Page 120 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

On the merchant’s persistent, questioning, the boy added,
“Your wife has hatched a plan to kill you and she will do it tonight.”
The merchant laughed at these words. he knew it for certain that his wife was both chaste and devoted to him and that such a crime could never be committed by her. Nevertheless, he was stung by a feeling of suspicion. Man, according to the scriptures, is unfathomable. he then said, “how did you come to know about it, dear boy?”
“i have heard of the conspiracy secretly”, answered he. “i have no faith in such an impossible word as yours,” argued the merchant. “if you pretend to sleep on your bed, you yourself will see the
fact,” said the boy.
The merchant became worried. in the meantime, the young
attendant left and rushed to the house of the parents of the wife of the merchant close by. he secretly met her sibling brother and whispered to him, “i have every doubt that the merchant will beat his wife black and blue tonight and drive her out. so be alert and whenever you hear any sound, you rush to his house.”
Within a short while the young man took leave of the merchant and went to the neighbour who was very close to the merchant. There he said to him, “i have heard that a few dacoits will come tonight to the house of the merchant either to beat him hard or to rob him of his wealth. i am not sure of it but you must remain alert. if there arises any trouble, do run to his rescue.”
The attendant then returned home. The merchant, on reaching home at around 7 pm had his dinner and retired to bed. his wife as usual began to take care of him. But both of them were worried. The merchant had his eyes closed pretending to be asleep. The worry with which he was overtaken did not allow him to sleep. his wife thought that he was asleep and so she was ready to cut off a piece of hair from his beard with the help of the razor offered by the attendant. The merchant quickly got up from the bed, held her hand and snatched the razor from her hand and threw it down. his wife began to cry. her brother, who was alert, heard her crying and rushed to her rescue he scolded his brother-in-law.
98 Kailashpati