Mr Sampath-The Printer of Malgudi, the Financial Expert, Waiting for the Mahatma by R. K. Narayan

Author:R. K. Narayan [Narayan, R. K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Humour
ISBN: 9780307496928
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Published: 2000-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

Margayya knocked on his door with great authority. Lai had offered to drive him home in his car. But Margayya declined it definitely. He didn’t want him to see his house or street. He explained that after all the hours of sitting in a stuffy atmosphere he would prefer a walk, so as to be fit for work next day.

He knocked on his door with such authority that his wife came up hurriedly and opened it. She stood aside to let him pass in. She could not pluck up enough courage to put to him the usual irritating questions. She served him his food and then said in a forced light manner: ‘This has almost become your usual hour?’

‘Yes, it may have to be even later hereafter. I shall have to be very busy.’

‘Oh!’ she said. ‘Is that book printed?’

‘It’s not so easy,’ he replied. ‘There are many complications.’ And as she did not annoy him with further questions, he added: ‘I have almost signed a partnership agreement with a big man.’ He liked the sentence and the feeling of importance that it gave him. But he didn’t like the word ‘big’ that he had used. Reflecting, he felt he might take the word out and knock it flat lest his wife should think he really meant anyone was bigger than he. He rectified his mistake by adding: ‘Big business-man! Big! A North Indian; he thinks he is very clever, but I was able to tweak his nose –’

‘Oh!’ said his wife gratified. He seemed to acquire a new stature and importance. He finished his dinner and when he got up she was ready with a bowl of water for his hands. And then she held a towel up to him.

He was pleased with all these ministrations, thinking, ‘Yes, she is not a bad sort, except when she gets into a bad mood.’ He said aloud: ‘We can live differently hereafter, I think. A lot of money is coming in.’

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