A Fine Family: A Novel by Gurcharan Das Page A

would have liked to pursue this thought, but she quickly changed the subject.
    ‘Bauji, I want to talk to you,’ the stranger suddenly became serious. ‘It is about Tara.’ Bauji now understood the reason behind their meeting. The fresh lime drink had been carefully arranged.
    ‘She doesn’t want to marry this man,’ said Anees.
    ‘I know,’ he said.
    ‘Then why must she?’ asked Anees.
    Patiently and gently, Bauji explained to Tara’s friend why it was a good match. He was articulate and she was intelligent and open to reason. Gradually he convinced her that the match was in the best interest of Tara. Anees had argued strongly on behalf of her friend, but slowly she began to see the wisdom of the choice. From Tara’s ally she became Bauji’s, and in the end she even promised him that she would talk to Tara.
    After he saw that he had the upper hand, Bauji was careful not to press his advantage to ensure that Anees did not feel that she was letting down her friend. Anees observed this—and she was touched by the sensitivity of this tall, proud man. Apart from his cogent and persuasive reasoning, Anees was impressed by his sincerity, warmth, and charm.
    On his part, Bauji was obviously attracted to her. He let himself be drawn by the physical stimulus of the beautiful woman, and did not attempt to control himself. Anees seemed to be aware of the impression that she was creating, and she was excited by the obvious admiration that she was arousing in the older man. Her face became flushed and she became perilously attractive to behold.
    Soon the fresh lime water arrived. Tara watched the two of them as they drank the refreshing cool citrus drink in the silence of the warm night. Tara was anxious to know the outcome of their conversation but she did not dare ask anything. They talked about small things—the summer heat, the moonlight, the smell of jasmine, the need for rain.
    Tara finally became impatient, and told her friend that it was time to go back upstairs. However, Anees did not respond immediately; she seemed to be caught in the voluptuous torpor of the moonlit summer night. She was confused, and she could not move. The heavy scent of jasmine added to the threatening sensuality of the evening. Every jasmine flower seemed to promise an erotic delight.
    Eventually Tara and Anees went upstairs, and Bauji was left alone with his thoughts. It took him a while to recover from the seductive spell that had been cast by the beautiful woman. He felt a sensual nagging. But he also felt a hint of guilt—that his own thoughts seemed to move in the wrong direction. The sensual impulse stung him and made him blush. Deep inside he wrestled with his acquired middle class scruples. He thought of his marriage and of Bhabo. Had he wronged her in his heart? He said to himself, ‘I am weak it is true, but really, don’t I deserve to do better? Bhabo and I have been married for too long. She has become a habit, has even begun to look old. And look at me: I am full of vigour and at the peak of my powers.’ He felt sorry for himself, but he also felt ashamed. He could not help but envy his landowning ancestors in the village, who would have had a dozen women like Anees a hundred years ago. Yet neither could he overcome his feelings of shame, as he thought of himself flirting with the friend of his soon-to-be-married daughter. And that too a Muslim girl! The thought momentarily made him feel old. He felt a revulsion for the circumstances in which he found himself. But he quickly recovered as the pride of his Khatri blood reasserted itself.
    He was diverted by the unanswered question—what had Anees been doing near Kacheri Bazaar that evening? She had not volunteered an answer and neither had he pressed her. A persistent intuition told him that she had been in trouble. He felt suddenly protective towards her.
    After that evening Anees came to 7, Kacheri Bazaar every day. She was staying in Lyallpur. with her uncle, who was a man