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Walid saahab ne kaha-" Baat yeh hai ki khud us bechaari ke dimaag mein yahi ek khyaal jadh pakadh gay hai na? Aur yeh to aam tareeka hai ki paagal jis khabt mein mubtala hota hai, usi khabt mein weh saari duniya ko mubtala samajhta hai. Tareeka sirf yeh hai ki paagal se uljha na jaaye aut uski haan mein haan milaayi jaaye warna junoon aur badh jaata hai."

Walida sahiba ne kaha-" Main to khud darrti hoon ki kahin un par daura na padh jaaye aur mera munh na noch lein. Weh jo kehti hain, main kehti hoon theek keh rahi hain aapa! Magar sach poochho to mujhe unki ladki bhi kuch behki hui maaloom padhti hai."

Walid saahab ne chaunk kar kaha-" Kaun R.ana? Lahaul willa kuwaat! Weh to aisi samajhdaar ladki hai ki kya kahoon? Saara ghar sambhaale hue hai aur is kadar saleeke se chalaa rahi hai ki wah! Wah!"

Walida saahiba ne kaha-" Na kaho, mujhe to wahi paagalpan usmein nazar aaya, jo maa mein hai. Aisi phati phati aankhon se mujhe dekhti hai ki khud mujhe darr lagne lagta hai. Aur aise door door rehti hai, jaise weh nahin balki main paagal hoon."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Khair yeh bhi weh kuch galat nahin samajhti hai. Janaab ki sahi dimaagi se bhi khuda hi bachaaye. Ab isse badhkar aur kya paagalpan hoga ki R.ana ko bhi maare akalmandi ke paagal samajh baidhi. Weh gareeb isliye pareshaan nazar aati hogi ki paagal maa lekar aati hai aur khatra yahi rehta hai ki kahin weh sanak na jaayein kisi baat par. Aur paraaye ghar mein koi aisi waisi harkat na kar baidhein. Abhi kal bechaare Khan bahadur ke munh par guldaan jo taak kar maara hai to munh guldasta bankar reh gaya."

Walida sahiba ne darrte hue kaha-" Inhi baaton se to darrti rehti hoon har waqt, ki kahin weh meri shaamat na le aayein. Aur ab to maine tey kar liya hai kabhi jo main apni bachchon ki sasuraal is paagalkhaane ko banne doon."

Ab tak banaawati paagalpan ka zikr tha; Magar ab walid saahab ko sachmuch krodh aaya-" Phir wahi aundhi khopdhi waali baatein shuroo ki."

Walida sahiba ne kaha-" Aundhi khopdhi waali baat meri hai yaa tumhaari? Ek to meri aulaad aur kismat uska phodhna chaahte hain paaglon se rishta jodhkar. Tum mujhse likhwa lo ki sirf maa nahin beti ke dimaag mein bhi kharaabi hai."

Walid saahab ne apni betaqatlufi phir shuroo kar di-" Dimaag ki kharaabi hai asal mein tumhaari, aut tum bhi apni asliyat se ho majboor! Aakhir kitni der sharaafat se baat kar sakti ho?"

Walida sahiba ne kaha-" Tum jo chaaho kaho, magar main achchi tarah samajh chuki hoon in logon ko. Bhat padhe weh sona jisse phate kaana. Chulhe mein jaaye weh badha ghar, jismein har waqt paagalon mein, khaabtiyon ka saath ho. Neej, main ek paagal ladki byaah kar laaoon. Najjo mere gareeb bhai ki ladki zaroor hai; Magar hai apna gosht posht."

Walid saahab ne bil bilaakar kaha-" Phir wahi Najjo. Main tumhein zabaani to hazaar baar samjha chuka hoon ab joote se samjhaana baaki hai."

Yeh samay tha humaari madaakhalat ka; Isliye humne walida sahiba se kaha-" Yeh aap Najjo, Najjo ka jo wazifa har waqt padhti hain, kabhi aapne mujhse poochha-" Ki meri kya raay hai?"

Walida sahiba ne tewar badal kar kaha-" To kya ab tumhaari bhi raay leti phiroongi? Mere yahan ka dastoor nahin ki jis ki shaadi ho, uski bhi raay li jaaye."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Tumhaara ilaaj waakai jootakaari ke alaawa aur kuch nahin. Bahoot din se sir taras raha hai na taajposhi ke liye? Bas dimaag thikaane nahin raha hai."

Humne walida sahiba se kaha-" AB weh zamaana gaya ki jiski shaadi ho, uski raay na lee jaaye. AB to sirf uski raay chalti hai jiski shaadi ho. Main to khair ladka hoon, Agar ladki hota to bhi yahi kehta."

Walid saahab ne humse kaha-" Bakne do ji isko, sunta kaun hai, Is naain ki. Mujhe chaahiye tha ki yahan aate waqt chutiya kaat kar usi taraf chhodh aata. Na jaane is musibat ko kyon saath le aaya?"

Walida sahiba ne kaha-" Khair ab to yeh musibat aa hi gayi hai, aur ab to yeh zindagi bhar ki musibat hai. Tum chaahe mujhe maar hi daalo magar main tumhaari tarah apni asliyat ko aur apno to nahin bhool sakti. Bhool gaye weh din, jab ustron par dhaar rakhwaane mein zindagi ghisi jaa rahi thi?"

Walid saahab ne humaari or palat kar kaha-" Dekh rahe ho, kaisi kainchi si zabaan chal rahi hai."

Naai hona doosri baat hai; Magar yeh muhaawra tha bilkul theek. Is samay walida sahiba waakai kainchi ki tarah zabaan chalaa rahi thi. Aur darr tha ki agar walid saahab bhi asliyat par utar aaye, to Miss Pal par isi tarah saari haqeeqat khul jaayegi. Isliye behtar yahi tha ki walid saahab ko yahan se taal le jaayein. Ateinw humne kaha-" Inko agar khyaal nahin hai to aap hi gaur keejiye ki agar yeh tu tu main main aur yeh kainchi ustre Miss Pal ne sun liye, to weh kya raay kaayam karegi? Phir deewaar darmiyaan kya yeh baat Khan bahadur saahab se chhipaayi jaa sakegi?2

Walid saahab ne uthte hue kaha-" Main to zindagi se tang aa chuka hoon is auarat ke maare. Abhi to maine sirf bahaane ke taur par paagal kaha hai ise, magar maaloom hota hai ki ise waakai paagalkhaane mein bharti bhi karna padhega."

Walida sahiba ne kaha-" Dimaag apna bahek raha hai aur paagal main banaayi gayi hoon."

Walid saahab krodh mein yeh ajeeb baat keh gaye the. Hum to sannate mein aa gaye, ki unse yeh kya bhool ho gayi. Jise bachaaw ke liye paagal banaaya hai, usi ke saamne yeh bhed khol rahe hain. Khair, wahan se to khaamoshi ke saath walid saahab ko apne kamre mein le aaye, magar yahan laakar unse poochhe bina bhi na reh sake," Kai baar aap bhi gusse mein kamaal kar jaate hain. Khan bahadur saahab ki beghum se kaha hai ki walida sahiba ke dimaag mein kharaabi hai. Walida sahiba se kaha hai ki Khan bahadur ki beghum ka dimaag chalaa hua hai. Aur is waqt gusse mein yeh bhi keh diya ki abhi to paagal bahaane ke taur par kaha hai, ab paagalkhaane mein bharti bhi karaana padhega."

Walid saahab ne laaparwaahi se kaha-" Weh to khair maine jaan boojhkar kaha hai, taaki tumhaari maa ko yeh maaloom ho jaaye ki use maine paagal mashhoor kiya hai. AB weh apne aapko sahi dimaag ki saabit karne ki koshish karegi aur jab koi apne dimaag ko sahi saabit karne ki koshish karta hai, to use sachmuch hi paagal samjha jaata hai. Weh zaroor Khan bahadur saahab ki beghum se kahegi ki mujhe paagal mashhoor kar rakha hai aur is tarah weh apna paagalpan khud uchhaalegi."

Maan gaye saahab. Waakai walid saahab ki samajh ka jawaab nahin hai har paagal apne ko sahi dimaag siddh karne ka poorn prayatn karta hai aur yeh prayatn, apne aap ek paagalpan nazar aata hai. Walid saahab ne is krodh ke baawajood jisse weh pechtaaw khaa rahe the, ek dum hans kar kaha-" Khan bahadur saahab ki bibi ajeeb wehshat se tumhaari maa ko dekh rahi thi aur tumhaari maa bhi usse darri hui thi. Waakai us waqt dono ko dono paagal nazar aa rahi thi. Aur lateefa yeh hai ki bechaari R.ana ke chehre par in dono ka asar padh raha tha. Weh bhi ajeeb sannate mein thi. Bas yeh tarkeeb apna kaam kar gayi. Ab mujhe tumhaari maa ki kisi behoodgi ka koi khatra nahin hai. Kaash! Yahi baat maine Miss Pal ko bhi bataa di hoti. Lekin khair koi baat nahin, Miss Pal to khud hi ek khaas kism ki paagal hai. Use apne kaam se kaam, weh kisi baat mein dakhal nahin deti hai. Leejiye naam liya hi tha ki weh tashreef laa rahi hai."

Miss Pal ne pani oonchi edhi ki kat kat ke saath kamre mein tashreef laakar guldaan ke baasi phool nikaal kar taaza phool lagaate hue kaha-" Nawaab saahab ka gusal aaj do baar lagaaya gaya aur paani kharaab hua. Hukm ho to ab teesri baar gusal lagaaya jaaye?"

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Bhai, Miss Pal, tum nehla nehla kar mujhe maar daalogi. Hafte mein ek din ki chhutti bhi de diya karo."

Miss Pal ne aankhein gol karte hue kaha-" Gusal ke bina rehna chaahte hain! Is tarah to beemaar padh jaayenge."

Walid saahab ne uthte hue kaha-" Achcha baba, achcha, jaata hoon gusal karne."

Aur walid saahab badhbadhaate hue kamre se nikal gaye. Unke jaane ke baad balki unke apni aawaaz ki pahunch se aage nikal jaane ke baad Miss Pal ne kaha-" Aaj maine dekha hai ki Khan bahadur saahab ki ladki ko achchi tarah. Aapse main kuch nahin keh sakti. Aapke dil par jo guzar rahi hai, weh theek hi hai."

Humne badhi maasoomiyat se kaha-" Mere dil par gazar rahi hai! Kya guzar rahi hai mere dil par?"

Miss Pal ne badi sharaarat se kaha-" Aankhon mein aankhein daalkar kahiye. Magar main aapko badhaayi deti hoon ki R.ana bhi aapke khyaal se khaali nahin. Maine itni hi der mein sab andaaza kar liya hai."

Humne kaha-" Miss Pal, tum mujh se is tarah paheliyon mein baat na kiya karo. Kya andaaza kar liya hai tumne?"

Miss Pal ne uttar diya-" Jab aap apne dil ki baat chhipaate hain, to mujh se yeh taqaaza kyon hai ki jo andaaza kiya hai weh bataa doon aapko. Kiya hoga maine kuch andaaza, aapse matlab?"

Humaare dhairye aur sanyam ki daad deejiye ki humne Miss Pal ki tanik bhi khushaamad na ki, ki weh apna andaaza humein bataa de. Usne yeh nakhra isliye kiya tha ki hum khushaamad karenge. Magar uske eh ko kitni thed lagi hogi, jab humne Miss Pal ki yeh baat suni ansuni kar aur atyant upeksha bhaaw se siti bajaate hue kamre se is tarah nikal aaye ki Miss Pal dekhti ki dekhti reh gayi. Uski aankhon mein der tak yeh intezaar raha ki shaayad hum ab usse baat karenge. Magar humne raseed tak na di aur weh apna sa munh lekar reh gayi.