Travelers by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

Author:Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781619028210
Publisher: Counterpoint
Published: 2016-03-04T05:00:00+00:00

Banubai Gives Counsel

A family in deep trouble had come to see Banubai. There were several women, several men, one or two children. All sat on the floor of Banubai’s little room and looked up at her where she squatted cross-legged on her bed. The expression on their faces was one that Asha had frequently remarked in Banubai’s visitors: a deep, ingrained despair lightened, as they gazed at her, by flickers of hope.

They had come with a bizarre story—but then, so many people who came to Banubai had such stories. Again and again Asha was amazed at the manifold byways of human affliction. This family had lost one of their members a few months ago. He had lain down to sleep as usual at night and next morning he was gone: simply gone. They searched and inquired everywhere but no trace of him could be found. He had taken nothing with him—he was in the nightclothes in which he had gone to sleep—all his money, all his possessions were left intact at home. Where was he? Had he lost his memory, got up in the night and walked away, and no longer knew where he was or who he was? There was no question of his having run away—all had been normal that night—he had had a good supper of spinach and maize bread and then as usual he had drunk two glasses of water and lain down to sleep. He had talked about buying tickets for a weekend show at the circus which had recently come to town. Had he been murdered? But then how could anyone come into his house, into his bedroom, drag him away—and not a single member of that large family to hear a sound, not even the wife who slept by his side?

“Ah, you poor people!” cried out Banubai.

Silently they joined their hands and raised them to her in supplication.

“What do you want me to do?” she replied. “What can I do? I’m just an ordinary person like everyone else.” She spread out her arms so that they could look at her and judge for themselves how ordinary she was: though she did not look so at all, with her strange clothing and the bright glow on her face.

They hung their heads. They were weary—it was so difficult to keep on hoping. They had been to many places already; for weeks they had been doing nothing but wander round to astrologers, fakirs, and others with reputed powers.

“Come here,” Banubai said to the woman who was his wife. She grasped her hand, she opened and shut it, turned it over this way and that in great concentration. Everyone watched with renewed hope: perhaps there would be a revelation after all. But when Banubai had done this for some time, she pushed the hand away and motioned the woman to go and sit again on the floor among the others.

“I can’t see anything. I can’t tell you anything. Only this I know: that you are suffering. Day and night you are on thorns.

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