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Hum bahoot hi ghabraaye hue ghar mein jo gaye to door hi se walid saahab ki aawaaz aayi-" Tum apni jis bahen par phool rahe ho, main uska khaatma kiye deta hoon. Yahan jo rushwaayi tum meri karna chaahte ho uske baad zinda rehna to yon bhi bekaar hai, magar main apni maut ko kaaraamad kyon na banaa loon? Is aurat ko maarkar sooli par chadh jaaoonga."

Maamu saahab udhar se bole-" Mere jeete ji to meri bahen par aanch nahin aa sakti. Tum raees hoge to apne ghar ke hoge. Chaar paise kya mil gaye ki dimaag hi kharaab ho gaya. Main bhi to duniya ko bataaoonga ki is nawaabi ke parde mein se naai kainchi ustre liye baidha hai."

Walid saahab kadke-" Zabaan sambhaal kar baat kar, kameena kahin ka."

Maamu saahab bhi sharaafat par aa gaye-" Main kameena hoon, jo apne baap daada ko nahin bhoola. tum shareef ho jo apna naai hona bhoolkar yahan nawaab bane baidhe ho aur shareefon ko dhokha dekar unki beti laana chaahte ho. Meri bachchi par zindagi bhar gaali chadhaayi aur ab chaar paise ke nashe mein aise behke ki usi ko apni shaan ke khilaaf samajhne lage."

Walid saahab na kaha-" Main mehtaraani byaah laaoonga, bhangan le aaoonga apne ladke ke liye. Magar tumhaari ladki se qayaamat tak mere ladke ki shaadi nahin ho sakti."

Ab mamaani sahiba bhi boli-" To kaun aapke haath jodh raha hai. Magar meri bezabaan bachchi ka bhi sabr padhega ki agar yeh ghar na ujdhe to mera zimma. Ilaahi jo meri maasoom bachchi ka sabr samete us par bijli gire! Kaala saanp dhase use........."

Ab humne bhi aage badhkar is yudh shetr mein apni veerta ka pradarshan behtar samjha-" Saahab yeh kya toofaan aaya hua hai. Jo sunega weh kya kahega?"

Walid saahab ne usi prakaar garajte hue kaha-" Ab mujhe kisi ki parwaah nahin hai. Main danke ki chot se kehta hoon ki naai hoon, mera baap naai tha, mera daada naai tha. Magar mere bete ki shaadi Fazlu (Maamu jaan) ki ladki se nahin ho sakti. Mujhe yeh to maaloom hai ki yeh baat Khan bahadur saahab ke yahan pahunchkar rahegi." Maamu jaan ne seene par haath maarkar kaha-" Aji main pahunchaaoonga main unhein bataaoonga ki ek naai ke bachche ne aapki sharaafat ka yeh mazaak uthaaya hai."

Humne kaha-" Aakhir aap dono meri baat kyon nahin sunte." Main yeh jagdha abhi ek minute mein khatam kar deta hoon."

Walid saahab ne garajkar kaha-" Naamumkin hai. Yeh kissa ab khatam nahin ho sakta."

Humne kaha-" Magar aap meri baat to sun leejiye. Mujhe darasal Khan bahadur saahab ka koi darr hai na kisi ka. Main ikhlaaki taur par sirf R.ana ka kasoorwaar tha ki maine usse apni asliyat kyon chhipaayi. Isliye kuch din pehle main use sab kuch bataa chuka hoon ki main darasal kya hoon aur kyon main ab tak nawaabzaada banaa raha. Uske baad se weh beemaar padhi hai aur idhar main beemaar padha hoon. Main use keh chuka hoon ki main uske kaabil nahin aur uska mera sanyog nahin ho sakta."

Mamaani sahiba ko jaise munh maangi muraad mil gayi. Ek dum apna rawaiya aur apne tewar badal kar boli-" Beta, tum kyon is jagdhe mein apni jaan ganwa rahe ho? Yeh biraadari ke jagdhe to hote hi rehte hain. Laathi maare kahin paani juda hota hai. Bhai saahab ko is waqt gussa hai thodhi der mein khud sambhal jaayenge."

Maamu jaan ne apni biwi sahiba ko daanta-" Tu chup reh haraamzaadi! Aayi wahan se sambhal jaayenge. Is Najjo ka gala ghont doonga, magar ab inke yahan na byaahoonga."

Walid saahab phir cheekhe-" Angoor khatte hain. Kehne lage main nahin byaahoonga. Yahan kis ki shaamat aayi hai ki tumhaari ladki lega. Aur main to tumhaare khaandaan ki jo ek ladki laa chuka hoon, usi ko talaak de raha hoon. Le jaao apne saath apni bahen ko bhi uska guzaara ab is ghar mein nahin hai."

Maamu saahab phir cheekhe-" Tum meri bahen ko be aasra na samajhna aur na pani daulat par foolna. Main to is daulat ki bhi saari duniya mein pol kholoonga ki yeh tumhaare haath kaise lagi? Bhool gaye weh din jab take take ki hajaamat banaate the."

Walid saahab ne humse kaha-" Manaa kar lo ise, warna is waqt is ghar main khoon ho jaayega."

Mamaani jaan boli-" Main keh rahi hoon. Aap baahar jaayiye, aur yeh idhar aayein. Be baat ki baat par jagdha ho gaya hai."

Humne kaha-" Dekhiye saahab, gusse se zyaada zaroori yeh hai ki aap sab zaraa dhandhe dil se baidhkar meri baat sun lein. Yeh jo kuch ho raha hai uska seedha mujhse taalluk hai aur mera hi faisla aakhiri faisla hoga."

Mamaani jaan ne samardhan kiya-" Theek baat hai, weh gareeb to keh raha hai ki Khan bahadur ki ladki se weh inkaar kar chuka hai."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Tu keh chuka na, kya kehte ho? Ab to sab chup hain."

Humne kaha-" Dekhiye, Khan bahadur ke yahan meri shaadi hone ka ab koi sawaal paida nahin hoga. Isliye unka zikr to ab sab chhodh hi dein. Reh gaya humaara naai hona, weh bhi koi thaki chhipi baat nahin hai ki iski humein dhamki di jaaye. Ab sawaal sabse badha yeh hai ki Najjo biwi se jo rishta tey hua tha uska kya hoga? Iska saaf jawaab yeh hai ki yeh rishta walid saahab ne tey kiya tha, wahi iske liye zimmedaar hain. Jahan tak mera taalluk hai, main Najjo ko apni bahen samajhta hoon aur bahen ki samajhta rahoonga. Meri aur uski shaadi katai naamumkin hai. Main saaf inkaar kar raha hoon."

Maamu jaan ne daant peeskar biwi se kaha-" Sun le haraamzaadi, sun le aur mar jaa doobkar. Tu hi yeh joote khilwaane laayi hai yahan aur yeh jo bahen hai meri unhonein bulaaya hai mujhe yahan is tarah zaleel karne ko."

Walida sahiba ne rote hue kaha-" Bhaiya, mujhe kya maaloom tha ki pet ki aulaad bhi mujh hi ko dhasne ke liye fan uthaayegi."

Maamu jaan ne kaha-" Baherhaal jo kuch kismat mein likha tha poora hua. Ab is ghar ka daana paani haraam hai hum par."

Mamaani jaan ne humse kaha-" Farhat miyaan tumse yeh ummeed na thi ki jis mamaani ne tumko aulaad se zyaada hamesha yeh samajh kar chaaha ke beti se daamaad pyaara hota hai, tumne aaj usi ke armaanon ka khoon kar diya."

Humne kaha-" Mamaani jaan mera kasoor sirf yeh hai ki main apni zindagi hamesha ke liye dukhi, banaane ki bajaaye is samay sach bol raha hoon. Main nahin chaahta ki mere saath meri bahen Najjo bhi apni zindagu kharaab kar le."

Maamu jaan ne biwi ko daanta-" Kyon khushaamad kar rahi hai haraamzaadi. Baandh apna bistar aur nikal yahan se. Chali hai un tilon se tel nikaalne jo patthar ke bane hue hain. Saanp ka bachcha sapoliya hi hota hai."

Walid saahab phir kadakkar bole-" Phir zabaan bekaabu hui."

Maamu jaan ne kaha-" Yeh gurre kisi aur ko dikhaana. Kasam hai parwardigaar ki aantein dher kar doonga yahin abhi."

Humne kaha-" Has gaali galoch se achcha to yahi hai ki waakai aap tashreef le jaayein."

Maamu jaan ne kaha-" Barkhurdaar tum kyon nikaal rahe ho? Hum apni sazaa par khud pahunch chuke hain aur jaa rahe hai yahan se."

Aur phir biwi se kaha-" Ab munh kya dekh rahi hai? Uthti hai ki uthoon joota lekar."

Aur mamaani jaan ne uthkar apna saamaan batorna shuroo kar diya. Walid saahab ne humein alag se jaakar kaha-" Khuda ke liye koi tarkeeb aisi nikaalo ki yeh jo tumhaari maa hai yeh bhi unhi ke saath dafaa ho jaaye yahan se. Yeh sab isi lafangi ka kiya dharaa hai. Aur mujhe nafrat ho gayi hai iski soorat se. Doosre, agar yeh ghar mein rahi to in logon se koi na koi silsila baraabar chalta rahega."

Humne kaha-" Ab aap is waqt yeh jagdha na karein. In logon ko chale jaane deejiye iske baad main walida sahiba ko seedhe raaste par laane ki koshish karoonga."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Phir wahi bachpane ki baatein. Yeh aurat kabhi theek na ho sakegi aur jab yeh is ghar main hai, is ghar ka dhang yahi rahega."

Theek usi samay rone ki aawaazein aane lagi. Humne aage badhkar dekha ki walida sahiba aur mamaani jaan gale mili khadhi hain aur dono ro rahi hain. Is rone dhone se nipat kar maamu jaan apni biwi beti samet jaane lage to humne salaam kiya; Magar weh munh ferkar nikal gaye. Walid saahab ne albatta kaha-" Khas kam jahan paak."