jSv~S AtMÜ PtdS |SDö~ }SAuAtMc, ZÅS}SÜ |SDö jSAvMÜ }S7SfM}} AtMc hSZ~ AyuÚ, y~M~, ‘P|Ai PeS y\At, t}jS tSa¥’

‘a {S ÑMÜ Pe~ PrS}!’ cÖSZMÜ cH _cmS zSjS ÑDö~, dSAvcmS j~ PpM~ ySZM} _~ A{vAr, y~~, ‘vSAc PrS} }SAuMc} oSc cvMr PwMÜ’ —

‘a ySAÖ} {SAÉ{S!’ A{vAr} zÍT cÌ>hMc Pe~ — ‘yi} fÚ}Mr h~~ _MÉMi — _cmS csS PvZ Y{S} ÉMò¥ PoMc wSnS~ Ac vS PrSMc! {r~ymS cH y~ PrS?’

‘cH cM} y~y yM~S, P}SjZ PyTZ PhSdSMhSAd ÑÜ Y} ZÅS}SÜ oSMc¥’

‘_ct{ wS§S AtAy vS¥ AvZÜZ PcSva {r~y z@SjMi¥’

csSmS <SÜ \AÖMÜ AtMÜZ t}jS} AtMc _MeS~ AyuÚ, ‘tSa PeS, t}jSmS tSa¥’

‘{S}y _c sSyÖS¥ Y{SMc rÍA{ PyScS ySvSö! vrÍv f} ySvSDöÉ, mSA~ iSaÜS ÑMÜ Pe~ — A{\AvAÉw©SA~Cm} j~ wÖMi i©S} i©S} cM} — _ ySAÖ} cSjZ PrS _c Ñ£S yÖMjS}¥ _dv dÚ>jAy vrÍv cSj!’

‘PÅSMvS rMy yA~’ — ySAÖ} t}jS PsMc _cmJ ÉM} _MÉ AyuÚ y~M~, ‘cSj PrS c}yZ vS, _cmJ uSòSM{S c}Mr êAr cH?’

‘YM} yÚAÖ} {r~y PrS wî PeS, Y{SMc cSv-zSgSAv AtMr hSÜ¥ PrS rS} ytM~ |At c~SmS {ÚM~SmS wSaÜS |SÜ’ —

‘tË} Ñ PwSÖS}{ÚdH¥’ {Úd kS{mS AtMÜ \n~ }SAu — ‘_Z PrS{S} uSòSM{S! rÍA{ X©SMfS c}My! ÉSMw} eSM~a hÍM{S, y©SMg} eSM~a hÍM{S’ —

‘tË}, YÉ~ csSmSZ cvM~ vS!’

‘pØ cA}É vS, cH PrS} YÉ~ csS?’

‘vS, yMÜ Pe~ vS — PrS{SMt} aZ z±}M~SMc}Sa PuSaÜS rÍ~ÉHwSrS vS, yÚMki?’

‘Pt{Sc PeS, Pt{Sc — Pt{SMcZ {m {m c}Mi tÁjv¥ aZ keÖSmSZ PrS YA{ ~SeSMr hSZAi¥ rÍA{ cuÚ PtMd |Sa¥’

csS cMv x©S~ x©S~ cM} PhMÜAi~ cuÚ }SAu, csS PjSeSÜAv {ÚMd AciÂêq¥ rS}w} {SsS vÚZMÜ yM~Ai~, ‘ySw P}¥ rÍZ P{MÜ, vS vS}t{ÚAvM}! êÌM} êÌM} t¢yà ySyS, YA{ h~~S{ — aÉy w>©Sh wÜjSM} YA{ PvZ¥’

‘PÉZ zS~, rÍA{ _MÉS — tÁeÃeS tÁeÃeS¥ _cmS Ñ£S cuÚ XAwMê cM}S, rS}w} PtMd Ava cH-AvcH} |Ú$Ì¥’

vS, wÚM}S _cmS É£SÑ XyÅ© XMwêS c}Mr ÑÜAv }SAuMc, |Ú$mS rS} YMeZ cT ÑMÜ AeMÜAi~¥ rMy PÉ PrS XMvc wM}} csS, YMe} csSZ YMe y~S |Sc¥

PtSr~S ySAÖ} Pt{SAc yÚAÖ AvUSA}qH AyuÚMc PtMdZ _McySM} ÑZ ÑZ cM} \MnAi~ — ‘YM} _MÉS {S _MÉS, X©SA±v uM} y~Ai — PrS{S} PrS Y} É{ÜZ ÑÜ vS¥ yMÉS yMÉS PhÜSM} yMÉS’ —

_Mc ‘{S’, rS}w} ‘PhÜSM} yMÉS’! tÁMmS uSãSMrZ AyuÚ <SÜ cSr, PcSva }cM{ ÉS{M~ AvMÜ P{MkÜ yMÉAi~, yM~Ai~, ‘y~Úv {SAÉ{S cH y~Myv¥’

‘YM} y~y y~y, _cmJ hS-mS dSa¥’ AvUSA}qH e~S rÍM~ yM~AiM~v, ‘a y\{S, AyuÚ} jv© _cmJ hSMÜ} j~ hÖSa — Y} PÉZ ÉMò cS~ P| dSUS chÍA} c}S ÑMÜAi~...’

csS`M~S cSMc PÅSvSyS} jv© yÚkMr ySAc Ai~ vS AyuÚ}¥ cvÚc, zS~ cM} cvÚc¥ vZM~ s~ÚAvmS ÑMy cH cM}! rMy YÉ~ csSmS \nMrZ yM~Ai~, ‘\M} ySw P}! vS {SAÉ{S, iSÖMr wS}M~ y>SAh — vrÍv cM} u}Mr wS}y vS cSj¥’

‘y~M~ Y} cvMi Pc y~Úv! tÁMmS m©ScS {SZMv ySÖSMr y~M~ _McySM} uÚ¡Ì{S} cS¢, Xsh cSj PrS Y} c{ vS {SAÉ{S!’

‘yMmZ PrS, Ac© vS PwSÇSM~ rÍA{ c}My Pcv! P|dSMv PyAÅ wSMy PÉdSMv c}My vS?’

PdMr yMÉAi~ tStSySyÚ, Y} c~r~SÜ j~cShS`M~S AvMÜ yMÉAi~ AyuÚ{ÚdH¥ y\At PzMyAi~ AyuÚ Aci cvMr wSMö vS, Ac© AyuÚ P| _ AtMcZ cSv dSÖS cM} yMÉ YMi PÉ Y} y\At jSvMy Pc{v cM}!

XAxÉ Py}yS} É{Ü XyÅ© tStSySyÚ} PcSva AtMc AyMÅÇ d>Å sSMc vS, PyAÅ} zSe csSMrZ Ñ<©S, d> AtMÜ |SÜ, Ac© y\At iSÖM~ PrS¥ _c csS yS}yS} cMv Ay}å ÑMÜ yM~Ai~, ‘YM} ySyS, Cnc YMi — cv~S{ PrS Éy }SA§M}!’

‘cvM~ cH ÑMy, Atv}SA§} PrS xÌÉ{å} h~Mi AyuÚ} cSMv¥’

‘cwS~ Y{S}! _Z {SvÚÇMc AvMÜ f} cA} YA{’ — A{vAr} cwS~ hSwÖSMvS} Å@ cMv Axc cM} _cmJ PÑMÉ PxM~Ai~ AyuÚ, rS}w}Z cMvAi~, ‘yS}q c}M~Z a yÚAÖ cvMy?’

‘vS cvM~ rÍA{a tSa — xÌÉ{å} ! yS}q cM}Mi Pc?’

‘sSM{S! a Éy xÌÉ{åM} AcöÂ ÑMy vS, |S yM~Ai rSZ AtMr ÑMy¥’

‘{SZMv ySÖSMvS, tË}, XÉHy!’

‘Pcv, XÉHy Pcv? Y} tÅ-AyÅmS mScS rÍA{ d}hS c}Mr wSM}S vS?’

‘<4 PÉmS vÜ — _cyS} ySÖSM~Z PrS amS PyëMÖ Pe~’—

‘PÉ Éy rÍA{ yÚkMy vS’ — sS~SmS Å@ cM} PnM~ AtMÜ \Mn wMÖAi~ tStSySyÚ, cSwÖ PuSaÜS} Å@a PyMÖAi~ AyuÚ{ÚdH}, rS} {Mu©Z a cvMr PwMÜAi~ tStSySyÚ {Úd uÚMr uÚMr y~Mi, ‘w>Sh tÅmS mScS A{Bî PdMr ÑSMr tSa PÉ Y~StS csS, {SZMv mSZMv ySÖSMvS —’

mJcmSc cSj ÉS}Ai~ AyuÚ, Y} PzrM}} fM}} Y~{SA} PdS~S} c<©Sh c<©Sh Å@ cvAi~¥ y©SwS}mS cH ÑMö, zS~ yÚkMr wS}Ai~ vS¥ yÚk~, |dv AvMj} hSMÜ} cSw uÚDö~¥ y\At ÑSAÉ {ÚMd _MÉ t<SÖS~, ÑSMr _cmS BS\j¥

‘_Z Pv — Ptd PrS wi2 ÑÜ Ac vS¥’

‘a {S, _ PrS dÚy PÉS2} Py~S\j PeS — _Z PrS PÉ Atv AcvM~ PÉ~ PsMc¥’

Apw cM} _cmS Pw7S{ nÍMc ÑSr PsMc AiAvMÜ Av~ BS\jmS, y~~, ‘dÚy \yeS} c}M~ y\At! AtvcS~ PrS PySMkS, aZ _cmS PiM~ {SvÚÇ cM} — wÑJ} ySMw} PrS CnMc cSj, cMy YMi, cMy PvZ’ —

‘yMm! PcSsSÜ c}Ay vS c}Ay aMc AjMaÉ cM} Cnc c}Mr ÑMy¥ rÍZ cH y~A~?’

‘aZMmZ PrS wSA} vS y\At — yÜÜS {SvÚÇ yM~ csS’ —

‘\>Æ yÜÜS {SvÚÇ! wM}} ySAÖMr cSMj} P~Sc zSgSMöv — yÜÜS {SvÚÇ!’

XyÅ© YufüS wM} PtdS Pe~ Cnc AyuÚ{ÚdH ÑSAÉ {ÚMd yMÉ YMi AvUSA}qH} ÉS{Mv¥ YjMc PhÜSM}Z yMÉMi, {SsS} awM} x©Sv, ÑSMr hSMÜ} cSw¥ rMy dSUS chÍA} Yj Y} PvZ, tÁMmS AyÜÌm ÑSMr uA}MÜ Pe~ AvUSA}qH} y\{S¥

AtMÜZ hM~ |SDö~, AyuÚ zSjS {SiCm \MÑ PdMr wSM} vS, _{Av {Úd cM} y~M~, ‘PySMÉS vS y\At, PfM{ _McySM} PvMÜ Pei P|¥’

‘PÉ cwS~ cH Y} cM}Mi P} y\{S’ — AvUSA}qH y~M~v, ‘PuSaÜS ySÉv Y} _cyS} cM} j~ vS pS~M~ y©yÑS} c}S |SÜ vS¥ ÉSMu PrS{SÜ _r cM} y~Ai¥’

‘mScS} csS vÜ {SAÉ{S, Ac© iSAÖ Pc{v cM} y~Úv, wÚ}MvS ySAÖ Éy¥’

‘_ ySwÚ PrS{S} zS}H XMv|© csS¥ er} dSCmMÜ dSa, Pc\ PrS PrS{SÜ tÁMmS mScS AtMÜ tSv-uMIS c}Mi vS¥ P|MdMv ÉÚAyMu wSa PÉMdMvZ c}My’ — wSMÅ} ySAÖ PtÜ cr?’

PÅÇ csSmS y~S} É{Ü e~SmS er P|zSMy PvM{ PeMi, AyuÚ }HAr{MrS ÑrySc rSMr, PcSva }cM{ Y{rS Y{rS cM} y~~, ‘aZ {SMv, |S PtaÜS \Ahr rS} PhMÜ PrS {SMv yÚkMrZ wSM}v —’

‘a YA{ YMeZ yÚMkAi’ — e~SmS w} {ÚÑÊMrñZ {ÚtS}SÜ rÍM~ AvUSA}qH oScM~v, ‘y\{S’ —

y\{S P| KrA}Z Ai~ PÉmS PySkS Pe~, ÉMò ÉMò fM} rS} <MyÅ, ÑSMr _cmS ySôS PiM~} w©S*¥ PÉmS ySAÖMÜ At~ AyuÚ} AtMc¥ AyuÚ Aci yÚkMr vS PwM} x©S~ x©S~ cM} rSAcMÜ YMi PtMd AvUSA}qH y~M~v, ‘vSa vS {S, vSa — Y{S} vSAr} w©S*, _dva PyÅ ÅåMwSå YMi¥ PrS{S}a _cmS PiM~ YMi y~AiM~ vS — Y{SMt} PeRrM{} yÜÉH?’

‘Ai Ai a cH csS, Py>Mhyr«Mr sScÌc¥ Ata {S PiM~Mc PrS{S}, w}My¥ rSZ PrS y\{SMc y~Ai~Ú{ PÉ Atv — eA}y`MySñMc AtM~ zeySv PrS{SÜ PtMyv¥ _MÉS {S, YyS} _MÉS¥ cH c}My jSAva _cmJ rSÖSrSAÖ¥’

fSÖ _cAtMc PÑA~MÜ At~ AyuÚ{ÚdH¥ }SAuAt yM~Ai~ PÉ X©SMfS c}Mr |SMö¥ }Mê cM}S¥ }SAuAtMc y~Mr ÑMy, _MÉ PtMd |Sc cSMc yM~ X©SMfS¥ _dv zS~Ü zS~Ü PÅÇ}MêmS ÑM~Z y>ShS |SÜ¥

vS, _{AvMr P{SmS{ÚCm CncnScZ Ai~¥ tStSySyÚ PyA}MÜ |SaÜS} YMe {Úda PdSM~Av AyuÚ¥ _Z _cmJ YMeZ Pc{v cM} jSAv {Úd xMÜ AvUSA}qH} csSmS PyA}MÜ PeMi¥

‘vS, PÉ }c{ cM} Cnc yM~Av — yM~Mi P|MdMv c{ wSÉ PÉMdMv sScAy Pcv — Pc\ PrS Y} PrSMc tÜSuI cM} vS!’

‘rS Pcv c}My — \Av _cSZ tÜSuI cM}v¥ t}Mt vSAÖ PcS> PcS> c}Mi’ —

<{St `vAi~ AyuÚ¥ cûSM}} rHÉrS ç{ÅZ ySÖMi¥ P| {ÚÑÊMrñ ‘|SZ y\At’ yM~ ÉM} wÖyS} uS2S c}Mi, wSMÅ} ySAÖ} PtaÜS~ Pzt cM} {SAÉ{S} d©Svd©SMv e~S} YaÜSj YiMÖ wÖ~, ‘cH y~i y\{S, _ Éy csS Y{S} PiM~} cSMv rÍM~Mi? Ai: Ai: Ai: cH vHh P{MÜ{SvÚÇ PeS! rÍA{ yM~ tSa y\{S, Pc cSj c}My vS c}My _ Éy P{MÜMt} y©SwS}, _ AvMÜ P|v’ —

csS PÅÇ c}Mr vS AtMÜZ cûS} hÖS wtñSÜ rÍM~ A{vAr y~M~, ‘PyÅ c}y, y~y¥ yM~ AtMÜ YÜ AyuÚ, _ Éy AvMÜ cÌmAvAeA} c}Mr ~õS cM} vS!’

‘yM~ tSa y\{S, _Mc cÌmAvAeA} yM~ vS’ — e~S} S} ÉyMhMÜ \>hÍ wtñSÜ y>SuS _dv, tÁZ AÅd¢H} t<SAÖMÜ sScS iSÖS PcSva zÎA{cS PvZ¥ AvUSA}qH y~AiM~v, ‘a}S eA}y {SvÚÇ, P|dSMv ÉÚAyuS wSMy PÉdSMvZ cSj c}My, _Z csSZ y~S ÑMÜAi~’ —

‘aÆ! eA}My} tÁÆMd yÚc _McySM} PxMm |SMö¥ |SM} AyuÚ, yÚMc _cmJ Pr~ {SA~Å cM} AtMÜ YÜ¥’

‘PtMdi y\{S, cH Yè±S! ~fÚ`T aSv cM} vS¥ `Tjv yM~ csS’ —

‘yM~ Pt, yM~ Pt — cH `TjMv} cSjmS c}Miv YwAv! cSMj} P~Sc zSgSMöv, _Z PrS!’

‘Ñ<©S, YwAv _McySM} Ér©yStH |ÚAuAï}¥ keY|Mm yÚAÖ PcSsScS}!’

<s{ ÉÚM|SMeZ AimMc PyA}MÜ _MÉAi~ AyuÚ{ÚdH, K&}s É{M} AÅd¢H} Y} PcSva zÎA{cS PvZ yÚkMr PwM}Z¥ }SAuAt} ÑSr uM} nc nc cM} c<SwAi~¥ PtMd }SAu y~~, ‘c©SMv P}, dÚy PrS ÉSu ÑMÜAi~ X©SMfS c}Ay — |S, c} _dv X©SMfS¥’