Divya by Yashpal

Author:Yashpal [Yashpal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9788184758207
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2012-07-12T16:00:00+00:00

Grandsire Chief Justice

LATE THAT NIGHT, THE ASSEMBLY IN VASUMITRA’S CONCERT HALL dispersed. The guests got into their chariots and palanquins or mounted their horses and headed home. Seeing the guests depart, Divya’s palanquin-bearers also shook off their sleepiness and stood up, waiting for their mistress to appear. But of Divya and her attendant, Dhata, there was no sign. The night watchmen of the palace shut the main gate and put out the lights.

The palanquin-bearers made enquiries about their mistress, but were told that she was nowhere to be seen—neither in the concert hall, nor in the gardens. They then returned to the palace of the Chief Justice, bewildered and trembling with fear.

The elders of the household and the ladies were already worried that Divya had not returned at so late an hour of the night, when they were informed by Taruk, the old slave, that Divya’s palanquin had been brought back empty.

Arya Prabuddha Sharma, Vinay Sharma, Dhriti Sharma, and last of all, Pandit Vishnu Sharma went into the sitting room. The ladies of the house followed them. In a short time, except for the Chief Justice, Mahadevi and the children, practically every member of the family had assembled.

Pandit Vishnu Sharma learned from the attendants and the doorkeepers of the reception hall, the gardens and the main gate that a little before sunset, Divya had been seen leaving in her palanquin with Dhata to attend a concert, either at Vasumitra’s or at Devi Mallika’s, and since Mahadevi was indisposed and the rest of the family was engrossed in the festivities occasioned by the birth of a child, the delay in Divya’s return had not be reported earlier.

Pandit Vishnu Sharma at once gave orders to have fast horses saddled up and made ready. Riders dispersed at top speed in search of Divya towards the palaces of Vasumitra, Mallika, Prestha and Sarvarth.

The palanquin-bearers and Dhata’s daughter, Chhaya, were put under guard. Orders were given to the doorkeepers to take the palanquin-bearers separately into isolated rooms and beat the truth out of them. Slaves, female attendants, factotums—all sat in separate rows, trembling with fear, their hands outstretched on their knees. Armed guards stood over them, whip in hand. Such events had never been seen before in the palace of the Chief Justice, even though it was common knowledge that in many a mansion and palace, servants were beaten and tortured in different ways.

One by one, the riders came back to report that they had been unable to trace Divya. The atmosphere of confusion and despair thickened. Not getting any information out of the palanquin-bearers, Vishnu Sharma ordered that they be immediately put on the rack and tortured.

Since Dhata had gone out with Divya, Vishnu Sharma suspected that her daughter, Chhaya, must have been a party to some intrigue. He asked the ladies of the house to retire to their respective chambers. When the women had gone, he called two of the doorkeepers, Vakkat and Dhwaj, and ordered, ‘Get the truth out of Chhaya. Subject her to the severest torture.

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