HSC Unit: 7 Lesson : 3; Photograph
I was ten years old.
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻŦā§āĻ¸ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻĻāĻļ āĻŦāĻāĻ°āĨ¤
My grandmother sat on the string bed, under the mango tree.
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§ āĻāĻŽ āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻ° āĻ¤āĻ˛āĻžā§ āĻ°āĻļāĻŋāĻ° āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻ° āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨āĨ¤
It was late summer and there were sunflowers in the garden and a warm wind in the trees.
āĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻˇā§āĻŽā§āĻ° āĻļā§āĻˇā§āĻ° āĻĻāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻ°ā§āĻ¯āĻŽā§āĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻāĻˇā§āĻŖ āĻŦāĻžāĻ¤āĻžāĻ¸ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
My grandmother was knitting a woolen scarf for the winter months.
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻļā§āĻ¤āĻāĻžāĻ˛ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻ¯ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻĒāĻļāĻŽā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĢ āĻ¸ā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻ āĻāĻ°āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨āĨ¤
She was very old, dressed in a plain white sari; her eyes were not very strong now, but her fingers moved quickly with the needles, and the needles kept clicking all afternoon.
āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻā§āĻŦ āĻŦā§āĻ¸ā§āĻ, āĻĒā§āĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŽāĻ¸ā§āĻŖ āĻ¸āĻžāĻĻāĻž āĻļāĻžā§ā§; āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻā§āĻāĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻā§āĻŦ āĻāĻāĻāĻž āĻļāĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋāĻļāĻžāĻ˛ā§ āĻ¨ā§, āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§āĻā§āĻ˛āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻā§āĻ° āĻ¸āĻžāĻĨā§ āĻĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ¤ āĻ¨ā§āĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻāĻ°ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻāĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ¸āĻžāĻ°āĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻŋāĻā§āĻ˛ āĻ¸ā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻā§ā§āĻ° āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻ āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
Grandmother had white hair, but there were very few wrinkles on her skin.
āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻā§āĻ˛ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¸āĻžāĻĻāĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻŽā§āĻžā§ āĻā§āĻŦ āĻāĻŽāĻ āĻāĻžāĻāĻ āĻĒā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
***Hair = āĻā§āĻ˛, Here =āĻāĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§, Hear = āĻļā§āĻ¨āĻž, āĻļā§āĻ°āĻŦāĻŖ, Hire = āĻāĻžā§āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻž, āĻāĻžā§āĻž āĻĻā§āĻā§āĻžāĨ¤
I had come home after playing cricket on the Maidan.
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāĻ ā§ āĻā§āĻ°āĻŋāĻā§āĻ āĻā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻļā§āĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻžā§āĻŋāĻ¤ā§ āĻĢāĻŋāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻ¸ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
***Maidan = āĻŽāĻžāĻ , āĻā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻžā§āĻāĻž, āĻ¸āĻŽāĻŦā§āĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāĻ¨āĨ¤
I had taken my meal, and now I was rummaging (āĻ°āĻžāĻŽā§āĻŽā§āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ) in a box of old books and family heirlooms that had just that day been brought out of the attic by my mother.
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ, āĻāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻļā§āĻˇā§āĻ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻŦāĻ āĻ āĻĒā§āĻ¤ā§āĻ°āĻŋāĻ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻĻā§ āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āĻ¸ āĻā§āĻāĻā§ āĻĻā§āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ āĻ¯āĻž āĻāĻ āĻāĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻā§āĻ āĻŽāĻž āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ ā§āĻ°āĻŋ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻŦā§āĻ° āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
***attic, loft, garret = āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ ā§āĻ°āĻŋ = āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻĒāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻŽāĻ¤ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻĨāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻāĻžāĨ¤ āĻāĻāĻžā§āĻžāĻ āĻĒāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻžā§ā§āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻ° āĻŽāĻžāĻ˛-āĻ¸āĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ¨āĻž āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻ¯ āĻā§āĻā§āĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻā§āĻ° āĻ°ā§āĻŽāĻā§āĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ ā§āĻ°āĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻšā§āĨ¤
Nothing in the box interested me very much, except for a book with colourful/colorful (US) pictures of birds and butterflies.
āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āĻ¸ā§āĻ° āĻā§āĻ¨āĻāĻŋāĻā§āĻ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻā§ āĻā§āĻŦ āĻāĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻā§āĻ°āĻšā§ āĻāĻ°āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻ¨āĻŋ, āĻā§āĻŦāĻ˛ āĻĒāĻžāĻāĻŋ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻĒāĻ¤āĻŋāĻ° āĻ°āĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻā§āĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŦāĻ āĻāĻžā§āĻžāĨ¤
I was going through the book, looking at the pictures, when I found a small photograph between the pages.
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻĒāĻžāĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻ˛ā§āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ, āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻā§āĻ˛āĻŋ āĻĻā§āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ, āĻ¤ā§āĻā§āĻˇāĻ¨āĻžāĻ¤ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĒā§āĻˇā§āĻ āĻžāĻā§āĻ˛āĻŋāĻ° āĻŽāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻāĻāĻž āĻā§āĻ āĻĢāĻā§āĻā§āĻ°āĻžāĻĢ āĻĻā§āĻāĻ¤ā§ āĻĒā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
It was a picture of a girl standing against a wall and behind the wall there was nothing but sky;
āĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻā§āĻ° āĻā§āĻāĻˇā§ āĻĻāĻžāĻā§āĻŋā§ā§ āĻĨāĻžāĻāĻž āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻŋ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻĒāĻŋāĻāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻāĻžāĻļ āĻāĻžā§āĻž āĻāĻ° āĻāĻŋāĻā§āĻ āĻĻā§āĻāĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĨ¤
But from the other side a pair of hands reached up, as though someone was going to climb the wall.
āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻ āĻĒāĻ° āĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻāĻ āĻā§ā§āĻž āĻšāĻžāĻ¤ āĻāĻĒāĻ°āĻĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻŦāĻžā§āĻŋā§ā§ āĻĻāĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛, āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻšāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻā§āĻ āĻāĻāĻāĻ¨ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻā§āĻ° āĻŦā§ā§ā§ āĻāĻ āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻā§āĨ¤
There were flowers growing near the girl, but couldnât tell what they were;
āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻžāĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻĢā§āĻ˛ āĻŦā§ā§ā§ āĻāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛, āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻā§āĻ˛āĻŋ āĻā§ āĻĢā§āĻ˛ āĻ¤āĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ āĻ¨āĻž;
There was a creeper too, but it was just a creeper.
āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻ˛āĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛, āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻāĻŋ āĻā§āĻŦāĻ˛ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻ˛āĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
I ran out into the garden.
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻŽāĻ§ā§āĻ¯ā§ āĻĻā§ā§ā§ āĻā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
âGranny!â I shouted.
âāĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻŽāĻž!â āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŋā§āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻ āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
âLook at the picture! I found it in the box of old things.
āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻž āĻāĻāĻā§ āĻĻā§āĻ! āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻ¤āĻ¨ āĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¸āĻĒāĻ¤ā§āĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻāĻž āĻĒā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĨ¤
âWhose picture is it?â
âāĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻŋ?â
I jumped on the bed beside my grandmother and she walloped me on the bottom and said, âNow Iâve lost count of my stitches, and the next time you do that Iâll make you finish the scarf yourself.â
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĒāĻžāĻļā§ āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻ° āĻ˛āĻžāĻĢāĻŋā§ā§ āĻāĻ āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĒā§āĻāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻāĻžāĻ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨, âāĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ¸ā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻ āĻāĻ° āĻšāĻŋāĻ¸āĻžāĻŦ āĻšāĻžāĻ°āĻŋā§ā§ āĻĢā§āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻ¤ā§āĻ āĻāĻ°āĻāĻŽ āĻāĻ°āĻ˛ā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻā§ āĻĻāĻŋā§ā§āĻ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĢ āĻļā§āĻˇ āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻŦāĨ¤
She took the photograph from my hand, and we both stared at it for quite a long time.
āĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻžāĻ¤ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻāĻ˛ā§āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ°āĻāĻŋ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻŽāĻ°āĻž āĻĻā§âāĻāĻ¨ā§āĻ āĻŦā§āĻļ āĻĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻāĻā§āĻˇāĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻŋā§ā§ āĻ°āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
The girl had long, loose hair, and she wore a long dress that nearly covered her ankles, and sleeves that reached her wrists, and there were a lot of bangles on her hands;
āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ āĻā§āĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻā§āĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻ˛āĻŽā§āĻŦāĻž āĻĒā§āĻˇāĻžāĻ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¯āĻž āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻā§ā§āĻžāĻ˛āĻŋ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžā§āĻ āĻĸā§āĻā§ āĻĻāĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻžāĻ¤āĻž āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻāĻŋ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻ¯āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ āĻĒā§āĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛; āĻāĻ° āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻžāĻ¤ā§ āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻ āĻā§ā§āĻŋ āĻĒā§āĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
But, despite all this drapery, the girl appeared to be full of freedom and movement.
āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻ¸āĻŦ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻĻāĻž āĻ¸āĻ¤ā§āĻ¤ā§āĻŦā§āĻ, āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻĻā§āĻā§ āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻšāĻ˛ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻĒā§āĻ°ā§āĻŖ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻ˛ā§āĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§āĨ¤
She stood with her legs apart and her hands on her hips, and she had a wide, almost devilish smile on her face.
āĻ¸ā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻž āĻĻā§āĻā§ āĻĢāĻžāĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻžāĻā§āĻŋā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻšāĻžāĻ¤āĻā§āĻ˛āĻŋ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻā§āĻŽā§ā§,āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻŽā§āĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻāĻāĻž āĻĻā§āĻˇā§āĻāĻŽāĻŋāĻāĻ°āĻž āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻļāĻ¸ā§āĻ¤ āĻšāĻžāĻ¸āĻŋāĨ¤
âWhose picture is it?â I asked.
āĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻŋ? āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ.
âA little girlâs of courseâ, said Grandmother. âCanât you tellâ?
âāĻāĻāĻāĻž āĻā§āĻ āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻ° āĻ āĻŦāĻļā§āĻ¯āĻâ, āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨. âāĻ¤ā§āĻ āĻāĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¨āĻž?â
âYes, âbut did you know the girl?â
āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŋ āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻā§āĻ¨?
âYes, I knew herâ, said Granny, âbut she was a very wicked girl and I shouldnât tell you about her.
âāĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ¤āĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋâ āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻŽāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨, āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¸ā§ āĻā§āĻŦ āĻĻā§āĻˇā§āĻ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŽā§ā§ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛
āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻž āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻšāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĨ¤
âA little girlâs of courseâ, said Grandmother. âCanât you tellâ?
âāĻāĻāĻāĻž āĻā§āĻ āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻ° āĻ āĻŦāĻļā§āĻ¯āĻâ, āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨. âāĻ¤ā§āĻ āĻāĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¨āĻž?â
âYes, âbut did you know the girl?â
āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŋ āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻā§āĻ¨?
âYes, I knew herâ, said Granny, âbut she was a very wicked girl and I shouldnât tell you about her.
âāĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ¤āĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋâ āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻŽāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨, āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¸ā§ āĻā§āĻŦ āĻĻā§āĻˇā§āĻ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻŽā§ā§ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻž āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻšāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĨ¤
But Iâll tell you about the photograph.
āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻ āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĨ¤
It was taken in your grandfatherâs house, about sixty years ago and thatâs the garden wall, and over the wall there was a road going to townâ.
āĻāĻāĻž āĻ¤ā§āĻ° āĻĻāĻžāĻĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŦāĻžā§āĻŋāĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻšā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžā§ āĻˇāĻžāĻ āĻŦāĻāĻ° āĻāĻā§ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻāĻž āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻā§āĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻžāĻļā§ āĻļāĻšāĻ°ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ°āĻžāĻ¸ā§āĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
âWhose hands are theyâ, I asked, âcoming up from the othersideâ?
âāĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻāĻ ā§ āĻāĻ¸āĻž āĻšāĻžāĻ¤āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻāĻžāĻ°?â, āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
Grandmother squinted and looked closely at the picture, and shook her head.
āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§ āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ°ā§āĻ¯āĻ āĻĻā§āĻˇā§āĻāĻŋāĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻŋāĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻĻā§āĻāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻž āĻ¨āĻžā§āĻžāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨āĨ¤
âItâs the first time Iâve noticedâ, she said.
âāĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ°āĻ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻĨāĻŽ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ˛āĻā§āĻˇā§āĻ¯ āĻāĻ°āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽâ, āĻ¸ā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛āĨ¤
âThat must have been the sweeper boyâs.
āĻāĻāĻž āĻ āĻŦāĻļā§āĻ¯āĻ āĻāĻžā§ā§āĻĻāĻžāĻ° āĻā§āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻ āĻšāĻŦā§āĨ¤
âDidnât he climb up the wall, after the photo?â
āĻāĻŦāĻŋ āĻāĻ āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻĒāĻ° āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻŋ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻ° āĻāĻ ā§ āĻāĻ¸āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻŋ?
âNo, nobody climbed up. At least, I donât remember.â
āĻ¨āĻž, āĻā§āĻ āĻāĻ ā§ āĻāĻ¸ā§āĻ¨āĻŋ, āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻ¤ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻĒā§ā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĨ¤
âAnd you remember well, Granny.â
āĻ¤āĻŦā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ¸ā§āĻŽāĻ°āĻŖāĻļāĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ āĻā§āĻŦ āĻāĻžāĻ˛, āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻŽāĻžāĨ¤
âYes, I remember. I remember what is not in the photograph.
āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ¸ā§āĻŽāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°āĻŋ—āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ¸ā§āĻŽāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°āĻŋ āĻ¯āĻž āĻāĻāĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ¤ā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĻāĨ¤
It was a spring day, and there was a cool breeze blowing, nothing like this.
āĻāĻāĻŋ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻŦāĻ¸āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§āĻ° āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻļā§āĻ¤āĻ˛ āĻšāĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻŦā§ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛, āĻ
āĻ°āĻāĻŽ āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĨ¤
Those flowers at the girlâs feet, they were marigolds, and the bougainvillea creeper, it was a mass of purple.
āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻĒāĻžā§ā§āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻ° āĻĢā§āĻ˛āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻāĻāĻĻāĻž āĻĢā§āĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻŦāĻŋāĻ˛āĻžāĻ¸ā§ āĻ˛āĻ¤āĻž, āĻāĻāĻŋ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ°āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŦāĻ°ā§āĻŖā§āĻ° āĻāĻāĻā§āĻā§āĻ āĻ˛āĻ¤āĻžāĨ¤
You cannot see these colours/colors (US) Â in the photo, and even if you could, as nowadays, you wouldnât be able to smell the flowers or feel the breeze.â
āĻ¤ā§āĻ āĻāĻ āĻ°āĻāĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻāĻ āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻ¨āĻāĻŋ āĻ¤ā§āĻ āĻ¯āĻĻāĻŋ āĻāĻāĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻā§āĻ° āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§ āĻĒā§ā§ā§āĻ āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¸, āĻ¤ā§āĻ āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻĢā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻ§ āĻŦāĻž āĻŽā§āĻĻā§ āĻšāĻžāĻā§āĻž
āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻāĻŦ āĻāĻ°āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°āĻŦāĻŋ āĻ¨āĻžāĨ¤
âAnd what about the girl?â I said.
āĻāĻ° āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻž? āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ,
âTell me about the girl.
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻā§ āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĨ¤
âWell, she was a wicked girl, â said Granny.
âāĻ āĻŋāĻ āĻāĻā§, āĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻĻā§āĻˇā§āĻ āĻŽā§ā§ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛â, āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻŽāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨,
âYou donât know the trouble they had getting her into those fine clothes sheâs wearing.
āĻ¤ā§āĻ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¸ āĻ¨āĻž āĻ¸ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻ¨ā§āĻĻāĻ° āĻĒā§āĻļāĻžāĻ āĻĒāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻā§ āĻ¤āĻž āĻĒāĻ°āĻžāĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻāĻ¤ āĻāĻˇā§āĻ āĻšāĻ¤āĨ¤
âWho was the girl?â I said.
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ, āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋ āĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛?
âYou must tell me who she was.
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻā§ āĻ āĻŦāĻļā§āĻ¯āĻ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻ¤ā§ āĻšāĻŦā§ āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋ āĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
âNo, that wouldnât do, â said Grandmother.
āĻ¨āĻž, āĻ¤āĻžāĻ¤ā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¯āĻžāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻŽāĻž āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨āĨ¤
But I pretended I didnât know.
āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻŦ āĻĻā§āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ āĻ¯ā§ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¨āĻžāĨ¤
I knew, because Grandmother still smiled in the same
way, even though she didnât have as many teeth.
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻ¤āĻžāĻŽ, āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻĻāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻāĻāĻ āĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻāĻā§, āĻ¯āĻĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°
āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻ āĻĻāĻžāĻāĻ¤ āĻ¨ā§āĻāĨ¤
Come on, Granny, â I said, âtell me, tell me.â
âāĻāĻ˛āĻĻāĻŋ āĻāĻ°, āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻŽāĻžâ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ, âāĻŦāĻ˛, āĻŦāĻ˛āĨ¤ â
But Grandmother shook her head and carried on with
the knitting;
āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻž āĻ¨āĻžā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻ āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻŋā§ā§ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨;
And I held the photograph in my hand looking from it to my grandmother and back again, trying to find points in common between the old lady and the little pig-tailed girl.
āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻžāĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻ˛ā§āĻāĻāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ°āĻāĻŋ āĻ§āĻ°ā§ āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻ° āĻĻāĻŋāĻā§; āĻāĻ āĻŦā§āĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻĻā§āĻ°āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻā§āĻā§āĻ āĻā§āĻ˛āĻā§āĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āĻāĻž āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻŽāĻ§ā§āĻ¯ā§ āĻ¸āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻŦāĻŋāĻˇā§āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻā§āĻāĻā§ āĻŦā§āĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ°Â āĻā§āĻˇā§āĻāĻž āĻāĻ°āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
A lemon-coloured butterfly settled on the end of Grandmotherâs knitting needle, and stayed there while
the needles clicked away.
āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻ˛ā§āĻŦā§ āĻ°āĻāĻ° āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻĒāĻŋāĻ¤āĻŋ āĻāĻ¸ā§ āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻŦā§āĻ¨āĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§āĻā§āĻ° āĻļā§āĻˇ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻ¸ā§ āĻŦāĻ¸āĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻŋāĻā§āĻā§āĻˇāĻŖ āĻŦāĻ¸ā§ āĻĨāĻžāĻāĻ˛ āĻ¯āĻāĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻ āĻāĻ°ā§
āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
I made a grab at the butterfly, and it flew off in a dipping flight and settled on a sunflower.
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻĒāĻ¤āĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĻ§āĻ°āĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻā§āĻˇā§āĻāĻž āĻāĻ°āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻāĻāĻŋ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻā§ āĻšā§ā§ āĻā§ā§ āĻā§āĻ˛ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻ¸ā§āĻ°ā§āĻ¯āĻŽā§āĻā§ āĻĢā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ° āĻāĻĒāĻ° āĻŦāĻ¸ā§ āĻĒā§āĻ˛āĨ¤
âI wonder whose hands they were, â whispered Grandmother to herself, with her head bowed, and her
needles clicking away in the soft warm silence of that summer afternoon.
âāĻšāĻžāĻ¤āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻšāĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻ āĻā§āĻŦā§ āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ āĻŦāĻžāĻ āĻšā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻžāĻŽ, â āĻĻāĻžāĻĻā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻž āĻ¨ā§āĻā§ āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻĢāĻŋāĻ¸āĻĢāĻŋāĻ¸ āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¨āĻŋāĻā§āĻā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻ˛ āĻāĻŦāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻāĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻˇā§āĻŽā§āĻ° āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ˛ā§āĻ° āĻ¨āĻ°āĻŽ āĻāĻˇā§āĻŖ āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻŦāĻ¤āĻžā§ āĻāĻŋāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻ āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĨ¤
Vocabulary
- knitting /noun/ āĻŦā§āĻ¨ā§āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ; āĻŦā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°ā§āĻŽ; āĻŦā§āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¸
- rummage /noun/ āĻāĻŋāĻ¨āĻŋāĻ¸-āĻĒāĻ¤ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ˛āĻ-āĻĒāĻžāĻ˛āĻ āĻ āĻ¤āĻ¨ā§āĻ¨ āĻ¤āĻ¨ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻŋā§āĻž āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻ¸āĻ¨ā§āĻ§āĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻž
- heirloom /noun/ āĻ¯ā§ āĻāĻ¸āĻŦāĻžāĻŦāĻĒāĻ¤ā§āĻ° āĻŦāĻž āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋāĻāĻ¤ āĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāĻŦāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻŋ āĻĒā§āĻ°ā§āĻˇāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻā§āĻ°āĻŽā§ āĻĒāĻ°āĻŋāĻŦāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻāĻ˛āĻŋā§āĻž āĻāĻ¸āĻŋā§āĻžāĻā§;
- creeper /noun/ āĻ āĻ˛āĻ¤āĻž
- walloped /verb/ āĻāĻā§āĻāĻžāĻŽāĻ¤ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻšāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻž;
- drapery /noun/ āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻ¤ā§āĻ° āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻŦāĻ¸āĻžā§ā§āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ
- squinted /verb/ āĻāĻāĻžāĻā§āĻˇ āĻāĻ°āĻž; āĻ¤ā§āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻžāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻ¯āĻŧāĻž;
- pretended /adjective/ āĻā§āĻ¤ā§āĻ°āĻŋāĻŽ;
- breeze /verb/ āĻŦāĻžāĻ¤āĻžāĻ¸