Shuffling the cards, though it was not his turn,...
Shuffling the cards, though it was not his turn, breathing heavily, he said, "That's what we get from your genius
The tears rushed to Anand's eyesHe jumped up, throwing his chair backwards, and shouted, "I didn't tell you I was any blasted genius
_Slap_! His right cheek burned; then trembled, even after Owad's hand was removed, as though the cheek had had to wait before registering the blowAnd Owad was standing and Shekhar was bending down, picking up the cards from the dusty floorAnd _slap_! his left cheek burned and trembled heavilyHe forgot the watchers, concentrating only on the breathing before, the rising of the white-shirted chestOwad's chair was balenciaga blue overthrownAnd Shekhar, leaning awkwardly on the table, his chair pushed back, was looking at the cards as he let them fall from one palm to another, his brow furrowed, his top lip swelling over the lower
The table was jerked asideAnand found himself standing ridiculously upright, half blinded by the shaming tearsOwad was striding energetically to the front stepsAnd then Anand had time to take in the thrill, the satisfaction of the watchers, the silence of the house, with Govind's singing in the background, the noise of some children in the street, the roll of a car from the main road
Shekhar still sat at the table, playing with the cards
A mumble came from the chanel clutch watchers
"You!" Anand turned to them"What the hell are you standing up there for? Puss-puss, puss-puss all the blasted night, talk-talk-talk
The effect was unexpected and humiliatingEven Shekhar lifted his head and gave his grunting laugh, shaking his shoulders
Shama's gravity made her almost absurd
The watchers broke upEveryone went back to his taskA lightness that was like gaiety spread through the house
Shekhar stacked the cards neatly on the table, rose, put his hands on Anand's shoulders, sighed, and went upstairs
They heard Owad moving about from room to roomBiswas lying in vest and pants on the bed, his back to the door, papers on his drawn-up kneesHe hermes kelly handbag said without turning, "You, boy? Here, see if you can work out these blasted travelling expenses right"What's the matter, boy?"
"Nothing, nothing
"All right, just work those figures outEverybody else making a fortune out of their cars
"Just a minute, boyOught oughts are oughtBiswas was relaxed, and even clowning: he knew that his method of multiplying always amusedI can't bear to live here another dayBiswas heard the distress in Anand's voiceBut he was unwilling to explore it"Move? All in good timeJust waiting for the revolution and my dacha
These happy moods of his father were getting rareAnd Anand said nothing more
He did the complicated sums for the omega quartz travelling expensesPresently he heard the dry, crisp sounds of the ping-pong ball, the exclamations of Owad and Vidiadhar and Shekhar and the others
He did not go down to have the lunch to which he had looked forward; and when Shama brought it up he could not eat or drinkBiswas, his clowning mood persisting, squatted on the chair and pretended to spit on his food, to save it from Anand's gluttonyHe knew this trick infuriated AnandBut Anand did not respond
Downstairs the men were getting ready to go to the seaSons asked their mothers for towels, mothers urged their sons to be careful
"Not going with them?"
Anand didn't replyBiswas had withdrawn from these gucci boston bag excursions