Fanenb³ Hcp Iqen¸Wn¡mc\mbncp¶p. Hcp bPam\\pthWvSn AbmÄ thesNbvXncp¶p. Hcp Znhkw tPmenØet¯¡p Hcp ]pÂtaSneqsS \S¶pt]mb AbmÄ Xsâ t\tcNmSnhoW Hcp Xhfsb Nhnt«WvSXmbncps¶¦nepw, IjvSn¨p AsXmgnhm¡n. s]s«¶vBtcm ]n¶n \n¶pXs¶ hnfn¡p¶Xp AbmÄ tI«p.
Fanenb³ Npän\pwt\m¡n. Hma\¯w Xpfp¼p¶ Hcp s]¬Ip«nsb AbmÄ IWvSp. AhÄ AbmtfmSptNmZn¨p,
""Fanenb³, \n§sf´mIeymWw Ign¡m¯Xv''
""Fsâ sImt¨, Rm³ F§s\ IeymWw Ign¡pw?''
AbmÄ AhtfmSp ]dªp: "" Cu [cn¨ncn¡p¶ hkv{XaÃmsX F\ns¡m¶panÃ. Fs¶hnhmlw sN¿m³ Hcp s]®pw ImWpIbnÃ.''
"" Fs¶ IeymWw Ignt¨mfq, F\n¡njvSamWv ''þ AhÄ ]dªp.
Fanenb\pw B s]s¦m¨ns\ CjvSambn. AbmÄ ]dªp: ""F\n¡v AXv hfsc CjvSjvSamWv. ]t£, \mw FhnsS, F§s\Pohn¡pw?''
""AtXmÀ¯p hnjant¡WvSm,'' B Ip«n ]dªp."" HcmÄ IqSpX tPmensN¿pIbpw Ipd¨p Dd§pIbpw am{Xw sNbvXm aXn, At¸mÄ HcmÄ¡p FhnsSbpw `£n¨pw hkv{Xw [cn¨pw Pohn¡m³ km[n¡pw'' AhÄ ]dªp.
""sImÅmw! hfsc kt´mjw \ap¡p hnhmlnXcmImw,'' Fanenb³ ]dªp. AbmÄ XpSÀ¶p tNmZn¨p.'' \mw FhnsS t]mIpw?''
""\ap¡p ]«W¯nte¡pt]mImw,'' AhÄ {]XnhNn¨p. A§s\ Fanenb\pw Ahfpw ]«W¯nte¡pt]mbn. ]«W¯nsâ At§bä¯pÅ Hcp IpSnente¡p AhÄ Abmsf sImWvSpt]mbn. AhÀ hnhmlnXcmbn. AhÀ IpSpw_PohnXamcw`n¨p.
Hcp Znhkw cmPmhv Fanenbsâ IpSnen\Sp¯pIqSn IS¶pt]mIm\nSbmbn. Fanenbsâ`mcy cmPmhns\ ImWm³ ]pd¯nd§nh¶p. cmPmhv Ahsf {i²n¨p\nco£n¡pIbpw hfsc BÝcy`cnX\mIpIbpw sNbvXp.
""Cu almkpµcn FhnsS\n¶ph¶p?''cmPmhv ]dªp. hWvSn\ndp¯nbn«v Fanenbsâ `mcysb hnfn¨p At±lw AhtfmSp tNmZn¨p, "" \o BcmWv?''
""IÀjIsXmgnemfnbmb Fanenbsâ ]Xv\nbmWp Rm³,'' AhÄ adp]Sn ]dªp.
cmPmhv tNmZn¨p, ""C{Xbpw kpµcnbmb \o F´psImWvSmWp Cu km[pIÀjIs\ hnhmlw sNbvXXv? \osbmcp cmÚnbmtIWvShfmWv.''
AhÄ ]dªp, ""A§bpsS IcpWmakrWamb Cu hm¡pIÄ ¡p \µn. F¶mÂ, Rm³ ]dbs«, Hcp IÀjI\mb `À¯mhv F\n¡p Gäw tbmPn¨h\mWv.''
Ipd¨pkabw AhtfmSp kwkmcn¨n«v cmPmhv hWvSntbmSn¨p t]mbn. At±lw cmPsIm«mc¯n Xncns¨¯n. F¶mÂ, Fanenbsâ `mcy At±l¯nsâ a\ÊnÂ\n¶p amªpt]mIp¶nÃ. B cm{Xnapgph³ At±lw \n{ZmclnX\mbnInS¶p Fanenbsâ `mcysb F§s\ kz´am¡psa¶Nn´bmbncp¶p a\Êv apgph³. AXv t\SnsbSp¡m³ ]änb Hcp amÀ¤hpw At±l¯nsâ ap¼n sXfnªph¶nÃ. AXpsImWvSv, At±lw Xsâ tkhIsc hnfn¨p Cu {]iv\w AhXcn¸n¡pIbpw Hcp ]cnlmcw IsWvS¯Wsa¶p\nÀt±in¡pIbpw sNbvXp.
cmPtkhIÀ ]dªp: ""sIm«mc¯n tPmensN¿m³ A§v Fanenbt\mSv BÚm]n¡pI. R§Ä Ahs\s¡mWvSpITn\m²zm\w sN¿n¸n¡mw. A§s\ Ah³ acn¨pt]mIpw. Ahsâ `mcyhn[hbmIpw. At¸mÄ At§¡p Ahsf `mcybm¡mw.''
AhcpsS Cu D]tZiw cmPmhn\p ]nSn¨p. At±lw Iev]n¨p Fanenb³ cmPsIm«mc¯n h¶ptPmensN¿s«. Ah\pw Ahsâ `mcybpw cmPsIm«mc¯n Xmakn¡s«. cmPhnsâ kµihmlIÀ Fanenbsâ ]¡se¯n cmPIev]\ Adnbn¨p AbmfpsS `mcy ]dªp, Fanenb³ t]mhpI, ]I apgph³ tPmen sN¿pI , F¶m cm{Xnbn ho«n hcWw.''
Fanenb³ cmPsIm«mc¯nte¡v t]mbn cmPmhnsâ Imcyس AbmtfmSp tNmZn¨p ""`mcysb IqSmsX \o X\n¨p h¶sX´mWv.
Fanenb³ {]Xyp¯cn¨p, ""Rm³ Ahsf F´n\p sImWvSphcWw. AhÄ¡v Pohn¡m³ Hcp hoSpWvSv.''
cmPmhnsâ sIm«mc¯n Fanenb\p AhÀ cWvSpt]À sNt¿WvS tPmen \evIn. A{Xbpw tPmen bYmkabw sNbvXpXoÀ¡m³ km[n¡nà F¶ Nn´tbmsS AbmÄ tPmen XpS§n.
F¶m kmbmÓambt¸mÄ tPmen apgph³ sNbvXp XoÀ¯p. tPmensbÃmw Xr]vXnIcambn sNbvXpXoÀ¯ncn¡p¶Xmbn Imcyس IWvSp. AbmÄ ASp¯ Znhkw \menc«n tPmen Fanenb\p \evIn.
Fanenb³ ho«nte¡p t]mbn ho«n FÃmw `wKnbmbpw hr¯nbmbpw ASp¡nepw Nn«bnepw {Ias¸Sp¯nbncn¡p¶Xp AbmÄ IWvSp. ASp¸n Xo I¯n¨v.A¯mgw X¿mdm¡n h¨ncn¡p¶p. AbmfpsS `mcytaibv¡cnInencp¶p X¿Â \S¯p¶p. AhÄ `À¯mhv hcp¶XpIm¯ncn¡p¶p. AhÄ Abmsf kzoIcn¨p taibv¡Sp¯p Ccp¯n. Xn¶m\pw IpSn¡m\pw hnf¼ns¡mSp¯p. tPmensb¡pdn¨v AhÄ AbmtfmSp tNmZn¨p.
AbmÄ adp]Sn ]dªp."" Fsâ {]mWt{]bko, AtX¡pdn¨p H¶pw ]dbmXncn¡pIbmWp\ÃXv. Fsâ Ignhn\XoXamb ]WnbmWp AhÀ F\n¡p Xcp¶Xv. ITn\m²zm\w sN¿n¸n¨p Fs¶ sImÃms¡me sN¿m\mWp AhcpsS ¹m³''
AhÄ ]dªp,"" tPmensb¡pdn¨v ipWvTn FSp¡cpXv. F´pam{Xw ]WnsNbvsX¶p apt¼m«pw ]ndtIm«pw t\m¡cpXv, AXpt]mse F´p am{Xw tPmensNbvXp XoÀ¡m³ _m¡nInS¡p¶psh¶p Nn´n¡cpXv. sN¿p¶tPmenbn am{Xw {i²n¡pI. At¸mÄ FÃmw icnbmIpw.''
Fanenb³ InS¶pd§n. ASp¯ {]`mX¯n AbmÄtPmen¡pt]mbn, CSwhew t\m¡msX kZm tPmenbn hym]rX\mbn. kÔybv¡papt¼ FÃmw sNbvXp XoÀ¯v AbmÄ ho«nse¯n.
hoWvSpw hoWvSpw AhÀ Fanenbsâ tPmen`mcw Iq«ns¡mWvSncp¶p. F¶mÂ, AXv apgph³ sNbvXp XoÀ¯n«v AbmÄ Xsâ IpSnen Xncns¨¯ns¡mWvSncp¶p.
HcmgvN Ignªncn¡p¶p. tPmen `mcw sImWvSp Fanenbs\ XIÀ¡m³ km[n¡pIbnsöp cmPmhnsâ tkhIÀ¡p a\Ênembn. IqSpX _p²nbp]tbmKn¨p sNt¿WvS Ipg¸w ]nSn¨ tPmen sN¿m³ AhÀ Abmsf \nÀ_ÔnX\m¡n. F¶mÂ, AXpsImWvSpw ^eapWvSmbnÃ. ac¸Wn, Iev¸Wn, ]pcbpsS ta¡qSv]Wnþ C§s\ GsXÃmw ]Wn AhÀ AbmÄ¡p \evIntbm AsXÃmw Fanenb³ bYmkabw `wKnbmbn sNbvXpXoÀ¯p. AXn\ptijw ]Xnhmbn cm{XnbmIp¶Xn\papt¼ Xsâ `mcybpsSbSp¯p AbmÄ Xncn¨p sN¶ncp¶p. A§s\ cWvSmas¯ hmchpw IS¶pt]mbn.
At¸mÄ cmPmhv Xsâ tkhIsc hnfn¨p ]dªp: ""Rm³ \n§sfsbms¡ Xoänt¸mäp¶Xv shdpsXbmtWm? cWvSmgvNIgnªncn¡p¶p. \n§Ä Hcp Np¡pw sNbvXXmbn F\n¡p tXm¶p¶nÃ. \n§Ä Fanenbs\ tPmensImWvSp IjvSs¸Sp¯p¶p. ]t£, P\mebv¡Â \n¶psImWvSpRm³ ImWp¶pWvSv Ah³ F¶pw Xsâ IpSnente¡p t]mIp¶Xv, ]m«p]mSns¡mWvSv, kt´mjNn¯\mbn, \n§Ä Fs¶ Hcp hnUvVnbm¡pIbmtWm?""
cmPmhnsâ B tkhIÀ Hmtcm apS´³\ymb§Ä ]dªp cmPmhns\ km´z\s¸Sp¯m³ XpS§n. AhÀ ]dªp:
""}R§Ä ]camh[n ]cn{ian¨pt\m¡n tPmen `mcw sImWvSp Ahs\ Ahs\ hIhcp¯m³. F¶mÂ, H¶pw Ah\{X `mcapÅXÃ. Ah³AsXÃmw bYmkabw `wKnbmbn sNbvXpXoÀ¡p¶p. Ah\p £oWsa¶p ]dbp¶ H¶nÃ. At¸mÄ R§Ä Ah\p BtemNn¨pw kmhImihpw sNt¿WvS tPmensImSp¯p, AXv sN¿m³ am{Xw _p²n Ah\nsömWp R§Ä IcpXnbXv. F¶mÂ, AsXÃmw Ah³ \¶mbn«p sN¿p¶p. F§s\bmWp Ah\nXpIgnbpI F¶p BÀ¡padnªpIqSm. H¶pIn Ah\v, AsænÂ, Ahsâ `mcy¡v Ahsc klmbn¡p¶ Gt´m am{´nIhnZybdnbmw, Ahsc klmbn¡p¶ GtXm am{´nIhnZy. R§Ä Ahs\s¡mWvSp aSp¯p. Ahs\s¡mWvSpsN¿m³]äpInÃm¯ Hcp tPmenIWvSp]nSn¡m\pwkm[n¡p¶nÃ. Ct¸mÄ R§Ä Nn´n¡p¶Xv Hä ZnhkwsImWvSp Hcp I¯o{U ]Wnbm³ ]dªmtem F¶mWv. A§v Ahs\ hnfn¨p cmPsIm«mc¯n\p ap¼nembn Hä ZnhkwsImWvSv Hcp I¯o{UÂ]Wnbm³ Iev]n¡pI. Ah³ hnk½Xn¡pIbmsW¦nÂ, A\pkcWt¡Snsâ t]cn A§bv¡p Ahsâ Xesh«n¡fbmw.''
cmPmhv Fanenbs\ Xsâ ]¡te¡p hnfn¸n¨p. At±lw Aht\mSp ]dªp: ""Fsâ Iev]\ {i²n¨ptIÄ¡Ww. F\n¡pthWvSn Cu cmPsIm«mc¯n\p ap¼nembn Hcp ]pXnb I¯o{U \msf kmbmÓ¯n\p ap³]v \o ]WnbWw. \o AXv ]WpXp icnbm¡nbm Rm³ \n\¡p k½m\w Xcpw; AsænÂ, \nsâ Xe Rm³ tOZn¡pw.''
Fanenb³ cmPmhnsâ Cu Iev]\ tI«t¸mÄ ho«nte¡p Xncn¨pt]mbn. ""Fsâ A´yw ASps¯¯nbncn¡p¶p,'' AbmÄ Nn´n¨p. `mcytbmSp AbmÄ ]dªp, ""Fsâ {]ntb, thKw X¿mdmIpI, \mw ChnsS \n¶p Hfnt¨mSWw, AsænÂ, FtâXmb Hcp Ipähpw IqSmsX Rm³ \in¡pw.''
AhÄ Bcmªp\n§sf C{Xbpw `bs¸Sp¯p¶ F´mWpWvSmbXv? \msa´n\mWp Hfnt¨mSp¶Xv?'' AbmÄ ]dªp:"" F§s\`bs¸SmXncn¡pw? Hscmä Znhkw sImWvSpcmPmhn\p Rm³ Hcp ]pXnb I¯o{U tZhmebw \nÀ½n¨psImSp¡Wsa¶p cmPmhv Ft¶mSp Iev]n¨ncn¡pIbmWv. Rm³ AXp sNbvXnsæn At±lw Fsâ Xe¡sh«n¡fbpw. kabapÅt¸mÄ ]emb\w sN¿pI F¶ Hä¡mcyta C\nbpÅp.''

F¶mÂ, AbmfpsS `mcy AXnt\mSp tbmPn¨nÃ. AhÄ ]dªp:"" cmPmhn\p[mcmfw ]SbmfnIfpWvSv. AhÀ FhnsS h¨pw \s½ ]nSnIqSpw. \ap¡p cmPmhnÂ\n¶p c£s¸Sm\mhpInÃ. iànbpÅnSt¯mfw Imew cmPmhv Iev]n¨Xp \ap¡p A\pkcn¡mw.''
""Rm³ F§s\ At±ls¯ A\pkcn¡pw? Fsâ IgnhnÂs¸«ImcyamtWm sN¿m³ BÚm]n¨ncn¡p¶Xv?''
AhÄ ]dªp'' \n§Ä C§s\ \ncmis¸«mtem! Ct¸mÄ A¯mgw Ign¡pI, F¶n«p kpJambn InS¶pd§pI. cmhnse Aev]w t\ct¯ DWcpI. At¸mÄ FÃmw t\tcbmIpw.''
Fanenb³ InS¶pd§n. ASp¯Znhkw {]`mXambt¸mÄ `mcy Abmsf hnfn¨pWÀ¯n."" thKw t]mIpI, I¯o{Uensâ ]Wn DS³ ]qÀ¯nbm¡pI. CXm BWnIfpw NpänIbpw. Hcp ]Ien\pff ]Wn C\nbpw _m¡n InS¸pWvSvþ'' AhÄ ]dªp.
Fanenb³ ]«W¯nte¡pw AhnsS\n¶p cmPsIm«mc¯nsâ ssaXm\¯nte¡pw sN¶p. AhnsS apgph³ ]Wnbpw Xocm¯ Hcp henb I¯o{U tZhmebw \nev¡p¶Xv AbmÄ IWvSp. tijn¨ ]WnIÄ XoÀ¡m\pÅ Xnc¡nembn, Fanenb³. kmbmÓambt¸mÄ ]WnsbÃmw XoÀ¶p. cmPmhv DWÀ¶p sIm«mc¯nÂ\n¶p ]pdt¯¡p t\m¡nbt¸mÄ I¯o{Uepw AhnsSbpanhnsSbpw BWnIÄ ASn¡p¶ Fanenbs\bpw IWvSp. I¯o{Uensâ ]WnXoÀ¶p IWvSXn cmPmhn\p H«pw kt´mjapWvSmbnÃ. Fanenbsâ IY Ign¨v AbmfpsS `mcysb kz´am¡m³ Ignbm¯XnepÅ AaÀjapWvSv At±l¯n\v. At±lw hoWvSpw Xsâ tkhIsc hnfn¨p,
AhtcmSp ]dªp,"" Cu tPmenbpw Fanenb³ sNbvXncn¡p¶p. Abmsf sImÃp¶Xn\p amÀ¤anÃ. Cu tPment]mepw AbmÄ¡p ITn\ambn A\p`hs¸«nÃ. Iptd¡qSn Iuiew ]nSn¨ Hcp ]²Xn \n§Ä IWvSp ]nSn¡Ww. AsænÂ, Ahsâ Xeam{Xaà Rm³ sh«pI, \n§fpsSXpw Rm³ sh«pw.''
AXptI«v At±l¯nsâ `rXy·mÀ Hcp ¹m³ Icp¸nSn¸n¨p. AXn{]ImcamWv. cmPmhv Fanenbt\mSp Iev]n¡Ww, cmPsIm«mc¯n\p Npäpambn Hcp \ZnbpWvSm¡p¶Xn\v, B \ZnbneqsS I¸epIÄ k©cn¡p¶Xn\pthWvS kuIcyw DWvSm¡p¶Xn\v. cmPmhv Abmsf hcp¯n, Cu ]pXnb ZuXyw Abmsf Gev]n¨p.
cmPmhv AbmtfmSp ]dªp: ""Hcp cm{XnsImWvSv Hcp I¯o{U ]Wnbm³ Ignª \n\¡v CXpw sN¿m³ ]äpw. \msf FÃmw XoÀ¶ncn¡Ww. AsænÂ, Rm³ \nsâ Xesh«pw.''
ap¼t¯¡mÄ IqSpX a\:{]bmkapWvSmbn, Fanenb\v. XIÀ¶ lrZbt¯msS AbmÄ `mcy¡Spt¯¡p aS§n.
`mcytNmZn¨p:"" \n§Ä F´mWn{Xam{Xw Zp:JnX\mbncn¡p¶Xv? cmPmhv \n§Ä¡p ]pXnb tPmen hÃXpw Xt¶m?''
Fanenb³ AtX¡pdn¨p AhtfmSp ]dªp. ""\mw \mSphnSWw''þ AbmÄ ]dªp.
`mcy ]dªp, ""]«mf¡mcpsS I®psh«n¨p ]emb\w km[yaÃ. \mw FhnsSt¸mbmepw AhÀ \s½ ]nSn¡pw. cmPmhns\ A\pkcn¡pIbÃmsX asämcp {]Xnhn[nbpanÃ.''
Fanenb³ Ic¨n \nb{´n¨psImWvSp]pe¼n, "" Fs¶s¡mWvSp F§s\ AXv km[n¡p?''
""Gbv, \n§Ä A§s\ \ncmis¸SmsX. A¯mgw Ign¡pI, ]ns¶, InS¶pd§pI. {]`mX¯n Aev]w t\ct¯ DWcpI. FÃmw bYmkabw icnbmIpw''þ
`mcy Abmsf ss[cys¸Sp¯n.