---

Humne kaha-" Kamaal kiya aapne, itni jaldi taiyaar bhi ho gayi?"

R.ana ne kaha-" Kamaal to mujhe aapki taiyaari mein nazar aa raha hai, main to samjhi thi ki alarm bajaa hoga, use aapne thapak kar phir sula diya hoga, aur phir karwat badal kar khud bhi so gaye honge. Ab main jaaoongi to jaagenge. Aur phir main nahaane se rokoongi to ladaayi hogi."

Humne kaha-" Ab aap khud hi dekh leejiye ki main nahaa dhokar bilkul taiyaar hoon. Baat yeh hai ki main waakai na aalsi hoon aur na sust; yeh sab dushmano ka prapoganda hai jo mere khilaaf kiya gaya hai. Dushman is tarah ki afwaahein failaate hi rehte hain."

R.ana ne hanskar kaha-" Yeh baatein shaayad isliye ban rahi hain ki mujhe aapki naamukammil taiyaari ka ehsaas na hone paaye. Abhi tie bandh rahi hai. Ike baad juraabein pehni jaayengi aur phir joota kasaa jaayega."

Humne kaha-" Joota bhi pehna jaayega. Joota jinko kasna chahiye, unhi ka swaagat karne to jaa rahe hain. Baherhaal aapne dekha ki tie bandh gayi aur ab yeh dekhiye ki yeh aap hi ki kaarigari ka ek namoona hai, jo sweater ke taur par pahen raha hoon."

R.ana ne kaha-" Haan, ise to main bhool hi gayi thi. Balki iske oopar coat aur phir coat par chester bhi pehna jaayega."

Humne kaha-." Aapke itminaan ke liye arz hai ki main chester bilkul nahin pehnoonga. Jab se maine SHibbu miyaan ko chester pehenkar lihaaf mein ghuste hue dekha hai, mujhe na jaane yeh khyaal kyon ho gaya hai ki jo is shiddat se chester pehenne lage, weh Shibbu miyaan bankar reh jaata hai. Mere liye yeh coat hi kaafi hai."

R.ana ne zabardasti shuroo kar di-" Gazab kar rahe hain aap. Is qayaamat ki sardi mein bina chester ke niklenge is waqt aap."

Humne kaha-" Jo is sardi mein subaah uthkar nahaa le, weh chester pehnne ka muhtaaj nahin ho sakta. Huzoorwaala, sardi ho yaa garmi in dono behno ka tareeka yeh hai ki yeh asal mein domniyaan hain. Jahan inhein munh lagaaya aur inke nakhre bardaasht kiye to yeh gaana shuroo kar deti hain taal betaal. Baherhaal is saari baatcheet ka nateeja yeh hua ki main bilkul taiyaar ho gaya. Aur aap ko taiyaari ke mazeed takaazon ka mauka hi na mil saka. Baherhaal ab tashreef laayiye."

Hum dono is sumayi prabhaat ke drishye mein khoye hue apne compound se nikalkar Khan bahadur saahab ke compound mein aa gaye, jahan dono bhayaanak kutte humaare swaagat ke liye khadhe dum hila rahe the. Jaise hi R.ana ne motar ka darwaaza khola "R.akas" ne motar mein baidhne ki koshish ki aur "Niran" ne is vishwaas ke baad ki weh bhi saath jaayenge, maare khushi ke uchhalna shuroo kar diya. Magar R.ana ne R.akas ko puchkaar kar nihaayat pyaar se samjhaaya," Jee nahin, is waqt aap humaare saath nahin jaa sakte. Hum dono bahoot chhipkar jaa rahe hain aur aap humaare chhipne ki chori khol denge. Aapko phir kisi samay sair karaayi jaayegi.

Aur R.akas ne gardan jhukaakar yeh faisla is prakaar suna, jaise weh sab kuch samajh gaya hai aur awsar ki gambheerta ko bhaanp liya. Unke samajh jaane ke baad hum dono gaadhi ki pichhli seaton par baidhe gaye aur driver ko chalne ka aadesh diya. Driver ko saath lena isliye aawashyak tha ki car wahan se kahin aur bhijwaani thi taaki Shibbu miyaan ko kisi prakaar ka sandeh na ho sake. Jis samay hum Miss Pal ke makaan par pahunche, weh atyant adheerta se humaari prateeksha kar rahi thi. Humein dekhte hi unki jaan mein jaan aa gayi aur humaara swaagat karte hue boli-" Mujhe to darr tha ki kahin weh hazart aa maujood ho aur aap dono na pahunche to kya hoga?"

Humne kaha-" Asal to yeh ho hi kaise sakta tha? Doosre hum aapko baar baar rehearsal karaake itna pakka to kar hi chuke hain ki aapko darrne ki koi wajah to na honi chaahiye."

Miss Pal ne driver se kaha-" Tum yeh gaadhi le jaao waapas. Aur do baje jab laana to is saamne waali gali ke modh par rok lena; Magar khud na aana ittlaa karna. Hum khud hi maaloom kar lenge ki tum aa gaye ho yaa nahin."

Humne bhi samardhan kiya-" Haan bhai baat hi kuch aisi hai ki tumhaari yaa is car ki maujoodgi ka pataa na chale. Bas tum car laakar khaamoshi se humaara intezaar karna."

Car waapas karke Miaa Pal humein ek kamre mein laayi, jahan nihaayat purtakalluf breaffast taiyaar tha. Miss Pal ne humein baidhaate hue kaha-" Bas yeh hai aap dono ka kamra. Iske saath yeh gusalkhaana hai. Aur weh hazrat is saamne waale kamre mein baidhenge. Aap dono is kamre se us kamre ki har baat bhi sun sakenge aur sab cheez bhi aapke saamne hogi."

R.ana ne kaha-" Magar Miss Pal aapki aur humaari yeh shart to na thi ki aap itna takalluf karengi."

Miss Pal ne sachmuch mezbaan bankar kaha-" Kya baatein karti hain saahabzaadi aap bhi! Hum gareeb aadmi bhalaa kya takalluf karti. Aap humaare ghar aayein humaare liye yeh izzat hi kya kam hai? Raat gaye to main aa saki kothi se, sachmuch jaane kya kya jee chaahta tha; Magar kuch na ho saka. Baherhaal ab aap jaldi se naashta kar lein, warna weh aa jaayega."

Humne ghadi dekhkar kaha-" Agar train sahi waqt par oahunch rahi hai to uske aane mein abhi poora aadha ghanta baaki hai. Magar Miss Pal aapneapne pyaare mehmaan ke liye bhi naaste ka intezaam kiya hai yaa nahin?"

Miss Pal ne kaha-" Bhalaa yeh kaise ho sakta tha, ki main apne mehmaano ke liye na karti?"

R.ana ne hanskar kaha-" Miss Pal unhein apna mehmaan bhi maanne ko taiyaar nahin. Baherhaal weh humaare hi mehmaan sahi; Magar aapki mezbaani mein koi kami na rahe."

Miss Pal ne naashte ki or humaara dhyaan dilaate hue kaha-" Weh to main karoongi ki yaad rakhenge hazrat bhi."

Humne darrkar kaha-" Meherbaani karke apni taraf se koi harkat na kar baidhiyega."

Miss Pal ne humein vishwaas dilaaya ki weh humaare nirdesh ke virudh kisi prakaar ka abhinay na karengi. Is vishwaas ke baad humne us purtakalluf naashte ki or dhyaan diya jiski taiyaari mein Miss Pal ne zaroorat se zyaada takalluf se kaam liya tha. Aur weh vishudh poorvi dhang se is samay bhi is chinta mein thi ki hum dono mein se koi takalluf na kar jaaye. Ek ek cheez bade aagreh se aage badhaati thi. "Leejiye to sahi ek aadh machhli ka tukda, ek aadh gurda aur." Weh to kahiye ki taange ki aawaaz sunkar hum sab hadhbadha kar reh gaye aur Miss Pal ko bhaagna padha humein humaare haal ppar chhodkar. Humne badi saawdhaani se kamre ka darwaaza band kar diya, jo us kamre mein khulta tha, jismein miyaan Shibbu padhaarne waale the aur phir ek sannata sa chha gaya. Waakai is kamre se us kamre ka pratyek drishye spasht dikhaayi padhta tha. Humein kisi kashtdaayak kone se dekhne ki zaroorat na padhi. AAraam mein kursi par baidhe hum dono ko us kamre ki ek jaise hamsi sunaayi di, jo unke nazdeek badi madhur aur aakarshak hansi hai. Khaahamkhaah koshish karke weh badi vyarth hansi hanste hain. Hansi ki is aawaaz ke peechhe peechhe unhonein ek peshaawari fargal mein liptein hue kenchwe ki bhaanti bal khaate hue kamre mein pravesh kiya.

Unhonein aate hi kaha-" Yeh bhalaa kaise mumkin tha ki main na aata. Main to raat ko train pakadhne ke liye kal dopaher hi ko station par aa gaya tha."

Miss Pal ne kaha-" Nahin, mujhe darr yeh tha ki kahin aap gareebkhaane par tashreef laana apni shaan ke khilaaf na samjhein. Baherhaal tashreef to rakhiye na us sofe par. Nahin, is par baidhiye. Is sofe ke spring kharaab hai zaraa."

Yeh kehkar Miss Pal ne Shibbu miyaan ko humaare bilkul nikal baidha diya. Shibbu miyaan ne baidhte hue kaha-" Main aapke ghar aana apni shaan ke khilaaf samjhoon? Jee to chaahta hai ki sir ke bal pahunchoon."

Miss Pal ne turant kaha-" Sir ke bal? Sir ke bal to rakeeb ke kooche mein jaate hain."

Zaahir hai ki Miss Pal ko yeh baat samjhaayi nahiin gayi thi. Magar kambakht khud bhi to badi samajhdaar aur chaalaak hain aur mukaabila hai unka jo ekdum bhadak uthe-" Achcha achcha. Weh misra-"
"Main koocha-e-rakeeb mein bhi sir ke bal gaya."
Achcha zaraa weh dono tokre mulaazim se keh kar khulwa deejiye, warna fal kharaab ho jaayenge. Peshaawar se aur kya laata? Thodhe se fal laa saka hoon aur ek peshaawari chappal bhi laaya hoon-
"Gar kabool uftad jahe ijjo shar."
(Agar sweekaar ho to humaare liye is se adhik aadar ki baat aur kya ho sakti hai!)

Miss Pal ne kaha-" Aapne khaahamkhaah takalluf kiya. Mujhe inmein se har cheez se zyaada aapke khaloos ki zaroorat hai. Shibbu miyaan aapkonahin maaloom ki aap bina soche samjhe jo khel khel rahe hain, usmein aapki himmat aur hausle ka imtihaan hon jaayega."

Shibbu miyaan ne kaha-" Main har imtihaan aur har aazmaayish ke liye taiyaar hoon. Mera faisla hai ki mujhe saari duniya chhodhna pade; magar aapko nahin chhodh sakta."

Miss Pal ne kaha-" Aisa bada bol na boliye, aapko nahin maaloom ki Khan bahadur saahab aapki talaash mein hain. Saahabzaade Farhatulaah Khan ko jawaab mil chuka hai aur R.ana biwi ke liye ab aap dhoondhe jaa rahe hain."

Shibbu miyaan ne kaha-" Khoob, khoob! Jaise main aisa paaltu hoon ki jab unki saahabzaadi ki kahin shaadi na ho sake to ghar ki murgi yaad aaye, sawaal to yeh hai ki yeh dil ka sauda hai. Mere dil mein bakhuda R.ana ke liye koi jagah nahin."

Miss Pal ne kaha-" Yeh mujhe maaloom hai ki agar aapke dil mein koi jagah hoti to is dil mein mere liye jagah kyon kar nikalti?" Magar ek baat aap bhool rahe hain ki R.ana ka matlab hai Khan bahadur saahab ki poori daulat."

Shibbu miyaan ne kaha-" Magar main apne dil se majboor hoon aur aapse darkhwaast hai meri ki mere saamne R.ana ka zikr na karein."

Miss Pal ne usi kamre mein unke liye naashte ka prabandh kar diya aur unhein baaton hi baaton mein samjha diya ki yahan aapka thaherna khatarnaak hai. Sambhaw hai ki kisi ko pata chal jaaye. Aap kisi hotel mein rihaayash karein aur har roz dopaher ke baad tashreef le aaya karein. Shibbu miyaan ne yeh program pasand kar liya aur naashta karne ke baad hi kuch der baatein karke rawaana ho gaya.