Fs aI Ihn-X-sb-gp-Xp-pv

tKm-Ip-e-]m-e ]Xn-hn-msX Ib-dn-h--tm Abmsf Inv Iptd Ime-ambtm Fp hnNm-cn-bvp-I-bm-bn-cpp Rm. CSbvv Nne t^m kw`m-j-W-sfm-gnv _w Ipd-hm-Wv. ASp Ime-smpw Abm hon-tebvpw hn-n-.
""Fm tKmIp-e-]m-em, {]tXy-Inv hnti-j-sam-p-an-tm?'' Rm tNmZn-p.
""{]tXy-Inv Hp-an- kplrt,'' Itk-cbn-tebvv \op-tm tKmIp-e]m-e ]d-p. ""Fm sNdn-sbmcp hntijw Dp-Xm-\pw. Rm Hcp Imev
Akz]w Ihn-X-sb-gp-Xn-bn-cp-p-shv X\n-bv-dn-bm-a-tm. Bcpw t{]mm-lnn-bvm-\p-m-bn-cp-n-.
A-\-S-w.
Ihn-X-sb-gpXn As tai-p-dp
shbvpw. acn-bvp-Xp hsc A- AXp Ip-shtm hmbn-p-shtm ]d-nn Ftm-Sv. AXp-Im-cWw Fs Ihn-X-bpsS Iqv hmSn.''
AsX\n-bv-dn-bmw.
tKmIp-e-]m-e Hcp Imev Ihn-X-sb-gp-Xn-bn-cp-p.
AXv Fs hmbn-p-tIn-bvm-dp-v. A-s\- Rm\pw Abmsf t{]mm-lnn-n-n-. IhnX a\-n-em-hm Rm F-s\-bmWv Abmsf t{]mm-ln-nbvpI? AXp-sIm-sms tKmIp-e-]m-e\v hf-bp-m-bn-. sNdnb Nne amkn-II-fn h-sXm-gn-m Ihn Fp t]sc-Sp-m Abmv Ign-n-. ]ns
Abm B ]Wn \nn.
""Ctm hopw Ihn-X-I-sf-gp-Xm XpS-n, At?'' tKmIp-e-]m-es
Inse t^mU Atm-gmWv Fs {i-bns-Xv.
tKmIp-e-]m-e \ntj-[m-n Xe-bm-n.
""Rm ]d-b-s.
Xm
{inp tI-Ww. Fs aq aI IhnX. Bdmw mn-emWv Ah. Hcp
Znhkw Rm Ah-fpsS ]Tn-p-ap-dn-bn sN-tm Ah Ftm s]sv adbvm t\mn. Ftm Ipg--ap-sp tXmn Rm Ah-fpsS ssI _e-ambn
]nSnp amn. t\mn-b-tm-gt Adn-bp-Xv, Ah Ihn-X-sb-gp-Xp-I-bm-bn-cp-p!
Rm No -]-dbpw Fp Icp-Xn-bmWv Ah ad-bvm t\mn-b-Xv.''
""\ t{]mmlnn-bvp-I-bm-Wtm sNp-I, At?''
""Am ]ns! Rm\Xp Xn--dn-s-Spp hmbn-p-shp am{X-a-, Fm Znhkhpw Hmtcm IhnX FgpXn Fs ImWn-bv-W-sav ]d-bp-Ibpw sNbvXp. ]nspw apw Ah ]d-p-sh-nepw Rm hnn-. ]mTw Hv Aam-n-mepw
IhnX apS--cp-sXv Rm Ahsf ]dp a\-n-em-n. A-s\-bt thXv?''
""Xo-bmbpw AsX.''
""Fntm? Hcp Znhkw Rm tPmen Ignv hon-se-n-b-tm Fs
tai-p-dv Ihn-X-bn-! Rm jp t]mepw amdmsX t\sc Ah-fpsS apdn-bntebvp sNp. Atm, t\mq, Ah Dd-p-I-bm-Wv. Rm Ahsf hnfn-pWn. Atm Ah ]d-bpp Ahv ]\n-bp-s-v. sXmp-t\m-n-b-tm
icn-bm-Wv, Npp-s]m-p ]\n-bp-v. Atm Rms\m sNbvXXv F-dn-bptam
kplrt?''
""t{Imkn sImSpnp-mhpw At?''
""C. AXmWv tKmIp-e-]m-e\pw ap--hcpw Xn-ep hyXym-kw,'' tKmIp-e]m-e hm Hcp Nncn-p. ""t{Imkn Ign-m ]\n amdpw, ]t AtXmsS
IhnX hpw. AXv Ihn-X--\n-bm-bn-cpp kplr-t. Rm Ahsf Fgp-tnn-cp-n. ]ns IS-empw t]\bpw FSpv Insm-Sp-p. Ah Fgp-Xn, AhfpsS Cu kam-lm-c-nse Ghpw \ Ihn-X,'' t^mU-dn\nv Hcp IS-em-sSpv F\nbvp \on-smv Abm- XpSp: ""CXm, AXmWv Cu Ihn-X.''
tm/

Rm\Xp In hmn. "]\n' Fp t]cp Ihn-X: ""kvIq hnp hF\nbvv Ipfn-cpXp t]mse tXmn/Rm In-en aqSn-p-Xp
-1-

InSp/Atm Hcp XWp hnckv]iw/Rm Ip Xpdp/A-\m-bncpp/A FtmSv Ihn-X-sb-gp-Xm ]dp/A FSp-p-X IS-em-n
Rm FgpXn/F\nbvv ]\nbvppv.''
""F-s\-bpv kplrt?'' tKmIp-e-]m-e tNmZn-p. ""\ lrZ-b-{Z-ho-I-cW-i-n-bp Ihn-X, At?''
CXp-hsc Hcp Ihn-X- t]mepw icnbvp hmbn-bvm Rm Fp-]-d-bm\mWv Ihn-X-tb-n? Gt^m sskkn-ep IS-em-n ssS]v sNbvXp shn-cn-bvpp. \mep hi-p-\npw Hcnv amPn hnnp-v. \Sp-hn t_mUv Bbn ]\n
Fv ASn-n-p-v. \ hrnbp IhnX.
""aI Iw]yq--dn-emtWm Ihn-X-sb-gp-Xp-Xv?'' Rm tNmZn-p.
""A,'' tKmIp-e-]m-e ]d-p. ""Ah- t]\ sImmWv Fgp-Xp-I. \
I--c-amWv Ah-fp-tS-Xv.
Hm-cw Hcp ]m Rm Ahv hmnsmSpn-p-v. CXv Rm UnSn]n sNn-XmWv. {]kn-o-I-cn-bvm Fm-bmepw AXp
thW-a-tm. CXm CXp apgp-h Ah-sf-gp-Xnb Ihn-X-I-fm-Wv kplrt.'' Abm
t^mU Fs t\sc \on-m-Wn-p.
In hmp-tm t^mU-dn\p \ I\-ap-sv Adn-p. Nnd kw`-hsam-p-a Fs In Ccn-bvp--Xv. BsI F{X Ihn-X-bpv Fp t\mmw.
Rm t^mU Xpdv Fm XpS-n.
""apqn F]-t-gv,'' tKmIp-e-]m-e klm-b-n-s\-n. ""B ]\nbvp
tijw Fgpv Hcp Znhkw t]mepw apS-n-bn Ah. Fpw kvIq hnp hm
IhnX FgpXn Fs tai-p-dp shnt Ah Imn t]mepw IpSn-bvm-dp-p.''
""Ah-f-tm bph-P-t\m--h-n-sempw ]s-Sp-nt tKmIp-e-]mem?''
""Dv. ]t Ahv km-\-sampw Inn-bn-. As-nepw Cu PUvPns\ hniz-kn-bvm ]ptam? Hsc--n\pw hnhcan-.''
""\nc--c-m-cmWv,'' Ihn-X-I adn-p-t\m-p-Xn-\n-S-bn Rm ]d-p.
Fmw hrn-bmbn UnSn]n sNbvXp shn-cn-bvp-p. Ihn-X-Iv \dpw
Cn-p-v. Fmw ASp-n-sh-n-cn-bvp-IbmWv. apI-fn CSs hiv Xpfv \
SmKv sImv sIn-sh-n-p-Xp-sImv Ae-tm-e-s-SmsX Ccnbvpw.
]t CXv Fn-\mWv Fs In XXv Fv a\-n-em-bn-. t^mU
aSn-bn shv Rm Hcp hnUvVn-tb-tmse Ccp-p.
""A-s\-sbm-p-an-. Xm IhnX hmbn-bvm BfmWv Fs-\n-bvv
]t Adn-bmatm. Fmepw Bsc-sb-nepw ImWn-bvt? ~Hc-s lrZ-b-hnImcw X\nbvpw a\-n-em-hp-a-tm,'' tKmIp-e-]m-e ]d-p. ""\apv CXv Hcp
]pkvX-I-am--Ww. Ghpw {][m\w CXn\v Hc-h-Xm-cnI thW-sa--Xm-Wv. AXv Hm.
F. hn. kmdns Xs- thW-sa-p-v. AXn\v kmdns\ ]cn-N-b-ap- Hcmsf
Ip-sh-n-pv.''
AXp hfsc \-Xm-Wv. hfsc Xnc-p Bfp-I-fmWv Ah-scm-s. ths Bfm-sW-n Hcp-]t k-Xn-t-bvpw.
""henb Bfp-I-fpsS Ah-Xm-cn-I-bp-s-nte ]pkvXIw sNe-hm-hp-I-bp-p.
AXn\v AXp am{Xw t]mcm Xm\pw. henb coXn-bn {]Im-in-n-bv-Ww. Hcp Znhkw
apgp-h \op-\np ]cn-]m-Sn-bmWv Rm\p-t-in-bvp--Xv. cmhnse ]p aWntbmsS XpS--Ww. tIc-f-nse Fm {][m-\-s Ihn-I-tfbpw tNv Hcp Ihn-bc-v. apcp-I Imm--Sbpw Ipco-p-g-bp-sams \n--ambpw Dm-h-Ww. ]ns
D-bq-Wv. AXp Ignv ae-bmf Ihn-X-bn Pn. Ihn-X-bpsS m\w F hnj-bn N. AXn t]sc-Sp \ncq-]-I-scmw thWw. sshIp-tcw Ap-a-2-

Wnbvv {]Im-i-\w. Ah-Xm-cnI H. F. hn. kmdn-s-bm-b-Xp-sImv {]Im-i\-n\v

kpK-X-Ip-am-cn-tb-s In-Ww. As-n An-w. AXnepw Xmsg t]mhm
Dt-innn.''
""]cn-]mSn Fm-sW-nepw Rm kIp-Spw_w hcpw, tKmIp-e-]m-em.''
""]cn-]mSnbvp apt Xs ]{X-nepw Nm\-ep-I-fn-ep-sams hm hcWw,'' Fs {in-bvmsX tKmIp-e-]m-e XpSp. ""AXn-\p hgnsbms
Rm Ip-sh-n-p-v. ]IpXn ]pkvXIw Ap Xs hnp-t]m-Ww. ]ns amkn-II-fmb amkn-I-I-fn-sems sdhyq hc-Ww. AXn-\p hgnbpw F\n-bv-dn-bmw.''
Atm-gmWv Rm Ahm-Up-I-fpsS Imcyw Hm-Xv.
]{Xw Xpd-m
Fpw Ahm-Up-I-fpsS hm-I ImWmw. Btcm acnp FmWv apJw Im
tXmp-I. hmbn-bvm XpS-p-tm-gm-Wv Ahm-Um-sW--dn-bp-I.
AtXmsS
hm hnSp-I-bmWv ]Xn-hv. AXn GsX-nepw Hv kwL-Sn-n-m aXn-b-tm.
A{X _pn-app hcn-.
p.

""Ahm-Un-s Imcyw hXp Ip-sh-n-ptm tKmIp-e-]mem?'' Rm tNmZn-

""]nnmsX! AXmWv BZyw t\mn-sh--Xv. Csmw tI{-km-lnXy

Am-Zan bph-km-ln-Xy-Im-c-mv Hcp {]tXy-I-]p-c-kvImcw XpS-n-bn-p-v. ASp-sImw Ah Fgp-Xn-p-S-p--hv Hcp AhmUv Gs-Sp-m Dt-in-bvppv Fp tIp.
]t AX {]iv\w. Cu hjw ]pkvX-I-an-d-n-bm AXv
ASp sImta Ahm-Un\v ]cn-K-Wn-bvq. AXv A\ukv sNp-tm-tgbvpw
Hcp hjw IqSn Ign-bpw. sImSp-p-tm-tgbvpw Bdp amkw ]nsbpw Ign-bpw.
AXm-bXv ]pkvXIw Cdn cp aqp sImw Ignbpw \ Hc-hmUv Inm.
AXp-sImv AXn\pw Rm Hcp hgn Ip-sh-n-p-v.''
""AsXm hgn?''
""cl-ky-am-Wv,'' tKmIp-e-]m-e i_vZw Xmgvn XpSp: ""`mcy-bp-sS A\pP K^n-ep-v. Ahn-Ss Hcp ns t]cn Hc-hmUv ]pkvXI{]Im-i-\ns Ap Xs AhnsS shv A\ukv sNpw. ]pkvXIw Cd-nb Ap
Xs ]pc-kvIm-cw. CXp-hsc Bpw AXv Inn-bn-p-m-hn-tm!''
Rm tKmIp-e-]m-es\ ApXtmsS t\mn.
""aIv IhnX Fp t]cn-Xnt\--n-bmWv Rm\n-tm- Btem-NnbvpXv,'' t]mIm thn Fgp-tp--Xn-\nsS tKmIp-e-]m-e ]d-p.
""Fs taml-n-\mWv Cu t]cn--Xv. Av ]ecpw FXnp. IYm, IhnXm,
GImw Fsms t]cn-Sp-Xv icn-bmtWm Fmbn-cpp tNmZyw. `mcybvp
t]mepw C-am-bn-cp-n-. Ctm AXv F{X \mbn Fp t\mq.''
tKmIp-e-]m-es cm-as Ipn-bpsS t]sc-mWv Fv Btem-Nn-bvp-Ibm-bn-cpp Atm Rm. A[nIw Btem-Nn-bvm-sX-s Hm hp. Nn{X.
Ahv Nn{Xwhc-bn hmk-\-bptm Bthm. Fmepw Rm\Xv tNmZn-bvtsp shp.
""A-\--amv a-tf-p-dnv henb kz]v\--fp-mhpw,'' kvIq mv
sNp-tm tKmIp-e-]m-e XpSp. ""Ft-tmse ]cm-P-b-s Hcp Ihn-bvv
thsd Fp kz]v\amWv ImWm-\p-Xv?''

(A-aqn)

-3-