This Is Not That Dawn: Jhootha Sach by Yashpal Page B

himself, and this was nagging his conscience and gnawing at his self-respect.
    Before going to jail, Jaidev had sometimes filled in for his father at tuitions when Masterji was tired or unwell. Masterji had taken on another pupil in the last two months. He could not say no to this extra income, even if the strain gave him headaches or made him doze off while teaching at school.
    Lala Badhawa Mull Narang’s son Jagdish Chandra had been Masterji’s pupil. He was never serious about his studies; Lalaji, therefore, often had Masterji as his tutor. Jagdish somehow got through his BA and took over his family business selling electric machines. His younger sister Urmila had given up her studies after failing the high school examination. Urmila’s mother, more than her father, wanted her to pass her matriculation exams. Times were such that parents of prospective grooms, especially from good families, wanted to know about the girl’s education. Urmila’s mother knew her daughter was playful and impertinent. She wanted someone she could trust to tutor her. Narangji personally came to speak with Masterji.
    The Narang family had moved away from Khooh Tillian to Manso Gali three years ago. Manso Gali was a little far for Masterji to walk. Narangji offered to pay his tonga fare too; in all twenty-five rupees a month. Masterji taught the eighth grade students at school, but he could tutor students up to high school in all subjects except English. Narangji was willing to hire another tutor to teach English to his daughter.
    Jaidev had been back from jail for only two weeks when his father came down with high fever; it lasted for three days. Masterji was not so much worried about being absent from tutoring jobs that paid ten or fifteen rupees a month as he was troubled by not being able to go to Narangji’s place. Her father wanted Urmila to appear in the September examination.
    When Masterji had been Jagdish’s tutor, Jaidev had filled in for him on several occasions. Narangji had noticed that Masterji son’s was intelligent and diligent. When his father asked him, Jaidev borrowed Ratan’s bicycle and went to tutor Urmila. He found that Narangji, Urmila’s mother and Jagdish all knew about his work being published in reputed magazines, and were concerned about the time he had spent in jail. They talked to himwith affection and served him tea and snacks. During the week he tutored Urmila, Jaidev was mindful of his responsibility.
    One day Urmila’s mother asked him, ‘Son, Jagdish told me that you also can teach English.’
    When Jaidev said yes, Urmila’s mother spoke to him trustingly as if he were her son: Urmila’s father had not been keeping well. June had begun. The family wanted to spend the three months of summer at the hill resort of Murree. She was worried about her daughter’s tuition being interrupted. Urmila’s mother suggested, ‘You must have suffered during your time in prison, you too can do with some rest and change. Masterji cannot get away from his job at school. You can teach English to Urmila. You stay with us and eat with us too. For us, there’s no difference between you and Jagdish. Our Murree house is quite spacious. We will pay you fifty rupees per month. Once in a while, if you feel like it, you can tutor Urmila’s younger brother Praveen.’
    To be able to spend some time at a hill resort and earn some money in the process did not seem like a bad idea to Jaidev. He had been whiling away his time in Lahore. He would be able to write in peace in the cool and quiet of Murree. His parents gave their approval, what objection could they have! Jaidev gathered his finished and unfinished writings, and went to Murree with the Narang family.
    Urmila’s mother knew that her daughter was not fond of studying. She was going on eighteen, but her young, doll-like figure made her look sixteen. It was time for the girl to get married, but she wanted Urmila to finish high school. In Murree, she treated Jaidev