Do not borrow even a single paisa from anyone; there is no question of giving or taking anything. And when God, sitting inside Gauri, made her write that letter, you started singing the tune of family honor. Only God knows your true intentions.

Dhaniya said, “A betel leaf is offered after seeing the face, don’t you know that? Back then, Gauri used to show her pride, now she shows her decency. A stone should answer a brick, but a greeting should not be answered with an insult.”

Hori wrinkled his nose and said, “Then show your decency. Let’s see, where will you bring the money from?”

Dhaniya’s eyes flashed as she replied, “It’s not my job to bring money, it’s yours.”

“I’ll take it from Dulari alone.”

“Go ahead, take it from her. Everyone will charge interest. If you’re going to drown anyway, what difference does it make whether it’s in a pond or the Ganga?”

Hori went outside and began to smoke his chilam. How easily he could have freed himself from this burden, but Dhaniya would never let him be. Whenever you look, she’s always going against the grain. It’s as if she’s possessed by some spirit. Even after seeing the state of the house, her eyes refuse to open.

Bhola, meanwhile, had brought home a second wife. Life without a woman was barren for him. When Jhunia was there, she would serve him his hookah and water, call him to meals on time. Now he was like an orphan. The daughters-in-law never got a break from housework—how could they attend to him? So, a new marriage had become absolutely necessary. By chance, he found a young widow whose husband had died only three months before. She had a son as well. Bhola’s mouth watered. He quickly seized his prey. Until the marriage was settled, he dug up her house.

Until now, whatever was in his house belonged to the daughters-in-law. They did as they pleased, lived as they liked. Ever since Jangi had taken his wife to Lucknow, Kamta’s wife had become the mistress of the house. In just five or six months, she had managed to squirrel away thirty or forty rupees for herself. She would secretly sell a seer or half-seer of milk and curd. Now, her stepmother-in-law became the new mistress. The daughter-in-law resented this control, and quarrels broke out between them every day. Things escalated to the point that even Bhola and Kamta began to argue because of the women. The fight grew so heated that it came to the brink of separation, and it is an ancient custom that at the time of separation, there must be a beating. That custom was followed here as well.

Kamta was a young man. Whatever authority Bhola had over him was only as a father, but after bringing home a new wife, he had no right to expect respect from his son. At least, Kamta would not accept it. He threw Bhola down and kicked