y khtfbe. wKn s{fyh åitfz, lhthe-G[iR fPfl, Gfr fPrhr smz wfsfC." ibmflr v[fchK ivfz jflr Vhrh fnfm ahsfC ... , phfSr bhiRfy fk fZn ghefC, "jIbn ZKn âkhfz Zhz krº>h Vhrhz wfsh.."