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One day when Akshay Kumar returned home from the court, the beautiful and cheerful, Hemvati, thrust a colourful envelope into his hands. It contained an exquisite rose-coloured invitation card. "These people are always up to something. I don't think there was any need for a dramatic performance," he said to Hemvati. Hemvati, who was used to such retorts, smiled and said, "Why? There cannot have been a better occasion for celebration."

Akshay Kumar realized that it was now time to employ his arguing skills. "My dear it is not an extraordinary matter to pass the BA examination; thousands of youths pass every year. If it had been my brother, I would have patted him on the back and applauded him for his hard work. But I never would have thought of staging a play. The doctor is a prudent man; what caused him to come up with this idea!"

Hemvati: I must attend.

Akshay Kumar: Why? Have you promised?

Hemvati: The doctor's wife had come herself.

If that is so my dear, visit their home some other day. Where is the need to go the day after tomorrow?

Hemvati: Well, as a matter of fact, I have been given the heroine's part to play and I have accepted it.

Hemvati looked at her husband with pride shining in her eyes, but Akshay Kumar did not seem to be pleased. On two earlier occasions, Hemvati had played the role of "Shakuntala" and on both these occasions, he had incurred heavy expenses. He was worried that the Ghosh Company would again present him with a bill for 200 rupees this week; it was necessary to initiate preventive measures at once.

He affectionately took Hemvati's hand in his own and said very sweetly, "Dear, you have needlessly taken up this troublesome responsibility. You did not even consider the inconveniences you will have to put up with; you did not think of the torture I undergo to see you thus inconvenienced. My dear, these functions are morally depraving; these occasions foster jealousy, they induce people to talk bad behind your backs and taunt and jeer. I feel afraid that your beauty will make others jealous of you. My dear Hemu, I feel sad that you accepted the invitation without first consulting me. I am certain you would not have accepted the role if you had known I was not in favour of it."

Hemvati listened to the speech with the utmost attention. She said innocently, "I accepted the role because the costumes are already there; there would be no need to purchase much. Besides, it is a matter of just a few hours. It would not have been proper to annoy the doctors. Anyway, I will decline the invitation. I will immediately write a letter informing them about my inability to act in the play. You are right, it is needless trouble."

A great weight rolled off Akshay Kumar's shoulders when he heard the costumes were already there and nothing much needed to be purchased. It was, indeed, not wise to annoy the doctors. He regretted that if he had known this fact beforehand, he would have been saved the trouble of offering dry advice. He shook his head vigorously and said, "No, no dear. Since you have already accepted the invitation, it won't be right to back down now. I only wished to tell you that as far as possible, one must stay away from such functions."

But Hemvati had made up her mind. "No, I will not go. I have taken your advice to heart."

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