FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

pril 1942 FILM INDIA lickled him about it. Ramdas was lot, Nagar Chand though!, so reliorseful as he might have been. I Have done with this folly, and see lat no word of it reaches Meenai's ears", said the elderly man ;ernly; and Ramdas promised, and leant it for the time. He need not have troubled. Meeaxi had heard the scandal, but igored it. She adored her husband, ad absolute faith in him, and put le stories down to the jealousy of ival practitioners and the spite of 'omen whose overtures he had Durned. She did not know that he ad not spurned them; on the con •ary, he was becoming increasingly roficient at making overtures him;lf. Friends and relatives warned her, •ithout avail. A cousin who had een her playmate in childhood took upon herself to speak seriously ) her. WITH PANNA, THE DANCER "Do you know that my husband imself saw Ramdas coming out of le house of Panna, the dancer, two ights ago?" she asked, naming a articularly notorious* young person, 'ho on the excuse of some slight ye trouble, real or feigned, had lade her own opportunities to cast ■self unashamedly at Ramas's hand, and not by any leans in vain. "She believes him Ich, and knows him to be a rich lan's son-in-law, and will stop at othing to get him. And by all acounts he is very far from unwilllg. Meenaxi, will you stand by tad see this without lifting a finger ) keep him faithful? Or is your wgiveness illimitable?" "It does not extend," said Meeaxi, pale with unwonted anger, "To ossipmongers who defame my husand's name. This woman is one f his patients; I know her reputa(on and so does he, but would you ave him refuse her healing on that Ccount? There is nothing what-i ver between them.'J Brave words; she spoke them conIncingly, and parted from her couii with their lifelong friendship at n end; but in her heart she knew tern to be lies. Ramdas was carry ing on an intrigue with the dancer and a passionate one. A lessernatured wife than Meenaxi would have been either embittered or heartbroken. Meenaxi was neither. Nevertheless she tackled him on the matter. Unluckily she chose a bad moment for it. Ramdas's infatuation for Panna was at its height; at the same time he was inwardly annoyed with himself for slipping from his high principles and still more annoyed with Meenaxi for finding him out, which was unreasonable bat human. For the first time since their marriage he visited his ill-humour on Meenaxi, who bore it with a dignified and lovely meekness. His own eyes dropped beneath her steady regard. He flung out of the room without another word, and she heard his footsteps going in the direction of the dancer's house. It was late when he returned. She looked up as he entered, for he walked, she thought, somewhat unsteadily. Then at the ghastly pallor of his face she gave a cry of alarm and ran forward to him. Then he fell like a log at her feet. She went on her knees beside him, calling for her maid, who halted in the doorway with a scared face. "Send for the doctor," said Meenaxi and the maid hurried away. It was a case of alcoholic poisoning. Meenaxi nursed him through. Her love for him upheld her and gave her both strength and fortitude. Ramdas came slowly back to life, weak, fragile, shaken in body and soul, and so grateful and ashamed that his humility brought tears to her eyes. Of Panna he spoke but once: ' Forgive me, Meena; and have no 67