Scene 4

(Prof. Manomohan Ghosh in Dacca Government College. The Professor of English and his students. One of the students stands up.)

STUDENT: Sir, today we would like to hear from you something about your younger brother Aurobindo.

MANO: (Placing his right hand on his chest) Alas, what about my poor self?

STUDENTS IN A CHORUS: Aurobindo Ghosh’s life is a life of stupendous sacrifice.

MANO: As if mine were a life of sheer enjoyment! Do you ever care to know that once upon a time I walked in step with Laurence Binyon and Oscar Wilde? It will be a big surprise to you if I say that I was on the way to being a great poet. Now it is all a dream to me. I came over to India to offer my poetic inspiration to her. Strangely enough, she has not recognised it.

STUDENTS: But we, your students, have recognised your poetic inspiration.

MANO: Have you? Then I am prepared to say something about my younger brother Aurobindo! You know, he is fully responsible for the failure of my career. He is a bar to my success. The Government fail to swallow his fiery speeches. My only crime is that I too came of the same parents. They might be thinking that my room too is not free of bombs and ammunitions!

(The students burst into hilarious laughter.)

STUDENTS: Sir, pray, tell us something in favour of Aurobindo Ghosh.

MANO: Well, my boys, truth is a very sacred thing. I do not use it so often as you people do.

STUDENTS: But why?

MANO: The reason is so simple. The more you use it the sooner it gets spoiled.

STUDENTS: For our sake, for your beloved students’ sake use it at once.

MANO: Listen, then. I do not care a straw for anybody’s unwillingness to subscribe to my firm belief. There are only two and a half men in India: one is Aurobindo and the other Barin, and the half is Tilak!