Imagination Read online

stirred him, and he thought, ‘this is strange, if I will concentrate more, like the scholars do and reach at the true conclusion, I will be having that picture before my eyes, for longer time and in its real form.’ Then he tried to experience that image with an effort of Will. “It is warm inside,” he made an affirmation; “I am one of these people. I’m sitting there, on these seats in more proper clothes”.

  It was difficult, at first, for the mind to feel the warmth which his senses could not provide. But through his contemplation and Will he succeeded after a time in creating a fragment of that feeling. This was enough to set his curious mind onwards in the fathomless, dimensionless world of ideas and their relations. In that cold street he sat working on his imagination, oblivious to cold, to hunger, and the ever powering awareness of limits and mortality. He knew not for how long this continued; presently he was disturbed by the raised sounds of sudden clapping and exclamations. The performanceshow had come to an end. He got up from his place and going towards the theatre entrance stood at a corner. He was excited to see people coming out in couples and small groups chatting emotionally and in praise. The place began to fill again with coaches and horses. His outstretched hand and the soft cry “help the poor man; lady” and “alms for the poor; sir” was not entirely neglected and like he had expected, he collected the sum enough to buy a humble meal. It was then when he was putting these coins back in his pocket, when that splendidly dressed man attended by his servant reappeared from the door, the proprietor with a band of performers had come along to warmly escort him. The beggar got a chance to see his face and was shocked to notice its resemblance with his own, that keen neat face with ample cheeks, a decent moustache and a pair of wide perhaps blue eyes filled with pride were these not like his ? His own eyes, though a little prominent in the face were blue also and the dishevelled beard and long loose hair only he knew what face lay beneath them. Throughout the time he remained there with his servant; talking with the proprietor and complementing the theatre men, the beggar eyed him keenly. A smile appeared on his face and he made all his efforts that it remained unnoticed. He was put in fine spirits by this lately event. Was it not for a purpose, he thought, that providence showed him a man similar to himself, his own self so elegantly disguised in another form. Afterwards when he was going towards the neglected streets of the town for dinner, he was very pleased with this new pattern his mind had learnt and practised.

  The small grimy inn was illuminate; it seemed the owner had put on some extra lamps. He sat for his meals the attendant brought him soup and a piece of coarse bread as usual. It is a blessing, he thought, God has rendered man with a profound and imaginative mind, so that the poor might get the feelings of the riches, and the deprived might know how it feels to be bestowed “God is just” he was happily uttering instinctively during the meal. That man with his appearance similar to him had worked a tremendous effect on his mind. He remained in his thoughts throughout the night. This idea had a profoundly pleasing impact, somewhere in the city, among people there was a man just like him. His imaginations were weaving a web so powerful it felt good to remain entangled for the whole night.

  The next day out on business again, he was passing through the central part of the city, in this lane there were many stately and elegant residences belonging to the men of authorities. When he came in sight of the beautiful gardens the property of one of these grand houses he saw preparations going on, men and servants in livery ran around in hurried steps. Directed by a squire the entrance to the subsequent gardens was being decorated. Over the entrance faced the heraldic signs both in metal and cloth. Inside the inner garden walls, behind the tall beeches and broad oaks and hidden from the view, certain other activities were in progress. He moved around for a better look; a group of gardeners were trimming the inner lawn. Servants were busy in placing the lanterns on the ground; a couple of them were erecting torches parallel to and in both sides of the tiled path. The beggar paused for a minute to view these activities, at length then he departed. All day, he wandered in the streets collecting coins. He came to know from his other fellows that a dinner was expected in the grand house that night. At night when he was returning to his lodgings he turned towards that avenue again just to have a look. Wonder arrested him the moment his eyes fell on the lighting and ornamentation of the gardens. The place was amply alighted; numerous oil torches burned making it appear like a day. In a corner across the avenue commoners and trespassers were gathered for a look, they were all amazed and had paused to watch the scene. He walked across the road and took a place among them. Like the rest of awestricken folks soon his eyes were lost in the interesting sight; perhaps it didn’t mean so much to others as it did to him. Then the carriages began to arrive, people stepped out in their luxury and splendour with precious metal shinning in their clothes. The air was filled with peculiar smells and strange fragrances that were unfamiliar to him. He had rarely seen in his life such excessive display of clothes and comfort, so marvellous a gathering of man under such bright torches. Henceforth his eyes were fixed on each carriage that stopped, on every wonderful man or woman that stepped out, upon the velvet, silk and ermine that ornamented their bodies the manner in which they strolled full of pride and dignity towards the gardens that he could only see. His imagination stirred, and like an epileptic he became less and less conscious of reason and value .The play began to initiate in his mind, the splendour of the place enchanted him. The beggar visualized it he began to see this sight slightly altered, he tried to feel their feelings, the feelings of ones that were hardly aware of his presence, a wretched beggar standing across the road among a group of spectators.

  until than he believed only in a singular purpose of dress and that to cover the body and had there any feeling related to it in his mind, it was only to keep body warm, but now he began to sense something more, the richness embedded within a cloth, the meaning of soft curls and wide garment, the feeling of neat crease, the lustre of gold and precious stones that were its ornamentation, the comfort in those splendidly painted cushioned carriages which rendered individuals a power, the softness of those shoes underneath, the pride of being kneeled before and decently led in only because of the symbol that they represented, that timely appearance that could so easily fit any other soul; even their pride and confidence with which his eyes now judged a wide variety of wonderful things. How wonderful was it all, he thought, he was claiming a share in the feelings of other people so easily and this without giving anything in return. How lucky he was provided by such a chance. “God is just” He mumbled-in awe. In the mass of growing spectators around him ran a wave of applause and admiration people stared at the category of their species in applause and desire, as aliens, as beings apart from their flesh and bone. So effective is the power of manifestation and pleasing that lustre of gold and pearls to eyes it renders men strange faces full of motion, sweet smells and fragrances that becomes a sign of their presence and a distinguished style of walking on earth. It was there in this world of charms that the beggar was wandering in his mind. He was having an inward happiness, a serenity to feel all that which was beyond his physical reach. Busy with his mind he had lost knowledge of the surroundings he didn’t know how fast it all was going to end, so soon he had learnt and mastered the art of perfect visualization.

  A few steps ahead away from the crowd, upon an elevation in the road not much alighted; stood a spectator clothed a bit more decently. He was also watching the interesting activity, judging that this spot provided a more elaborate view of the inside the beggar turned towards it. He could now see aside from the gardens the front of the house it appeared the guests were moving towards the inside of the mansion, suddenly the fellow next to him cried “a pickpocket, here... he tried to trick me” then came sounds of struggling, the beggar turned the spectator was trying to hold the pick the pickpocket firmly, while the other a youthful figure was struggling frantically to get rid of him. Before the beggar could assist or lay his hands upon the intruder
the latter in his frenzy to escape from the man, who had by now grasped him firmly, stabbed him in the side below the ribs. A terrible cry came and the man twisting with pain fell to the ground his coat was stained red and blood was escaping from his side a red spot appeared on the snow on ground underneath the beggar opened his mouth to cry aloud for help but found no voice. Breathing heavily, with his face obscured in the dark, the thief in a cunning way tossed towards him the knife and cried out aloud “murder he stabbed him..” people who had been suspicious from the distance and could make nothing out of the hurling in the dark needed but the signal and in an instant were gathered around from all sides. The man lying down had stopped yelling he was unconscious by now. The beggar was still tongue tied, his appearance, the wretched symbol that he represented, and his numb mind -- arrested in between his cheerful innocent imaginations and the speedy chain of the present so sudden events that demanded an immediate explanation were satisfying the