In the Quest of Love: Encore-Part 3-A Love Story of Reincarnation (to be contd.)

6. THE CHURCH ENCOUNTER

Angelique went inside the church. She was the first visitor and was completely alone. The serenity of the Church made her feel at one with God. She did not know what to do exactly, but after some time she found herself confessing her love for Rajatshubhro. Few tears trickled down her eyes. She prayed to Lord Jesus for approval of her marriage with him. She had never felt the longing to marry before. 

When she was done she sat for a long while. That morning she had nothing much to do and the church seemed to be the best place to spend her time. She was envisioning the church bells ringing, she walking down the aisle holding her father, dressed in a beautiful bridal gown, a priest at the altar, she exchanging marriage vows with Rajatshubhro…………

………she again getting married in the Bengali style…….she was not very sure of the customs……………………….

She left the church reluctantly. Wistfully with searching eyes she looked at the Ganges. After a while she returned home.

A tide of happiness had swept her for the last few days. 

Now she sensed the air to be loaded with gloom.

But nothing as such had happened. 

Angelique eventually let go of the air of melancholy and started playing joyous notes on the piano.

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7. DECISION TO LEAVE

After that day there was a flurry of unexpected events.

The Monsieur had to go to Paris to attend his ailing mother. His mother did not show much sign of recovery. There was no one competent and trustworthy to look after the property. 

The Monsieur was in a fix-whether to return from Paris permanently or not with Angelique.

The thought of leaving Chandannagore made Angelique cry at times. She loved the place. What about Chakraborty Saheb?What will happen?

The Monsieur noticed his mother becoming invalid. She would survive, but he understood he had to monitor the property. There was no way out.

He decided not to leave his mother alone. He sent one of his trusted friends to bring back Angelique.

Angelique was informed beforehand.

Chakraborty Saheb was still in Chandannagore. Angelique wrote a letter to Chakraborty Saheb in Bengali informing him about the situation, inviting him to come tomorrow evening for half an hour. She sealed the letter properly and instructed Marie to hand over the letter to Chakraborty Saheb. She trusted Marie.

“Marie, please deliver this letter to Chakraborty Saheb. He will come tomorrow evening at 5.30 pm. Please ensure that all the servants are dismissed early and nobody watches him entering and leaving. Keep this encounter a secret and do not disclose to my father.’’

Marie loved Angelique very much and understood how she was feeling. 

She did as told and made plans how to intelligently handle the situation so that no trouble arises.

Rajatshubhro became thoughtful after reading the letter. He pretended to be normal, but his mind was tossed into a tempest. 

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8. BLUE SAREE ENCOUNTER

Angelique locked herself up in her room in the late afternoon. 

She started draping the blue saree. With a little difficulty she managed the pleats. She adorned herself with jewellery. She tied her hair into a stylish bun and decorated with fresh flowers.  

She stepped back and regarded herself in the mirror. Never had she looked so beautiful. 

It was sunset. The play of different shades of blue, pink, orange , yellow in the sky and the reflections on the Ganges ………..the sunset………….the birds returning home ………………….and a man approaching to meet the lady of his dreams………………………

Rajatshubhro entered. He could see nobody inside. He had been guided by Marie. 

Rajatshubhro called softly, “Angelique!’’

In a few moments, Angelique appeared in front of him.

Rajatshubhro could not believe his eyes.

She was like a Blue Goddess emerging from the Blue Ganges…………….wherever she stepped it seemed blue lotuses will bloom………………..

Angelique, truly an angelic beauty standing in front of him…….he stood still………………

Suddenly she burst into tears and came running towards him, embracing him ………….

He held her dearly……….he also had tears in his eyes……………her tears wetted his chest………………they kissed each other passionately…………….

When the initial burst had subsided a bit,

Rajatshubhro said, “Angelique, you have given me your address in Paris. We will write to each other. If you want, I will never leave you.’’

Angelique: “Yes, never leave me…..never leave me….’’

Rajatshubhro, taking out a piece of paper,“ I have written the address of my Calcutta residence. I am ready to change my religion to Christianity if required. Do not worry. I am always with you.’’

Angelique hugged him more tightly.

Angelique informed him about the tentative time of her leave. 

She told him about her prayers in the church, and requested him to visit the church at least once and pray to God for their union.

With a very heavy heart, Rajatshubhro parted. 

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9.ANGELIQUE’S DEPARTURE

Rajatshubhro did visit the church next morning. Angelique had slipped one of her rings into his finger during lovemaking. He kissed the ring, felt beautiful and prayed.

The Monsieur had handed over the mansion to one of the French dignitaries of Chandannagore for maintenance, occasional stays, parties and programs. The necessary belongings were being packed. It was decided that Marie will stay here.

Angelique did not want to part with Marie, but somewhere she felt assured that Marie was a trusted connection between her and Chakraborty Saheb. It would be easy for Marie to connect with Chakraborty Saheb if required. Also she would take care of the house and the belongings Angelique could not carry with her.

Angelique: “Maintain regular connection with me. Also be informed about Chakraborty Saheb.’’

Marie assured her, “I know his address. Leave it up to me. I will fetch you all the information required.’’

The Monsieur’s friend arrived in the morning. Angelique bid the house adieu and went away. Angelique could not see Rajatshubhro standing at a distance gazing at her longingly as long as he could see her.

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10.RAJATSHUBHRO’S DEPARTURE

Rajatshubhro attended the meeting of many members of Bengal Intellegentsia in Patalbari. He looked forward to these meetings and always there were important takeaways. 

This time the meeting was a bit helpful to divert his mind from different apprehensions of the future centering Angelique-whether the marriage will be acceptable by both families or Angelique will be bound to get married to another man.

The next day he saw the French dignitary in-charge of Monsieur’s Andre’s mansion. He had come for a short stay. Marie was active. Rajatshubhro developed acquaintance with him and had a nice time conversing. Marie was there. He could always envision Angelique.

Time had come to leave for Calcutta. He informed Marie about the date and time of his departure. He told her to contact him for any necessity.

11.THE MARRIAGE PROCEEDINGS

In the meantime Angelique had safely reached Paris. Constantly she missed Chakraborty Saheb. Her father’s property in Paris was more elegant and splendid. There was no reason to be unhappy. But she was like a sunflower, and Chakraborty Saheb her sun. In the absence of the golden rays of her sun bathing her in the warmth of love, she started withering inside.

Monsieur Andre was busy, and she did not have much interactions with him.

One day the Monsieur was relaxing. He called Angelique :“Angelique dear, I am concerned about your marriage. You have not liked so far any suitor I could find.’’

Angelique mustered all her courage and replied, “I have no hesitation to marry Chakraborty Saheb.’’

The Monsieur was always very friendly to his daughter. His wife had died a bit early and he always tried to make Angelique feel loved and comfortable. He was good in managing his emotions and maintaining calm. 

He desired Angelique to marry a French man, and he was about to give in to an outburst, but he checked himself with all his might. It was really something that Angelique had considered to marry a man. Angelique was intelligent and intuitive. He trusted his daughter. He had also noticed moments of his daughter with Rajatshubhro, and he had also liked the young Bengali man. The problem was whether Rajatshubhro’s family would allow him to marry or not. Then how would Angelique live after marriage? The typical manipulative environment of a Bengali shoshurbari intimidated him a lot. Rajatshubhro himself was different, but his family was very traditional and orthodox. His heart started to beat faster.

Angelique meant the world to him.  

Angelique needed someone to listen to her. And if he broke into an outburst and lost control over himself, who will listen to his poor daughter?

He remained silent for some time to restore his calm. Angelique was a bit stupefied at the long spell of silence. But a spell of silence is much better than a spell of outburst. His daughter would take the most important decision of her life and he had to be calm and listen so that there could be proper decision –making.

He gestured his daughter to wait and not go away. 

Then he gently assured Angelique, “Dear, I want you to open up to me and tell whatever you want to say regarding this matter. ‘’

There was a long conversation between father and daughter. Angelique also told that Chakraborty Saheb was willing to become a Christian if required. 

Her father heard everything, then assured her not to worry. 

He sat down alone in his room and immersed himself in deep thinking about what needs to be done, what can be done.

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Monsieur Andre took time to draft a letter with care. He decided to entrust Marie the responsibility of confidentially delivering the letter to Chakraborty Saheb. He was experienced about the nasty side of human nature and did not want any holes in the delivery process. The letter had to reach in the hands of Rajatshubhro and nobody else-no family member or known person of the young lad. He also wrote a note to Marie. He informed Angelique about his proceedings. 

Angelique was relieved that her father had agreed to take positive initiatives. 

She secretly drafted a letter to Rajatshubhro and Marie separately. 

The two sets of letters were dispatched. …………………………..

Marie read the notes sent by her master and young mistress. She decided to go to Calcutta in person. She made the necessary arrangements.

She knew of a library in Calcutta where Rajatshubhro frequented, apart from his home. Her last option was to go to his home in person. She established a good relation with the librarian who happened to be a close friend of Rajatshubhro. She requested the librarian to inform Rajatshubhro of her arrival and make it possible to make her meet Rajatshubhro in the library itself. 

The librarian gladly consented to meet Rajatshubhro and deliver her message.

Marie had arranged for a lodging near the library. She dressed herself up in a way so that she was not very noticeable and arrived near Rajatshubhro’s house after enquiring the locals about the address. 

It was evening when she reached. She had arrived in a horse carriage. She pretended to be involved in interesting conversation with the driver and in the process observed the zamindar bari and surroundings very minutely- she also gathered necessary information. After making note of her important observations and findings she left the place. 

 She did manage to meet Rajatshubhro in the library through his librarian friend. Rajatshubhro was happy, at the same time a bit apprehensive. He took the letter and requested her to wait and give him some time to go through it properly. 

After reading both sets of letters, he requested her to wait in Calcutta for another 3 days. He would talk to his parents, understand the situation and hand her his reply. He went with Marie to see where she was staying. 

He promised her that he himself would show up within 3 days to give his written reply.

He sat down and tried to think.

He envisioned himself calling his parents and telling them directly and the aftermath……………………….

His parents were enraged ………………his father said he would not be acceptable in the family if he agreed to this marriage alliance……………his mother did not have any voice in the family…….earlier she was different, a bit lenient but now the rigidity and orthodoxy of her husband had made her a very irritable lady with a narrow constricted mind……….

There was a furore……….

They were not talking, they were shouting and the entire news spread like a wildfire by different channels created by overhearing from servants, relatives and members of the neighbourhood who could not keep anything to themselves…………..

Now indeed, this was not a desirable outcome…………………

Rajatshubhro did not like to live here…………he did not get the mental space to be himself………..Angelique will get suffocated by the staleness of the air of the house…….he hated the custom of uprooting a married lady from her home and get manipulated in a shoshurbari, the mother most of the time always competing for attention and not giving space for the new marital relationship to blossom……………… 

 Inwardly he decided to severe family ties for Angelique.

Can’t he take some time to settle some important matters, assemble his important belongings , leave the house and take refuge in Monsieur’s mansion in Chandannagore for a short while without letting anybody know the address and his intentions? He had few Bengali acquaintances in Chandannagore, but not very close to his family. 

Already his parents were trying for his marriage, and he was not liking any lady. If his father understood his intention, he would restrict his movements and keep him under watch, force him to get married in a hurry.

He decided not to tell anything to any of his household members. He wrote a detailed letter to Monsieur and Angelique about his plans and intentions.

He drafted his reply about his consent and certain ways he thought in which the marriage would work out. He went to Marie and gave her his letters. 

Marie dispatched the letters to Monsieur and Angelique.

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12.THE MARRIAGE

Monsieur was touched by the genuine devotion of Rajatshubhro for Angelique. He decided to help the young couple overcome the barriers and obstacles.

Angelique was relieved by her father’s consent.

Ultimately, Rajatshubhro left a note in his house that he was leaving forever ………………..he stayed in the mansion at Chandannagore……………….got married to Angelique in the church.

The Monsieur decided to let the newly-wed couple reside in Chandannagore with Marie and visit Paris when required.

There was a happy ending after a lot of suspense.

MAGIC YET TO RESURFACE……………………………

But many years later the genes of Angelique will strongly come alive in Anita, a beautiful girl of the family tree, and make the girl arrive in Chandannagore ,and then……………………..

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