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Aur ab jo humne dhyaan se dekha to humaari kursi ke saamne mez par phoolon aur pattiyon se dil banaaya gaya tha aur R.ana ki kursi ke saamne se ek teer kamaan se nikalkar aa raha tha, humne ghabra kar Miss Pal se kaha-" Yeh kya khuraafat hai. Aap mazaak udhwaayengi mera, Yeh bilkul galat hai."

Miss Pal ne kaha-" Galat kaise hai saahabzaade saahab, yeh dekhiye Mirza saahab ki kursi ke saamne maine chamgaadadh ko pedh se ulta latka diya kai."

Humne kaha-" Ajeeb ajeeb harkatein ki hain aapne. Nateeja yeh hoga ki main kursiyaan hatwa doonga aur baidhne ke liye chaadrein bichhwa doonga."

Miss Pal ne ghabrakar kaha-" Aisa ghazab na keejiyega, saari tarteeb badalni padhegi."

Humne gambheerta se kaha-" Tarteeb badle yaa rahe, magar yeh baatein galat hain."

Miss Pal na kaha-" Achcha jaane deejiye, aapka jahan jee chaahe baidh jaaeeyega. Main to chaahti thi ki sajaawat ka kuch matlab bhi nikal aaye, magar aap munaasib nahin samajhte to jaisi aapki marzi."

Aur theek isis samay walid saahab ne aakar kaha-" Bete zara alag aakar meri baat suno."

Hum waalid saahab ke saath gol kamre mein aa gaye to unhonein badi chinta se kaanaafoosi karte hue kaha-" Aaj phir uske dimaag mein keedha renga hai. Use jaaka samjha do, warna mein shuroo kar doonga jootakaari."

Humne kaha-" Aakhir baat kya hui?"

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Khuda bhalaa kare is Miss Pal maaljaadi ka, jisne use yeh samjha diya hai ki chunki Khan bahadur saahab ki beghum aur R.ana aa rahi hain isliye aapko bhi sabke saath khaana khaana chaahiye."

Humne kaha-" To khaane deejiye, aap to khud dekh rahe hain ki ab weh kis had tak badal chuki hain. Nihaayat tehzeeb se khaati peeti aur rehti sehti hain."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Saahabzaade saahab hain aap. Weh laakh sudhar jaayein magar koi na koi aainpanaa zaroor kar guzrengi, aur bhaanda footkar rahega. Saahab, mujhe uska zara bhi aitbaar nahin ki kya kar guzre? Kya keh jaaye? Doosre jab pagal mashhoor kiya jaa chuka hai to......?"

Humne baat kaatkar kaha-" Haan yeh hai sau baaton ki ek baat. Baherhaal main unhein samjhaane ki koshish karoonga."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Koshish nahin, balki use bataa do ki agar weh zara bhi jiddh karegi to joote se sir moondkar isiswaqt ghar se nikaal baahar karoonga."

Ab walid saahab ko kya samjhaate ki yeh sir moondne ka muhaawara kahin pol hi na khol de. Laakh ban sanwar gaye hain magar asliyat khatm to nahin ho jaati. Aakhir krodh mein kaha bhi to sir moondne hi ko kaha khair humko andar jaakar badi der tak sir khapaana padha aur badi mushkil se is baat par sehmat hui ki weh parda na todein yaani asliyat par parda padha rahe. Haalaanki yeh bhi sach hai ki-
"Agar yahi apni asliyat hai to isko kab tak chhipa sakenge."
"Jo chup rahegi zubaan kainchi ki to dhaar chamkegi ustre ki."

Walida sahiba ko samjha bujhaakar jis samay hum baahar aaye hain Mirza saahab padhaar chuke the aur walid saahab ke wastron ki prashansa karne mein lage hue the. Humein dekhte hi walid saahab se bole-" Huzoorwaala! Agar meri baat ka yakeen nahin hai to saahabzaade saahab se poochch leejiye, kyon saahabzaade saahab, kya main galat keh raha hoon ki chudhidaar paijaama pehenne ka haq sirf un logon ko hai jinki aidi aur pindli ka ek hi maap ho."

Humne kaha-" Yeh to bahoot puraani baat keh rahe hain aap."

Mirza saahab ne kaha-" Jee nahin, main isliye keh raha hoon ki humaare nawaab par meri aankhon mein chudhidaar paijaama phoot nikalata hai. Aur saahab aapka darzi seeta bhi aisa hai ki aye Subhaan Allah."

Walid saahab ne unehin bakne diya aur humein sambodhit karke farmaaya-" Kyon bhai kuch aaram hue?"

Humse pehle Mirza saahab ne ghabraakar kaha-" Illaahi khair kya beghum saahab ke dushmanon ki tabiyat kuch naasaaz hai?"

Walid saahab ne taalne ke andaaz se kaha-" Jee haan, maamooli sa daura padh gaya tha."

Humne kaha-" Ab theek hain bilkul."

Mirza saahab bole, "Huzoorwaala, main phir arz karoonga ki na yeh paagalpan hai na sauda na junoon, aur na wehshat balki yeh kisi ka saaya hai."

Walid saahab ne farmaaya-" Khuda aapka saaya hum sabke siron par kaayam rakhe. Kisi aur saaye ki zaroorat hi nahin hai."

Mirza saahab kuch farmaane hi waale the ki Khan bahadur saahab ne parda uthakar kamre mein daakhil hote hue kaha-" Aadaab bajaa laata hoon, huzoore waala!"

Aur walid saahab ne uthkar swaagat kiya. Khan bahadur saahab ke peechhe hi beghum saahiba aur R.ana thi aur sabke peechhe Shibbu miyaan dinner jacket mein tashreef laaye the. Us dinner jacket ka zikr to hum R.ana se oehle hi sun chuke the ki Khan bahadur saahab ne apne chahete bhateeje ke liye jo kapdhe jaldi jaldi silwaaye hain unhein aadmi banaane ke liye, unmein ek dinner jacket bhi hai magar afsos ki is dinner jacket ne bhi jo adhik se adhil manushyata unmein paida ki thi, weh yeh bhi ki kisi angrezi restaurant ke bade master maaloom ho rahe the. Khair weh kuch bhi sahi, is samay to mukhya atithi the, isliye humne unhein apne paas bidha liya. R.ana niyam ke anusaar walid saahab ke sofe par pahunch gayi. Aur beghum sahiba Miss Pal ke saath baidh gayi.

Khan bahadur saahab ne humse kaha-" Kyon beta, dekha apne dost Shibbu miyaan ka dabdaba....."

Humne kaha-" Jee haan, main to dekhte hi raub mein aa chuka hoon."

Khan bahadur saahab ne Shibbu miyaan se kaha-" Tum aazaadi se gardan hila sakte ho. Khahahakhaa takhta bane kyon baidhe ho?"

R.ana ne kaha-" yeh to main bhi dekh rahi thi Shibbu bhai to jaise is dinner jacket mein kas diye gaye ho. Mere khyaal mein to sakht takleef ho rahi hogi inhein."

Shibbu miyaan ne kaha-" Nahin, takleef kis baat ki. Main bilkul theek hoon."

Mirza saahab ek kone se bole-" Huzoor Khan bahadur saahab, inhi saahabzaade ke baare mein farma rahe the ki bhateeje hain aapke?"

Khan bahadur saahab ne kaha-" Aap to is tarah keh rahe hain Mirza saahab, jaise maine in saahabzaade ke baare mein koi afwaah failaai ho."

Mirza saahab ne kaha-" Maashaa Allah! Bade nek maaloom hote hain."

Khan bahadur saahab ne kaha-" Meri dictionari mein nek ke maane hain chugad. Aur mein yeh nahin chaahta ki inhein mek samjha jaaye. Mujhe neki se zyaada inki chalaaki aur samajh ki zaroorat hai."

Mirza saahab ne kaha-" Theek farmaaya aapne. Main bhi bilkul yahi baat kehne waala tha."

Walid saahab bole-" Achcha to aage se aap jo baat kehne waale hua karein, pehle se keh liya keejiye."

Khan bahadur saahab ne muskurakar kaha-" Kyon bhai Mirza saahab, aapne Miss Pal ka haath bhi dekha hai kabhi?"

Miss Pal ne ek halki se cheekh ke saath kaha-" Nahin ,nahin, mujhe dikhaane ka shauk nahin hai."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Ismein shauk ki kya baat hai? Kai baar aadmi majboor ho jaata hai haath dikhaane ke liye."

Mirza saahab ne tadhapkar daad di-" Aye Subhaan Allah! Kya baat kahi hai aapne muhaaware ke maayine hi badal gaye."

Khan bahadur saahab ne kaha-" Hazrat haath agar koi dikhaayi to maane hi nahin duniya bhi badal jaati hai."

Mirza saahab phir tadhpe-" Aha! Yeh doosri hui."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Ise hona nahin kehte chipakna kehte hain Mirza saahab. Baherhaal aapko waakai Miss Pal ka haath dekhna chahiye."

Miss Pal ne ghabrakar apne dono haath baglon mein chhipaate hue kaha-" Jaane bhi deejiye nawaab saahab, mein us din dekh chuki hoon unki kaabliyat jab jamaadaarni ka haath dekhakar bataaya tha ki shaadi ki lakeer haath mein nahin hai magar bachche hain chaar paanch?"

khan bahadur saahan ne kaha-" Bilkul theek bataaya. Are bhai, hum to shaadi use kehte hai na, joislaami dhang par kaazi saahab nikaah ka fatwa padhkar karte hain. Maaloom nahin is jamaadaarni ne kis tarah shaadi ki hogi. Mujhe uski shaadi mein shak ho sakta hai magar Mirza saahab ki kaabliyat mein anhin."

Mirza saahab ne kaha-" Miss Pal shaayad isliye haath nahin dikhaana chahti ki haath dikhaane se bahoot se bhed khul jaate hain."

Miss Pal ne chidhkar kaha-" Mere kaun se bhed hain, jo aap kholenge?"

Khan bahadur saahab ne kaha-" Bas to isi baat par deejiye haath."

Miss Pal ne kaha-" Jee nahin, main inse bhi ghabraati hoon. Yeh badi gadhbadh kism ke aadmi hain. Na jaane kisse angrezi ka ek lafz seekh aaye aur ek din mujhse kehne lage ki aap to lift hi nahin deti. Maine inse kaha-" Lift to nahin lifti to haazir hai."

Kamre mein ek kehkeha gunj utha aur Mirza saahab jo vaastav mein chikne ghade waaka hue the, is samay niyam ke vipreet lajjit se ho gaye. Walid saahab ne unhein seedhe sambodhit karte hue kaha-" Kyon hazrat yeh baatein hain. Yaani aap chupke chupke lift bhi maangte phirte hain. Aap to bade chhupe rustam nikle."

khan bahadur saahab ne kaha-" Kum se kum apni aur Miss Pal ki umr hi ka andaazaa kar liya hota."

Mirza saahab ne kaha-" bhai saahab yeh to aapki zyaadati hai, mohabbat ki koi umr nahin hoti."

Walid saahab ne beghum saahiba ki or palatkar kaha-" Sun leejiye bhabhi sahiba."

Beghum sahiba ne tunakkar kaha-" Jee haan, dil ki baatein yon hi zabaan par aa jaaya karti hain."

Ab Mirza saahab bhi bole-" Kya baat farmaayi hai beghum saahiba."

Walid saahab ne farmaaya-" Aap bhi yahi kehne waale honge."

Isi samay baire ne kamre mein daakhil hokar khaane ke kamre ka parda utha diya aur sab gol kamre se uthkar khaane ke kamre mein aa gaye. Ajeeb sanyong hai ki Miss Pal ka banaaya hua dil is samay Mirza saahab ke saamne tha aur khud Miss Pal apne khode hue kuein mein is prakaar giri ki unhein wahin kursi mil saki jiske saamne teer ko udhte hue dikhaaya tha aur isse bhi zyaada kamaal yeh hua ki Shibbu miyaan ke saamne weh chamgaadadh us pedh se utla latka hua tha. Humne dheere se R.ana ko yeh leteefa suna diya. Weh mushkil se apni hansi rok saki. Baaki kisi ne bhi is baat par dhyaan na diya aur dilchasp baat cheet mein khaana jaari raha.

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