tPyjvTktlmZcn \m«n³ ]pd¯pÅ Xsâ Cfsb ktlmZcnsb kµÀin¨p. Cu aq¯ktlmZcn ]«W¯nse Hcp hym]mcnsbbmWp hnhmlw Ign¨ncp¶Xv. CfbhfmIs« {Kma¯nse Hcp Irjohes\bpw. NmbIpSn¨psImWvSncp¶ B ktlmZcnIÄ kwkmc¯nÂteÀs¸«p. ]«Whmkn ]«WPohnX¯nsâ {]tbmP\§sf¡pdn¨p hmNmeambn ]dªpXpS§n. X§fpsS PohnXw F{X kpJIcw. F{X hntijs¸« hkv{X§fmWp X§Ä [cn¡p¶Xv, X§fpsS Ip«nIÄ AWnbp¶ hkv{X§Ä ImtWWvSXpXs¶. X§Ä Xntbädn t]mIp¶p, Fs´Ãmw hnt\mZ§fmWhnsS! k©mckuIcy§Ä F{Xam{Xw! C§s\ ]eXpw AhÄ hnhcn¨p]dªp.
CsXms¡ tI«t¸mÄ CfbhÄ¡p AtemkcapWvSmbn. AhÄ Hcp hym]mcnbpsS IpSpw_PohnXs¯ hnebnSn¨pImWn¨psImWvSv, Hcp Irjn¡mcsâ IpSpw_PohnXs¯ ]pIgv¯n¸dªp. AhÄ ]dªp: ""Fsâ PohnXcoXn Dt]£n¨p Rm³ \n§fpsS PohnXcoXn kzoIcn¡pIbnÃ. R§fpsS PohnXw ]cp¡\mbncn¡mw .F¶mÂ, R§Ä¡v D¡WvTbnÃ. \n§fpsS PohnXssien R§fptSXnt\¡mÄ sa¨s¸«Xmbncn¡mw. an¡t¸mgpw BhiyambXnÂIqSpX \n§Ä k¼mZn¡p¶pWvSmbncn¡mw. Cu ]gs©mÃv tN¨n tI«ncn¡pasÃm ""\jvShpw em`hpw Cc«ktlmZc·mcmWv.''Hcp Znhkw k¼¶cmbncp¶hÀ ASp¯ Znhkw `n£sXWvSp¶Xv A{X A]qÀÆaÃ. R§fpsS amÀ¤amWp IqSpX `{Zw. Hcp Irjn¡mcsâ PohnXw A{X kp`n£ambXsænepw AXv ZoÀLmbpÊpÅ H¶mWv. R§Ä Hcn¡epw Ipt_c·mcmbn hfcpInÃ. F¦nepw, R§Ä¡p `£n¡m³ thWvSpthmfapWvSv.''
tN¨n ]cnlmk¨ncntbmsS ]pe¼n:"" H¶p \ndps¯So. \nsâ {]kwKw Xct¡SnÃ. ]¶nIfpsSbpw ]ip¡p«nIfpsSbpw IqsSbpÅ s]mdpXn! tamSnsbbpw A´Êpä s]cpamäs¯bpw]än \n\s¡´p Np¡dnbmw. \nsâ `À¯mhv F´pam{Xw IjvSs¸«mepw \n§fpsS PohnXwt]mse Xs¶bmbncn¡pw \n§fpsS acWhpw. \n§fpsS k´XnIfpsSbpw KXn adn¨mbncn¡pInÃ.''
A\pP¯n hn«psImSp¯nÃ: "" AXns\´v? R§fpsS tPmen ]cp¡\pw XcwXmWXpamsW¶XpicnXs¶. F¶mÂ, BcpsSbpw ap¼n XeIp\nt¡WvS KXnsISpR§Ä¡nÃ. F¶mÂ, \n§Ä \n§fpsS ]«W§fn {]tem`\§fm hebw sN¿s¸«ncn¡p¶p. C¶v FÃmw icnbmbncn¡mw. F¶mÂ, \msf sNIp¯m³ tN¨nbpsS sI«ntbms\ NqXpIfn, aZyw, aZncm£n XpS§nbhsImWvSp {]tem`n¸n¡pw. FÃmw \in¡pw. C§s\bpÅ Imcy§Ä km[mcWbtÃ?''
Ìuhv h¨ncn¡p¶Xn\papIfnepÅ _Ín InS¡pIbmbncp¶Krl\mY\mb ]tlmw B kv{XoIfpsS kwkmcw tIÄ¡p¶pWvSmbncp¶p.
AbmfpsS Nn´ C§s\ t]mbn: "" AXv XnI¨pw icnbmWv. _meywImewapXte A½bmb `qanbn ]WnsbSp¡p¶ R§Ä Xnc¡nemWv. _p²niq\yambsXm¶pw XebneSn¨ptIäm³ Irjn¡mcmb R§Ä¡p t\canÃ. R§Ä¡pÅ GI t]cmbva Bhiy¯n\p `qanbnà F¶Xpam{XamWv. F\n¡p [mcmfw `qanbpWvSmbncps¶¦n sNIp¯ms\t¸mepw Rm³ `bs¸tSWvSbmhiyanÃmbncp¶p!''
B kv{XoIÄ NmbIpSn¨pIgnªp. Ipd¨pkabw IqSn thjhn[m\§sf¡pdn¨v AhÀ kwkmcn¨p. XpSÀ¶v Nmb¸m{X§fpw aäpw bYmØm\¯p h¨n«v AhÀ Dd§m³ InS¶p.
sNIp¯m³ BßKXw sNbvXp: ""At¸mÄ ]tlmta, AXmWp Imcyw! \aps¡m¶vGäpap«mw. Rm³ \n\¡p thWvSpthmfw `qan \evIpw. B `qan D]tbmKn¨p Rm³ \ns¶ Fsâ ]m«nem¡pw.''
II
B {Kma¯n\Sp¯v Hcp alXn Pohn¨ncp¶p. AhÀ Hcp sNdpInS`qhpSabmbncp¶pþ ap¶qdv G¡À hcp¶ Hcp FtÌänsâ. Irjn¡mcpambn AhÀ Ft¸mgpw \à _Ô¯nembncp¶p.F¶mÂ, Xsâ ImcyØ\mbn {]mbw sN¶ Hcp ]«mf¡mcs\ AhÀ \nban¨ Xns\¯pSÀ¶p Cu ]cnØn Xnbn Aev]w amäw h¶p. AbmÄ sXm«Xn\pw ]nSn¨Xn\psams¡ ]ngNpa¯n BfpIsf IjvSs¸Sp¯nbncp¶p. ]tlmw hfsc {i²n¨n«pw Nnet¸msgms¡ AbmfpsS hfÀ¯parK§Ä FtÌän AXn{Ian¨pIbdn hnf\mihpw aäpw hcp¯nbncp¶p: Nnet¸mÄ Hcp IpXnc "Hm«p' hnfbn Ibdpw, Hcp ]ip ]qt´m«¯n Ibdpw, ]ip¡p«nIÄ ]pÂtaSpIfn HmSn¡bdpw. CXns\Ãmw AbmÄ ]ng ASbvt¡WvSnh¶p.
]tlmw ]ng sImSp¯psImWvSncp¶p. F¦nepw, AbmÄ apdpapdp¡pambncp¶p. Hcp Znhkw tIm]m{Im´\mbn ho«nÂsN¶ AbmÄ IpSpw_mwK§tfmSp a\pjy¸änÃmsX s]cpamdn. B th\¡mew apgph\pw ]tlman\v H¯ncnieyapÅXmbncp¶p. AXnsâ ImcWw CuImcyسXs¶. ioXImew h¶t¸mÄ AbmÄ¡p kt´mjamWpWvSmbXv. hfÀ¯parK§sf sXmgp¯n sI«nbn«p. Ahbv¡pI¨nsImSp¡p¶Xv A{X lnXIcambn AbmÄ¡ptXm¶nbnsænepw ]pÂtaSpIfn Ah tabm³ t]mbncp¶t¸mÄ ]ng AS¨Xpt]mse Ct¸mÄ ]ng ASbv¡msX B D¡WvTbn \n¶p c£s¸«sÃm F¶v AbmÄ IcpXn.
B ioXIme¯v Hcp hmÀ¯ ]c¶p; FtÌäpSabmb alXn AXv hnev¡m³ Xocpam\n¨ncn¡p¶p. s]mXp\nc¯nt\mSp tNÀ¶p k{Xw \S¯nbncp¶ HcmÄ AXv hm§p¶Xn\mbn hnet]iepIÄ \S¯pIbmWs{X. Cu hmÀ¯ Irjn¡msc ]cn{`m´cm¡n. AbmÄ B FtÌäphm§nbm Ct¸mgs¯ B Imcyس Npa¯ns¡mWvSncn¡p¶Xnt\¡mÄ IqSpX ]ngIÄ Npa¯n X§sf hebv¡psa¶v AhÀ IcpXn. B FtÌäns\ B{ibn¨mWv AhÀ Ignbp¶Xv. FtÌänse \nhmknIÄ X§fpsS IayqWnsâ ({Kma¡q«mbva)t]cn DSaØtbmSmhiys¸«p k{X¡mc\p `qan hnev¡cpsX¶v, AbmÄ \evIp¶Xn sa¨s¸« hne X§Ä \evImsa¶v. AhÀ AXn\p k½Xn¨p. X§fpsS IayqWn\pthWvSn B tXm«w apgph³ hm§p¶Xn\pw AXv FÃmhcpsSbpw s]mXpkz¯mbn D]tbmKn¡p¶Xn\pw thWvSXpsN¿m³ AhÀ DZyaw \S¯n. C¡mcy§Ä NÀ¨ sN¿p¶Xn\v AhÀ cWvSp{]mhiyw tbmKw tNÀ¶p. ]t£, Hcp Xocpam\¯nse¯m³ AhÀ¡mbnÃ. sNIp¯m³ AhcpsSbnSbn Ass\Iyw krjvSn¡pIbpw A§s\ Hcp Xocpam\¯nse¯m³ AhÀ¡p km[n¡msXhcnIbpwsNbvXp. X·qew, B `qan Hmtcmcp¯cpw hyàn]cambn AhchcpsS Ignh\pkcn¨p hm§m³ \nÝbn¨p. `qhpSa t\ct¯ ]dªImcy¯n\p k½Xn¨Xpt]mse Cu Xocpam\¯n\pw k½Xw aqfn.
A§s\bncns¡ ]tlmw tI«pXsâ HcbÂhmkn AXn \n¶v A¼tX¡À hm§m³ t]mIps¶¶v; A{Xbpw `qan AbmÄ¡v AXnsâ hnebpsS ]IpXn scm¡w Imip hm§n¨pw _m¡n XpI Hcp sImÃw IgnªpsImSp¯m aXnbmIpsa¶pw DSaØ k½Xn¨ncn¡pIbmsW¶v. ]tlman\v AkqbtXm¶n.
AbmfpsS Nn´ C§s\t]mbn:""Cu \nebv¡p Imcy§Ä \o§nbm B Øew apgph³ hnäpt]mIpw. F\n¡v AXn H«pw In«pIbnÃ.''
AXpsImWvSv AbmÄ Xsâ `mcytbmSp]dªp. ""aäp a\pjyÀ Øew hm§n¡q«pIbmWv. Ccp]tXm AXn IqSpXtem G¡À `qan \½fpw hm§Ww. PohnXw Akm[yambn amdns¡mWvSncn¡p¶p. Cu Imcyس ]ngNpa¯n \s½ sRcp¡pIbmWv.''
AhÀ Hcpan¨p Nn´n¨p. A{Xbpw Øew hm§m³ X§sf s¡mWvSv F§s\ km[n¡pw? X§fpsS ]¡Â DÅXv \qdv dq_nfmWv. AhÀ Hcp B¬IpXnc¡p«nsb hnäp; tX\o¨¡qSpIfn ]IpXnbpw. AhcpsS Hcp aIs\ Iqen¸Wn¡p ]dªb¨v \nÝnX Imet¯¡pÅ Ahsâ Iqenap³IqÀ taSn¨p. XnIbmsXh¶XpI Hcp Afnbt\mSp hmbv]bmbn taSn¨p. hkvXphm§m³thWvSXnsâ ]IpXn XpI C§s\ H¸ns¨Sp¯p.
Cu XpI kzcp¡q«nbn«v ]tlmw \mev]Xv G¡tdmfw `qan XncsªSp¯p. AXn Ipsd `mKw h\ambncp¶p. hne]dbm\mbn AbmÄ DSabpsS ]¡se¯n. AhÀ Hcp F{KnsaâpWvSm¡n. ]ckv]cw lkvXZm\w sNbvXp XpI Ahsc ap³Iq«n Gev]n¨p. A\´cw AhÀ ]«W¯nÂt]mbn B[mcw sagpXn cPnÌÀ sNbvXp. hnebpsS ]IpXn XpI scm¡w sImSp¯p; _m¡n cWvSp sImïn\Iw sImSp¡m³ [mcWbmbn.
A§s\, Ct¸mÄ ]tlman\p kz´ambn `qanbpWvSmbn. AbmÄ IrjnsN¿m\pÅ Npäph«§sfmcp¡n. hn¯p ISw hm§n.hm§nb `qanbn AXp hnX¨p. hnfhv \ÃXmbncp¶p. Hcp sImÃw sImWvSp hkvXphnsâ _m¡n XpI sImSp¡p¶Xn\pw Afnbt\mSp ISw hm§nb Imiv Xncn¨psImSp¡p¶Xn\pw km[n¨p. C§s\ ]tlmw Hcp `qhpSabmbn. Xsâ kz´`qanbn AbmÄ hn¯p hnX¨p; hnfhv sImbvsXSp¯p, I¨n tiJcn¨p, hr£§Ä sh«nadn¨n«p, I¶pImenIÄ kz´w ]pÂtaSpIfn taªp. Xsâ hbepIfn Dgp¶Xn\pt]mbt¸mÄ, [m\ys¨SnIÄ hfÀ¶phcp¶XpIWvSt¸mÄ, Xsâ ]pÂtaSpIfn t\m¡nbt¸mÄ AbmfpsS lrZbw kt´mjw sImWvSp \ndªp. AhnsS hfcp¶]pÃv, AhnsS hnScp¶]pjv]§Ä asähnsSsb¦nepw hfcp¶Xpt]msebpÅhbsöv AbmÄ ¡ptXm¶n. ap¼v, B `qanbneqsS IS¶pt]mbncp¶t¸mÄ atäsXmcp `qanbpw t]mse Xs¶bmWv AXpw AbmÄ¡p ImWs¸«ncp¶Xv. F¶mÂ, Ct¶m! ØnXn ]mtS amdnbncn¡p¶p.