And Devdas? where was he? He spent that night sitting on a bench in the Eden Gardens in Calcutta. It wasn’t as though he was wrung with grief, instead he was troubled by a lack of feeling, a kind of numbness. Sometimes, people who have lost a limb, whether through accident or disease, try to move that missing arm or hand, and are puzzled, for a moment, that nothing happens, before they realise that it is no longer there to respond to their command. So too, felt Devdas, that which he thought was forever his, was suddenly lopped away from him, and no word or command of his would have any effect now, any rights he had held, had been struck away.

At this point, the sun rose, Devdas stood up and wondered, ‘What now ? Where shall I go ?”

Suddenly, he thought of the boarding house where he used to stay. Choonilal would be there. Devdas began walking, sometimes he stumbled, once he fell, once he swayed into someone – who thought he was drunk and pushed him away. Somehow, after wandering here and there, he made it to the boarding house, arriving just as Choony, fashionably dressed, was leaving.

“Hey, if it isn’t Devdas!”

Devdas stared at him silently.

“When did you get back? You do look worn out- what are you doing!”

This because Devdas had sat down on the sidewalk. Choony helped him up and led him indoors. Taking Devdas to him own room, he asked, “What’s the matter, Devdas?”

“I left home yesterday.”

“Yesterday? Where’ve you been all day ? and all night ?”

“In the Eden Gardens.”

“Are you crazy ? Tell me, what’s up ?”

“What’s the point ?”

“Well, never mind, have something to eat now. Where are your things ?”

“I didn’t bring anything.”

“Oh, all right! Come, eat something.”

ChooniLal forced Devdas to eat a little, then made him lie down on his bed.

“Try to sleep a little. I’ll wake you up later.” With that Choony left.

When he returned, it was about ten at night, he found Devdas in a deep sleep. He did not wake him, instead he took a blanket and a mat, and made a bed for himself on the floor. Devdas did not wake all night, and slept through daybreak. Finally, at ten the next morning, he woke and sat up. “Choony! When did you get back ?”

Choony replied, “Just now.”

“I hope I haven’t put you out ?”

“Not a bit!”

Devdas gazed at Choony. “Choony! I have no one. Will you adopt me ?”

Choony laughed, he knew Devas’ family was very wealthy. So he said, “Adopt you? Fine. Stay with you me as long as you wish.”

“Choony, what’s your income ?”

“Brother, my income is slight. I have some property from which my elder brother sends me seventy rupees a month and that suffices me very well.”

“Why do you never go home ?”

Choony turned away slightly. “That is a long story.” but he didn’t explain further.

In time, the dinner bell rang, and two descended to the mess hall for lunch. After they had eaten, they returned to Choony’s rooms. Choony asked, “Devdas, have you quarreled with your family ?”

“No.”

“With anyone else ?”

“No.”

Choony pondered. Then a thought struck him “Ah! You’re not married yet, are you!”

This time, Devdas lay down on the bed and turned his face to the wall. After a few minutes, Choony saw that he was asleep. In this way two days passed, with Devdas asleep most of the time. On the third day, Devdas sat up, looking more or less normal, the grey , sick look had disappeared. Choony inquired, “So how do you feel now ?”

Instead of replying to this, Devdas asked, “Choony, where do you go at night ?”

Embarrassed, Choony said, “Why bring that up ?”

“Very well; but you don’t attend college either ?”

“No, I dropped out.”

“But why ? You know enough. Why not take the exams ?”

“No, I’ve had enough.”

Devdas asked again, “Won’t you tell me where you go ? I would go with you.”

Looking Devdas straight in the eye, Choony answered,”You know Devdas, I don’t go to a very good place.”

Devdas murmured to himself, “Good, bad, bad, good.”

“Choony! Won’t you take me with you ?”

“I could take you, but you shouldn’t go.”

“No, I will come. If I don’t like it, I won’t go again – but you look forward eagerly to each evening , there must be something in that – whatever happens, Choony, I would like to go!”

Choony smiled, “Very well, then, you will come with me.”

In the afternoon, Dharmadas showed up with Devdas’s things. On seeing Devdas, he cried out, Devdas, do you know that your mother has been weeping for the last three days ?”

“But why, Dharma?”

“You left without a word! So suddenly!” Dharma fished out a letter and handed it to Devdas. “From your mother.”

Devdas read the letter, his mother was begging him to come home. She, alone of his family, guessed the cause of his sudden departure. She also sent, secretly, some money with Dharmadas. Giving the money to Devdas, Dharmadas said, “Devdas, come home!’

“I’m not going. You can go back.”

So Dhormodas went back, without Devdas.

That evening the two friends put on their finest attire and set out. Devdas was not at all inclined to “fancy dress” but Choony refused to take him otherwise. They took a cab to a mansion in the Chitpore district. The lady of the house was named Chondromookhi and she came herself to greet them. As soon as he set eyes on her, Devdas felt himself burning up, he had not realized how much he had turned against the female sex in the last few days. Frowning, he turned to Choony, “Choony, you have brought me to a god-forsaken place!”

Choony and Chondromookhi