The Second Elopement

It was the largest house in the small town, three storied, posh, elegant, with almost all facilities to live with. Its floor was laid with expensive Italian marbles, walls were painted with the classy paints, curtains were made of luxurious silks and all woodcrafts were done with timber woods specially brought from the forests. There was a swimming pool designed by the foreign architects and a vast car porch where anyone could easily find at least two luxury cars at a time.

The centre of attraction of the whole building was its gorgeous visitor’s chamber where the costliest furniture with specially made cushions were arranged in a most exemplifyable manner. A large portrait of a good looking man in his early thirties hung from the wall. His handsomeness was diminished to some extent by a deep scar on the right side of his forehead. Anyone who would find themselves in the visitor’s room could not resist having a glance at the elegant portrait before leaving the room. The great house was owned by a well-known businessman in the town who with his sheer hard work and some luck emerged as a prominent figure in the locality. He was a widower and had a very beautiful daughter.

In that particular evening, the house was decorated with leaves and festoons. Flash lights of different colours were hung from the walls and as they glittered in night, it presented a great sight to watch. It was the day of engagement of the businessman’s little daughter and the whole town was assembled there to celebrate the event. On the left side of the house, a temporary shed was being built and where a grand feast was just going to take place.

The businessman was seated in the visitor’s chamber along with his business partners and some of his friends. They were chatting when one of his friends made a comment about the stylishness of the visitor’s room, the other one who was sitting on the other side asked,

“You know friends, why this room is so attractive?”

The men in the visitor’s room curiously looked at his face. He smiled and said,

“It is the portrait. What a grand portrait it is!” He said looking at the elegant portrait. Everybody in the room glanced in the direction and immediately found the striking charisma of the portrait. There was a silence in the room. Turning to the businessman who was sitting silently in the opposite side, his friend asked,

“May we know who the good looking man is, my friend?” He asked and everybody in the room turned towards the businessman with interested eyes. The businessman, visibly annoyed, corrected his throat and said in a very low voice,

“It is the portrait of my father” he said. “I do not know who had drawn such a marvellous portrait with stupendous attractiveness. But whoever he may be, it is a great work”. He looked at the spectacular portrait and sighed.

The businessman’s friend who was very much attracted by the portrait, remarked,

“I will not fully agree with you, my friend” he said. “Even though I will certainly give credit to the artist who drew such a remarkable picture, it is the face, something in that face, which is the heart of the whole thing. It is the face that attracts our minds like a magnet. It has the power to make anybody in this room to glance at it before leaving it”. He said. Most of the visitors readily agreed to the view point.

The businessman now took his eyes from the elegant portrait. He said,

“My father died when I was so young that I do not remember to have seen his face. My mother always told me that he was a great human being”.

After saying this, the businessman looked at his audience for he only knew that what he just said was absolutely wrong. His father was a thief so his mother said. He had ran away from the village when the businessman was too young and never came back. The businessman did not want to be called a ‘thief’s son’ and he changed the subject of discussion.

The feast was ready and everybody in the visitor’s room moved to the temporary shed built for the purpose. The businessman stood there alone when his old mother walked slowly to the room and said,

“I heard what you have said” her voice was wobbly.

“What else I am supposed to say” he asked angrily. “I do not want to be called a ‘thief’s son’. It will blemish my business image” he said.

“Your father was a thief” said his mother. “But he was a good human being. He never troubled or harassed anyone and that is why he was forced to flee from the village” she continued.

“But for me, he is always ‘the troublemaker’”. The businessman replied looking tediously at the elegant portrait. “Always compel me to say many lies”.

“You have always told lies” she replied and walked slowly to her room.
The businessman stood there motionless, thinking. Then he walked to the large shed. The feast for the important guests was over. There was a large crowd of poor people waiting to enter the enormous shed. They had come from all parts of the town and not one of them was officially invited. It was nearly midnight when the whole party was disposed. The businessman was having a stroll in the garden after directing his valets to provide food for anybody who comes by.

None of them actually came by and one of the valets remembered a very old man whom he had noticed of wandering in the town and sleeping in the floor of the nearby shop.

“I will look for that old man” he said to his friend. “Poor thing, he may not have had such a great feast in his whole life” and he walked to the shop.

The old man was preparing to have a sleep. He was too old with wrinkled cheeks, pure white moustache and a very long beard. He wore a dirty, torn Kurtha. He had a turban in his head. His belongings had such foul smell that the valet kept some distance and shouted at the old man.

“Have you had your supper, man” he shouted. “Else do come to the backyard and we will provide you a great supper”.

Hearing the loud voice, the businessman who was strolling in the garden walked to the gate and saw the valet standing near the shop.

“What are you doing here” the businessman asked.

The valet turned around, saw his master and said.

“I was inviting this old man to come to the house and have supper, master” he replied respectfully.

“You should have taken the supper to the man” said the businessman in a loud voice.

By now, the old man with the turban, which almost hid his forehead, who was sitting there and listening to the conversation, said in a low trembling voice.

“No, No” he said. “I do not need your supper, I am not invited”.

The valet was visibly surprised hearing the comment. He looked at the foolish man. “What a vanity” he exclaimed and returned to the house.

The next morning, as the businessman was going out, when his car reached the gates of the house, he asked the driver to stop. The old man was still there, sitting in the floor, arranging his belongings. The businessman curiously watched the lean figure with the long beard and turban. ‘I had seen that face’ he thought. But he could not remember. Deep in thought, he asked the driver to move.

In the afternoon, the businessman had to return to the house to take some documents which he forgot in the morning. His daughter had gone to one of her friends for a brief visit. As the climate was excellent, the businessman felt it nice to have a stroll to the house. When he reached the gates of the house, he was astonished to see the old man with the turban, oddly looking though the window. Making no sound, the businessman walked on tip-toe to see what the old man was looking at. He was peeping through the window and was trying to get a glance of something in the visitor’s room. The businessman could not resist his anxiety.

“What are you doing here, old man” he asked in a very loud voice.

The old man turned his head and he was visibly stunned to see the master of the house, just in front of him.

“I……, just wanted to take a look that is all” he managed to say.

But the businessman knew that there was something else. He repeatedly asked the old man what he was doing there. The other stood there, motionless and silent. At last, the businessman shouted for a valet and when he appeared, asked him to call police.

“No, No, Do not call police” the old man pleaded in a shaky voice. “I do not intend any harm, I will say everything” he said.

“Then who are you and what you were doing in my home?” asked the businessman.

The old man looked exhausted. But he managed to whisper,

“I am the artist” he said. “I have drawn the portrait kept in that room. I was trying to get a look at my creation”. He seemed at his wits end.

It was now the turn of the businessman to be stunned. At last he managed to return to his own self. He at once asked his valet to call his doctor and took the man to the house. He wasted no time in informing all his friends about his extraordinary experience and the fact that, at last, he had discovered the artist who drew the elegant portrait. His friends were overwhelmed to hear the news and hurried to the businessman’s house to see the great artist. The old man has recovered from the shock and in that evening, the businessman gave a party to his friends in honour of the inspirational artist.

In the party, the businessman said,

“I am a great admirer of art” he said. “The elegance of that portrait itself is a clear evidence of the excellence of its creator. It is an honour for me to thank him for such a great work”.

There was a flurry of flattering speeches from his friends who praised the artist in the most enthusiastic manner. At last, the businessman, in a very devoted manner, said,

“I am inviting this great artist to stay with me for the rest of his life” and he said this in a most caring manner that the old man reluctantly agreed.

Some days passed. The businessman had allotted a significant portion of his house to the old man. One day, when he returned his house in the evening, he heard a peculiar sound as somebody sobbing in a very low voice. He listened carefully and understood that it was from the old man’s chamber that the sound was heard. He walked in the direction with utmost care and peeked through the half opened window.

The old man was standing before a large mirror. He was looking at his own image and was still sobbing in a very low voice. His turban was removed and the businessman was stunned to see a deep scar, on the right side of his forehead. He stood there, dumbfounded and when he got his instincts right, returned to his room.

His mind totally shattered, the businessman paced up and down in his room. After some time, as he made up his mind, shouted for his valet. He opened his money bag, took a bunch of notes, gave it to the valet and ordered,

Go at once to the old man, pack up his things and take him to the railway station. Do not ask him anything. Just do what I say. Give him the money and tell him never to come back”.

Given the order, the businessman dismissed his valet. When the businessman’s friends asked him the next morning, where the artist was, he smiled at them and said,

“Oh, great artist do not have a permanent house. They will always wander though the world. They really love that”.

__END__