The tragedy of an educated wife

THE TRAGEDY OF AN EDUCATED WIFE

Twenty years is not a short period and even during this period abomination changes into intimacy. I got united with Zaib twenty years before and now we were fully acquainted with the habits and necessities of each other in this period. Likewise, we had got used to each other’s weak points. Time had strengthen the chains of relations and, in fact, we had become inseparable from each other when we had any rift, we settled this dispute by mutual concessions. The fact was that there was the element of emotionalism in our love.

I lived twenty years with Zaib and we were inevitable for each other during this period. Although she loved me yet her attachment to her son, Naveed, in fact, was to the sentiment extent. But I never complained in this behalf because my son really deserved this affection and maternal love. As a result, he got inclined to his mother and it was quite natural because a child is always more inclined to his mother.

It was really surprising that, despite being the only child, Naveed remained aloof but his mother wanted to be with him every time. We did not feel this very habit of his beginning. Now he was eighteen and behaved willfully with his mother. He want to the extent of saying that I was very simple-minded because I chose ignorant and illiterate wench and spent twenty years with her. We got angry at his remark but he was serious while addressing me:

I pondered over Naveed’s statement and the excellent moments which chanced to have with Zaib in loneliness. Although Zaib was an uneducated woman yet she was faithful and well-mannered. She co-operated with me in the days of poverty and encouraged me in the hour of trouble. After a long contemplation, I thought that Naveed’s statement was tantamount to high-handedness. I tried my level best to free myself from the impact of Naveed’s words but they were sticking to my mind that I had spent twenty years with an unlettered lady. If I had spent these years with an educated woman, my life would have become more pleasant. Although Zaib was an uneducated lady yet she proved to be a helping hand for me in crisis. I had got a distinguished status in the society and she was the equal sharer in my progress and looked after me in the best possible way. Despite all her favor, I was forced to think that, if she had been educated, she would have been more conducive regarding the rearing of Naveed and his mental normalcy.

When conflicting behaviors prospered, they gave rise to estrangement and rift. We got entangled in little rifts and I thought she was not doing her job in the best way. I found errors even in her household affairs. She complained about my attitude to her and I thought she was really innocent because ignorance was not her guilt.

Hina had been working with me for the last two years and I never paid deep to this fact that she was a beautiful and well-mannered girl. She was looking very attractive and I fell in love with her despite having a faithful wife. I wanted to get united with her to have a cheerful life. I thought that Naveed would be pleased to have a well-mannered mother and I would be a prosperous man with her kind co-operation. I got married to her secretly. I thought that he would definitely be happy to have an educated mother and everything would be all right. Hina had also promised to set everything right.

I entered my house like a great conqueror. Zaib and Naveed were already introduced to her as my secretary and they welcomed her cheerfully. After some time, I asked Naveed how he found Hina. He praised her and I got encouraged that he had accepted her as his mother.

When I was cocksure about Naveed I told him that she would stay in the same house. Firstly, he did not believe and got dumb but Hina herself corroborated what I said. After this, he went inside without saying anything. After some time, I entered the room and found him and his mother weeping bitterly.

It was very late now because Hina had become my wife and I could not divorce her due to Naveed and Zaib. Hina had also become a traditional woman and they started quarrelling over triflers. Hatred, stubbornness and protest against one another developed in this house. Naveed had become confirmed mother-fixated and I reached the result that, although man got entangled in mutual rifts, yet close, relations were not cooled down by them.