us khamosh qile ki sakht lohe si diwaren har taraf safed ghamgin parde wo apni aali-shan kursi par baithi koi hisab jod rahi hai us ka phika sapat bojhal chehra jaise bhitar ka ek rup us ke upri rup rang ko kha chuka ho achanak darwaze ki dastak dabi hui siskiyon ka shor unche darwaze ko kholte hi us ki bhaw-wihin aankhon mein sanwednaon ki halchal ho uthti hai subh ki os narm dhup mein nazuk kopal sa ek bachcha apni chikh ko gale mein thus kar us ki taraf qile ki taraf dauda aa raha tha abhi gale laga kar ro padega jaise wo ek tuk use dekhti rahti hai magar gale nahin laga pati wo us ka hirdai kahta hai ki bhej de use wapas us ke ghar jahan us ka intizar ho raha hoga is tiwr ichha ke sath barson se nirlap rahi us ki aankhon mein dabi hui bhawnaen gati-man ho kar bahne lagti hai he ishwar wo aankhen mund leti hai mez par rakhi hisabon wali kitab dikhai deti hai aur nau-pallawit paude ki nazuk dali jaisi ungliyan tham kar wo use qile ke bhitar le aati hai toting darwaza karkash aawaz ke sath band ho jata hai wo bilakhte hue bachche ko aaghosh mein le leti hai khamosh kamre mein us masum ki dhadakne sansen siskiyon ka shor tez ho uthta hai wo kas ke us bachche ko apne bhitar samet kar gahri nind sula deti hai jab koi shor baqi nahin rahta tab us ke bhitar ka rudan bahar aane ko tadapta hai magar us ke adh-mare man mastishk use yaad dilate hai ki maut matam nahin mana sakti kash mujhe bhi haq hota darwaze pe aae ko wapas bhejne ka kash bhaari qadmon pe uth kar wo us kitab mein kuchh jod deti hai din ka ujala surya ka tej lajjit ho kar sar jhuka lete hai hawa bhi chhobhit ho kar nili pad jati hai sari sirishti andhkar ki gart mein dubne lagti hai