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FRAGMENTS OF A PRISONER'S DIARY
The difference is of little significance, and aced not be factually cstablished. The point is that he was driven that way, becausc, under the given conditions, there was no other channel open for his emotions to flow and his natural impulse to be satisfied. Instead of stopping to think how such unnatural, immoral and sinful development could take placc, the village, of course, was not only scandalised, but enraged. Fierce conflict of {wo powerful emotions, love and share, uusi have driven the boy to a state of hysteria verging on paduess. The stark impossibility of ever being able to escape merciless social persecution cvidently made hiin desperate. Utterly helpless and hopeless, he revolted, and killed his beloved—to sparc lier a wliole life of shame and resulting destitution. He did not kill himself, because he wished to atone for his sin. Having sent his beloved wbore no crucltics of this world could reach her, he delivered himself up to the police, and eventually walked to the gallows, not repentent, but rcsigncil--the hero of a heart-brcaking tragedy.
He had fallen in love with his own sister. recently widowed in the bloom of youth. Oh, what a horrible, disgusting affair! The moral sense of people with any decency cannot but be nutraged by such lewdness. But thank God, such loathsome, unnatural incidents are very rare. Indian culture and social codes exclude the possibility of the occurrence of such revolting 190
