t]mÄk¬ h¡oensâ _w¥mhnsâ H¶mw\nebpsS a«p¸mhn \n¡pIbmWv tPm¬ hÀKokv. sXm«Sp¯v Ìoen XoÀ¯ sdbnenwKn ]nSn¨v kZm ]p©ncns]mgn¡p¶ apJhpambn AUzt¡äv B\okv t]mÄ.
tPm¬ hÀKokv Ahsf ASnapSn H¶p ho£n¨p. Xmsg kzoIcWapdnbn ]utemk¨\pw Xsâ UmUnbpw B\oknsâ ]¸bpw Ccn¡pt¼mÄ F§s\bmWv \nb{´Ww hn«p t\m¡p¶Xv? AXp icnbÃ. AhnsS AS¡hpsamXp¡hpapÅ kpµcnbmbn t{Sbn Im¸n¡¸pIfpambn IS¶ph¶ B\okn\p t\tc tPm¬ hÀKokv Ht¶ t\m¡nbpÅq.
sNdp]p©ncntbmsS Im¸n¡¸v t{Sbn \ns¶Sp¯t¸mÄ ssIhncepIfpsS `wKn {i²n¨p. XncnsI AIt¯¡p Ibdnt¸mIpt¼mÄ ]utemk¨sâbpw UmUnbpsS I®pIÄ sh«n¨v, kar²amb \oWvS apSnbngIfpw \nXw_KpcpXbpsS Ne\mßIXbpw tPm¬ hÀKokv BkzZn¨p. ChÄ Xs¶ Fsâ s]®v F¶p a\Ênepd¸n¡pIbpw sNbvXp.
Sot¸mbnse at\mlcamb ssN\okv ]nªmW¯nÂ\n¶pw s\¿n hdp¯ IiphWvSn¸cn¸pIÄ FSp¯p sImdn¡p¶Xn\nSbn t]mÄk¬ h¡o ]dªp:
""C\n sNdp¡\pw s]®n\pw Fs´¦nepw X½nev kwkmcn¡ms\msWvS¦nev AXv \S¡s«. AXp Ignªmhmw aäp Imcy§fv''.
t]mÄk¬ h¡o tPm¬ hÀKokn\p t\tc t\m¡n hmÕey]qÀÆw Nncn¨p. `mKyapsWvS¦n Xsâ acpaI\mbn htcWvS ]¿\mWv. IÃp¦Â Xdhm«pImcpambpÅ _ÔpX F´psImWvSpw X\n¡p \ÃXmWv. sNdp¡\v s]®ns\ CjvSs¸«m aXnbmbncp¶p.
""t]mÄk¬ ]dªXp icnbm. Ahcv X½nev ASp¯dnbp¶Xv \ÃXm. ssZhm\p{KlapsWvS¦n Ahcv Hs¯mcpant¡WvSXtÃ?''.
]utemk¨³ t]mÄk¬ h¡oens\ \ymboIcn¨p.
""hcq tPmWn'' t]mÄk¬ h¡o Aev]w kzmX{´ysaSp¯v tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ Hma\t¸cp hnfn¨p.
AXptI«v FÃmhcpw Nncn¨p. AhcpsS Nncn kzoIcWapdnbpsS aqebnepw hmXn adhpIfnepw \n¶ncp¶ s]®p§fnte¡pw ]SÀ¶p. AhnsSbmsI Hcp sNdpNe\apWvSmbn.
t\cnb IkhpIcbpÅ apWvSv HXp¡n¸nSn¨v tPm¬ hÀKokv t]mÄk¬ h¡oen\p ]n¶mse apIÄ \nebnte¡pÅ amÀ_nÄ ]SnIÄ Ibdn. ]n¶mse t]mÄk¬ h¡oensâ `mcy Beokv aIfpsS ssI]nSn¨v kvsä¸pIÄ Ibdm³ XpS§n.
a«p¸mhnte¡pÅ hmXn Xpd¶v t]mÄk¬ h¡o tPm¬ hÀKokns\ B\bn¨p. sXm«p]n¶mse Hcp Nncnbpambn Beokv Xsâ aIfpambn F¯n.
""C\n \n§Ä kwkmcn¨ncn¡v''. ap«p¸mhnse skänIÄ NqWvSn¡mWn¨n«v t]mÄkWpw Beokpw AhÀ¡p ]n¶n hmXn sasà Nmcn.
AIse ]¨t¸msS Xg¨p \n¡p¶ hbteeIsf XgpIn h¶ ]Snªmd³ Imäv AhfpsS AfI§sf sasà Npw_n¡p¶Xv tPm¬ hÀKokv IuXpIt¯msS t\m¡n. Xmsg kzoIcWapdnbnepWvSmbncp¶ ImgvNbpsS \nb{´Ww Ct¸mgnhnsSbnÃ. tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ t\m«w IWvSv B\okv aµlkn¨p. B aµlmkw tPm¬ hÀKokn\njvSambn. Ah\pw aµlmkt¯msS Ahsf t\m¡n.
""tPmWo¶mWtà t]cv?''.
B\okv h¡oensâ IpkrXntbmsS tNmZysadnªp.
""hfsc ASp¸apÅhÀ A§s\ hnfn¡pw. B\okn\pw A§s\ hnfn¡mw''.
B\okv adp]Snsbm¶pw ]dªnÃ. ]Icsamcp ]p©ncn IqSn k½m\n¨p.
""Rm³ B\oknsâ t^mt«m t\cs¯ ]{X¯nev IWvSns«mWvSv''. AhfpsS kmam\yw \oWvS Igp¯nsâ `wKn BkzZn¨psImWvSv tPm¬ hÀKokv ]dªp.
""AXv Rm³ hmZn¡p¶ tIkpIfpsS {]tXyIXsImWvSv ]{X¡mcv FgpXp¶Xm. H¶p cWvSp XhW Ahcv Fsâ Fsâ t^mt«mbpw ]{X¯nev sImSp¯p''. B\okv Hcp \nanjw \ndp¯nbn«v XpSÀ¶p.
""_emÂkwK¯nepw thiymhr¯nbpsS NXn¡pgnbnepw s]Sp¶ s]¬Ip«nIfpsS tIkpIfmWv Rmt\säSp¡p¶Xv. Fsâ ]¸ t]cp tI« tembdmsW¶dnbmatÃm. ]¸ [mcmfw k¼mZn¨n«pWvSv. ]mhs¸« B s]¬Ip«nIÄ¡pthWvSn hmZn¡Wsa¶v F\n¡p tXm¶n... ''. B\okv hoWvSpw aµlkn¨p.
tPm¬ hÀKokn\v Beoknsâ Xpd¶ kw`mjWw Gsd CjvSambn. AhtfmSv IqSpXÂ aXn¸pw tXm¶n.
Ah³ hnjbw amän.
""Fs¶¡pdn¨v B\okns\´dnbmw''.
""Rm³ tPmWnsb¡pdn¨v \¶mbn tI«n«pWvSv. ]utemk¨³ FÃmw hniZambn ]dªns«mWvSv''.
B\okv XpS˦p.
""]utemk¨³ R§sS Hcp IpSpw_ kplr¯mWv. ]¸ ]et¸mgpw ]utemk¨s\ ChvsS Iq«ns¡mWvSp hcpw. IÃp¦Â XdhmSns\¡pdn¨v R§Ä [mcmfw tI«ncn¡p¶p''.
AhÄ hoWvSpw Xsâ a[pcamb aµlmkw Xqhn.
""Fsâ h¡o ]Wn¡v ]utemk¨sâ \à kt¸mÀ«pWvSv. Rm³ ]¸bpsS PqWnbdmhmWsa¶mbncp¶p ]¸bpsS B{Klw. AXp \S¶nÃ.'' B\okv hoWvSpw Nncn¨p. H¸w tPm¬ hÀKokpw ]¦ptNÀ¶p.
B\okv hoWvSpw hmNmebmbn.
""tPmWn! \ap¡v h¡oensâ tIm«v Agn¨p hbv¡mw asäs´¦nepw kwkmcn¡mw''.
""F¦n tNmZn¡s«. Xpd¶p ]dbWw. B\okn\v Fs¶ CjvSamtbm?''
""CjvSambnsæn Rm\nhnsS Ibdn hcnÃmbncp¶p. Fsâ ]¸tbmSpw a½ntbmSpw F´pw Xpd¶p ]dbm\pÅ kzmX{´yw Ahsc\n¡p X¶ns«mWvSv''.
Xs¶¡mÄ Aev]w s]m¡ IqSpX B\okn\ptWvSmsb¶p kwibn¨psImWvSv Ahsf ASnapSn Hcn¡ÂIqSn t\m¡n tPm¬ hÀKokv ]dªp:
""F\n¡v B\okns\ IWvSam{Xbn Xs¶ CjvSambn. Ct¸mÄ Cu a[pcamb hm¡pIÄ IqSn tI«t¸mÄ CjvSw Cc«n¨p''.
""tPmWo Xpd¶p ]dbp¶XpsImWvSp asäm¶pw tXm¶cpXv. Rm³ Nne BZÀi§Ä¡pthWvSnbmWv h¡oensâ Ip¸mbanSp¶Xv. hnhmlw Fsâ s{]m^j\p XSÊamhcpXv''.
tPm¬ hÀKokv s]s«¶p {]XnIcn¨p.
""Rm\pw Nne BZÀi§Ä Im¯pkq£n¡p¶ BfmWv. hna³kv en_ns\¡pdns¨ms¡ Rm\pw NnesXms¡ hmbn¨ncn¡vWp. Fsâ `mcy ASnambn ASp¡fs¡«n IgnbWsa¶v Rms\mcn¡epw B{Kln¡p¶nÃ. B\okn\v kzX{´ambn Nn´n¡mw. {]hÀ¯n¡mw. \½psS hnhmlw \S¡pIbmsW¦n AXnsem¶pw XSÊapWvSmInÃ''. tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ kzcw ZrVamIp¶Xv B\okv {i²n¨p. AXhÄ¡v Gsd CjvSambn.
Ct¸mÄ tPm¬ hÀKokv Dd¸n¨p. CÃ. B\okn\v Xsâb{X s]m¡anÃ. Igp¯nsâ `wKnbmÀ¶ \ofhpw sslloÂUv sNcn¸pamWv Ahsf DbÀ¯n¡mWn¡mWn¡p¶Xv. Cu BImchSnhpw \oWvSnSws]« I®pIfpw \oWvS \mknIbpw Nph¶ NpWvSpIfpw Xm\njvSs¸Sp¶p. ChÄ Fsâ s]®v. Fsâ PohnX ]¦mfnbmIm³ P\n¨hÄ.
Ah³ a\Ên {]mÀ°n¨p. ]utemk¨\p kvXpXnbmbncn¡s«. B kabw ]Snªmdp \n¶p IS¶ph¶ IpkrXn¡mäv AhfpsS \\p¯ kmcn¯p¼ns\ DbÀ¯n Ahsâ apJt¯¡p ]c¯n.
{^©p s]À^yqansâ amZIamb ]cnafw Ahsâ apJamsI {]kcn¨p. Ah³ tImcn¯cn¨p t]mbn. B\okv sXÃp eÖ IeÀ¶ NncntbmsS kmcn¯e¸v hens¨Sp¯p. sXÃpt\ct¯¡v A\mhrXamb AhfpsS hSnshm¯ amÀhnS¯nsâ `wKn Ahsâ I®pIfnepS¡n.
Xmsg kzoIcWapdnbnÂ\n¶pw s]m«n¨ncnbpsS AeIÄ AhcpsS ImXpIfnte¡v F¯nt¨À¶p.
AXp {i²n¨v B\okv ]dªp. ""Fsâ ]¸ Fs´¦nepw shSns]m«n¨p ImWpw. ]¸bpsS kzcamWv apg§nt¡Ä¡p¶Xv''.
""At¸mgv B\okn\v Fs¶ CjvSamsb¶v Rm³ ]dbs«''.
""tPmWn¡v Fs¶ CjvSamsb¶p sXfn¨p ]dªpsImÅq''. AhÄ eÖ IeÀ¶ aµlmkt¯msS hmXn Xpd¶v AIt¯¡p Ibdn. ]n¶mse tPm¬ hÀKokpw.
kzoIcWapdnbnse NncnbpsS AeIÄ Ct¸mghÀ IqSpX hyàambn tI«p. AhÀ cWvSmfpw kmhImiw amÀ_nÄ ]SnIfnd§n kzoIcWapdnbn {]thin¨p.
""F´m cWvSmfpsSbpw Xocpam\w?''.
t]mÄk¬ h¡o Aev]w D¨¯nÂXs¶ tNmZn¨p. tPm¬ hÀKokv Nncn¨p. B\okv XnSp¡¯n AIs¯ apdnbnte¡p Ibdnt¸mbn.
""R§Ä¡v CjvSambn. C\n \n§fv ImcWh·mcv Xocpam\saSp¯m aXn''.
tPm¬ hÀKokv apZrhmb kzc¯n samgnªp.
""AXv sicn. At¸mÄ R§¡v BtemNn¡m\pÅ kabw \n§fv XcWnÃ''.
H«p Xami IeÀ¶ kzc¯n t]mÄk¬ h¡o ]dªp. AXptI«v FÃmhcpw Nncn¨p. tPm¬ hÀKokpw B Nncnbn ]¦ptNÀ¶p.
]utemk¨³ Imcy¯nsâ Kuch¯nte¡p IS¶p. ""C\ot¸m R§Ä¡v A[nIw BtemNn¡ms\m¶panÃ. IpªphdoXv ChvsSsbmWvSv. tN«³ Bip]{XoemsW¶v \n§Äs¡ms¡ AdnbmatÃm. F¶mepw Hcp NS§n\v h¡oensâ s]§·mcpw A\nb·mcpsams¡ "sNdp¡³ ImWen\v' Xdhm«nte¡p hcp¶Xv kt´mjamWv. AXmWsÃm AXnsâsbmcp acymZbpw \m«p\S¸pw''.
]utemk¨sâ hm¡pIsf IpªphdoXpw ]n´m§n. ""]ntÅÀ¡v CjvSs¸« \nebv¡v A[nIw sshInt¡WvS. F¶mepw NS§pIsfms¡ \S¡s«. A[nIw sshIn¡WvS''.
""ASp¯ RmbdmgvN Xs¶ R§ft§m«p hcmw. ]¯p ]Xn\©pt]cp ImWpsa¶p Iq«nt¡mfq. Afnb·mtcw A\nb·mcpsS `mcyamtcw Abbv¡WatÃm. Ahcv h¶v A§pd¸n¡s«. \ap¡v H¯p IeymWw Cu amk¯nev Xs¶ \S¯mw. F´m F¶men\n DuWp Ign¡mw''.
t]mÄk¬ h¡o FWoäp. AXn\p ]n¶mse aäpÅhcpw. AhÀ hnimeamb kzoIcWapdn IS¶v ssU\nwKv lmfn {]thin¨p. hn`hkar²amb Hcp kZy Ahsc Im¯ncn¡p¶p.
ssU\nwKv lmfnsâ hmXn adIÄ¡¸pd¯pw P\meIfpsS AgnIÄ¡¸pd¯pw \n¶ s]®p§fpsS I®pIÄ tPm¬ hÀKoknte¡p \oWvSp.
AaÀ¯n¸nSn¨ IpipIpip¡epIÄ DuWp Ign¡p¶hÀ tI«nsöp \Sn¨p. BXntYbÀ hnf¼p¶Xnepw AXnYnIÄ hn`h§fpsS kzmZnepw {i²n¨p.
B\oknsâ Xnf¡apÅ I®pIÄ hoWvSpw hoWvSpw tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ ta hoWp. AhfpsS apJ¯v Hcp KqVkvanXw X§n\n¶p. B \nanjw AhfpsS lrZbw tPm¬ hÀKoknsâ lrZbhpambn tNcm³ sImXn¨p.