Hidden Treasure: Page 3

He sat on a rock, trying to think what he should do next. But no idea suggested to him. All at once, a thought occurred to him: Why don't I use explosives! He was thrilled by the idea and wanted to execute it at once. He started for the marketplace and covered the two-mile distance within minutes. All the shops had shut. The explosives seller did not want to get on the wrong side of the law. "You cannot get explosives now," he said. Government orders prohibit the sale of such substances at this hour. Who are you? Why do you need blasting substances at this time? No brother, if something happens, I will get into trouble; you will roam free.

Prabhudas' peaceful nature had never before been put to such a difficult test. He continued to plead with the seller and, eventually, succeeded in melting the man's heart by the musical chimes of a few extra coins. When Prabhudas started his return journey, he was so happy that he felt he was floating in the air.

It was 2 a.m. when Prabhudas arrived at the temple. He filled the fissures with the powder, ignited it, and ran to safety. There was a loud bang, the rocky top blew off, and the yawning entrance of the dark cellar stood exposed; it looked like a demon, waiting to swallow up Prabhudas.

In the morning, Prabhudas lay in his room staring at an iron chest before him; the chest contained ten thousand old coins. His mother sat by his side, fanning him. Prabhudas was burning with fever. He tossed and turned, groaned, and threw his hands and legs in distress. But his eyes always turned around and focused on the iron chest; all his hopes were trapped in it.

Magan Singh was now the clerk at the kiln; he lived here in the house. He came and said, "Will you be going to the kiln? Shall I get the vehicle ready?"

Prabhudas looked at him with mournful eyes as though asking for forgiveness and said, "No, I will not go today; I am not well. You also don't go."

Finding Prabhudas ill, Magan Singh went away to fetch a doctor.

Prabhudas' face turned yellow and eyes red by ten o'clock. When his mother looked at him, she was overcome with grief. The state of Babu Haridas, as he breathed his last, once again floated before her eyes. It seemed to her as though the same sorrowful incident was about to repeat itself. She pleaded with God for Prabhudas' life. Prabhudas, meanwhile, continued to gaze at the iron chest, for which he had sacrificed his soul.

His wife came and sat at the foot of the bed; she wailed inconsolably. Tears also flowed from Prabhudas' eyes; the eyes were full of despair, and they remained fixed on the trunk.

The doctor came, gave medicines, and went away. But the medicines only worsened Prabhudas' condition. His hands and feet turned cold, his face became inert, and his heart rate slowed down. But his eyes did not shift from the trunk.

The neighbours assembled in the house and spoke about the virtues of the father and the son. Both have been epitomes of modesty and humbleness. None of them had ever uttered a harsh word, even by mistake. Prabhudas' whole body turned cold; there was life only in the eyes, which remained fixed on the iron chest.

The house was plunged in grief. The two women wailed in distress; their sorrow was so great that they fell on the ground again and again. The women from the neighbourhood tried to console them. Other friends stood covering their eyes with handkerchiefs and shedding silent tears. There can be no greater heart-rending, unnatural, and terrible scene than to watch a young person dying. It is a thunderbolt and a cruel joke of God. Prabhudas' whole body had now become lifeless; only the eyes held a spark of life. The eyes were riveted on the trunk. His life had transformed into hope; life was ebbing away, but hope refused to leave.

Just then, Magan Singh came and stood by his side. Prabhudas looked at him; it seemed as though blood had once again started circulating in his body. His limbs showed signs of life. Prabhudas gestured to Magan Singh to bend closer, mumbled something in his ears, and indicated the iron chest once. Immediately after completing this task, Prabhudas' eyes rolled up, and he fell back dead.

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Summary

Babu Haridas owns a brick kiln. He is an honest and righteous person.

Daily-wage workers come to the kiln every day to remove the bricks from the kiln. They get paid according to the number of bricks they bring out of the kiln.

A clerk distributes shells to the workers according to the number of bricks they remove from the kiln. Of course, the workers will exchange these shells for real money at the end of the day.

A boy named Magan Singh comes to the kiln every day. He works very hard so that he can earn more money. He is frail and looks sorrowful. Babu Haridas feels pity for the boy and asks him about himself. The boy belongs to a family, which had once been affluent. However, because of differences and conflicts within the family, it became poor.

Now, only Magan Singh and his mother lived; they lived in abject poverty. The little boy had to care for his sick mother and run the house on his own.

Babu Haridas takes Magan Singh into his regular employment and even arranges for the boy's education. Magan Singh is dutiful and intelligent and soon wins over Babu Haridas' trust.

Once, Magan Singh remains absent for three days. Babu Haridas is concerned; he visits Magan Singh's home to know the reason. Haridas finds Magan Singh's mother on her death bed. Magan Singh requests Haridas to speak with his mother; he stays outside during the conversation between Haridas and his mother.

Magan Singh's mother tells Haridas that the forefathers had buried some treasure; she asks Haridas to dig up the treasure and give it to her boy.

Haridas takes the note containing details about the valuables and their location. Magan Singh gets to know nothing about the hidden treasure. The mother dies.

Even an upright and honest person like Haridas falls prey to greed. He starts digging up the treasure in secret. Haridas almost completes the work of unearthing the valuables when he falls sick and dies. The note comes in possession of Prabhudas, Haridas' son.

Prabhudas, who is honest and righteous like his father, sets out to complete the work. Prabhudas digs up the treasure and brings it home. But he also falls ill.

It is not that the treasure has a curse on it. It is the conscience — the supreme judge — which is sitting on judgment. Both Haridas and Prabhudas were honest and righteous persons; their conscience punishes them for their treachery.

In the case of Prabhudas, the author repeatedly tells how Prabhudas continues to look at the iron box containing the treasure even as his life is ebbing away. That signifies the torture of his soul. In the end, when Magan Singh comes near him, Prabhudas whispers something to him. The author does not tell us what was said, but we can infer that Prabhudas whispers the truth. Once he tells the truth, his conscience is at peace, and he dies peacefully.