The Householder Read Free Page A

and a father, demanding his rights and the rights of his family … instead of talking about tea and Sohan Lal. When he thought about Sohan Lal, he felt more unhappy still. Perhaps he had even damaged his friend’s position; the Principal seemed actually to think that it was Sohan Lal who wanted a rise in salary.
    Later, when he saw Sohan Lal in the staffroom, Prem at once had a guilty feeling. He went up to him and said, ‘Today I did a very strange thing.’
    Sohan Lal smiled. He had an enchanting smile: his teeth were very large and protruding and when he smiled he showed them all, giving an impression of great heartiness.
    Prem smiled back at him and said, ‘Yes, it was very strange.…’ It seemed quite easy to tell Sohan Lal everything. About Mr. Khanna and the rise in salary and the baby and everything. Sohan Lal was bending down to fit his cycle-clips round his trousers. Classes were finished and they were all about to go home. ‘May I walk with you a little way?’ Prem said.
    â€˜You see,’ he said, walking beside Sohan Lal who was pushing his cycle along the road, ‘I went to speak with the Principal today.’ The students were going home too, some walking along the pavement four and five abreast, others jauntily pushing off on shiny new motor-scooters. Some of them called ‘Good night, sir!’ to Prem and Sohan Lal, in reply to which Sohan Lal waved his hand at them, in a rather embarrassed manner, for like Prem he too was not very good at dealing with the students.
    â€˜Things are difficult for me,’ Prem said. ‘My salary is small—you see, I am married and I pay a rent of 45 rupees and my wife is pregnant.’ He shot a quick side glance at Sohan Lal: this was the first time he had told anyone, face to face like this, about Indu being pregnant.
    Sohan Lal was, as Prem had expected him to be, understanding. He said at once ‘You wanted to ask about a rise in salary?’
    â€˜What can you do with 175 rupees a month, when your rent alone is 45 rupees?’
    â€˜What did he say?’
    â€˜It is strange,’ Prem said. ‘He did not understand.’ He shot Sohan Lal another side glance. ‘He thought it was you who wanted a rise in salary.’
    â€˜I?’ Sohan Lal stood still in the road, holding his cycle, and looked at Prem.
    â€˜Yes; I told you it was strange.’ Both stood and laughed. Students passed them and looked at them in surprise.
    â€˜But of course—he is right,’ Sohan Lal said. ‘I want a rise in salary.’
    Prem said, ‘I told him you are yourself a father, sir; like that I told him.’
    â€˜I pay only 15 rupees rent.’
    â€˜Of course, in Mehrauli …’ Prem said. ‘It is a very nice place,’ he added quickly. ‘Only a little far.’
    â€˜It is very far,’ Sohan Lal said. ‘But where else could I get a place for my whole family for only 15 rupees?’
    Prem sighed and said, ‘When once one becomes the father of a family, one has to make many sacrifices.’
    Sohan Lal smiled in rapturous agreement: this was evidently a subject on which, if he chose, he could speak a lot. But all he said was ‘When is your wife expecting?’
    â€˜I think in another six months,’ Prem said. ‘Before that I must have an increase in salary or perhaps find another job. It is very difficult,’ he sighed.
    â€˜You are still young,’ Sohan Lal said. ‘Who knows perhaps you will win great success in life——’
    â€˜I have only a second-class B.A.’
    â€˜Who knows,’ Sohan Lal said with a sweet smile. He put one foot on the pedal of his cycle, but before he went, he said unexpectedly, ‘Perhaps one day you will come to my house.’
    Prem was touched. He very much wanted Sohan Lal to be his friend. He had not yet made any new friends in Delhi and he had not been asked to anyone’s house.
    He