I do not ascribe (कारण बताना)it to perversity (हठधर्मिता) on my part, but rather (कुछ-कुछ) to the inconsequence (अपरिपक्वता) of childhood, which is deficient (आभाव, अपूर्ण) in moral sense, that I could never quite (बिल्कुल) reconcile (सहमत होना, स्वीकार करना) myself to the lesson. My sympathies (सहनुभुतियाँ) were with the grasshopper and for some time I never saw an ant without putting my foo on it. In this summary (and as I have discovered since entirely human) fashion I sought (चाहता था) to express my disapproval (असहमति) of prudence (विवेक) and commonsense (सहज/ जनसाधारण ज्ञान).
I could not help thinking of this fable when the other day I saw George Ramsay lunching (दोपहर का भोजन करते हुए) by himself in a restaurant (जल-पान गृह). I never saw anyone wear an expression (अभिव्यक्ति) of such deep gloom (दुःख, वेदना). He was staring (एकटक देखते हुए) into space (आसमान). He looked as though the burden (बोझ) of the whole world sat on his shoulders. I was sorry for him : I suspected (शक किया, संदेह किया) at once (तुरंत) that his unfortunate (अभागा) brother had been causing (उत्पन्न कर रहा) trouble (कष्ट) again. I went up to him and held out (बढाया) my hand.
"I'm not in hilarious (प्रसन्नचित) spirits (मनो दशा, आत्मा, रूह)," he answered.
I suppose (मानना) every family has a black sheep (निकम्मा व्यक्ति). Tom had been a sore (पीड़ादायक) trial (आजमाइश) to this for twenty years. He had begun life decently (शिष्टता से) enough : he went into business, married and had two children. The Ramsays were perfectly, respectable people and there was every reason to suppose that Tom Ramsay would have a useful and honourable career. But one-day. Without warning, he announced that he didn't like work and that he wasn't suited for marriage. He wanted to enjoy himself. He would listen to no expostulations (आपत्ति, विरोध ). He left his wife and his office. He had a little money and he spent two happy years in the various capitals of Europe. Rumours of his doings (कारनामें), reached his relations from time to time and they were profoundly (गहराई से) shocked (चौंक जाते थे). He certainly (निश्चित रूप से) had a very good time. They shook their heads and asked what would happen when his money was spent. They soon found out : he borrowed (उधार ले लिया). He was charming (सुन्दर) and unscrupulous (बेशरम, मनमौजी). I have never met anyone to whom it was more difficult to refuse (इनकार करना) a loan. He made a steady (ठोस, स्थायी) income from his friends and he made friends easily. But he always said that the money you spent on necessities was boring; the money that was amusing (आनंददायक) to spend was the money you spent on luxuries (आराम,विलासिता). For this he depended on his brother George. He did not waste his charm on him. George was a serious man and insensible(अनभिज्ञ, उदासीन) to such enticements (प्रलोभन). George was respectable. Once or twice he fell to Tom's promises of amendment (सुधार) and gave him considerable (अच्छी-खासी, मोटी) sums (रकम, रुपया-पैसा) in order that he might make a fresh start (नईं शुरुआत). On these tom bought a motor-car and some very nice jewellery. But when circumstances (परिस्थितियां) forced George to realize (अहसास, पता चलना) that his brother would never settle down (सुधारना, सफल, स्थायी), he washed his hands (पल्ला झाड़ लिया) of him. Tom, without a qualm (हिचकिचाहट, पछतावा) , began to blackmail (भयादोहन, धमकी से ऐठना) him. It was not very nice for a respectable lawyer to find his brother shaking cocktails (मिश्रित शराब) behind the bar of his favourite restaurant of to see him waiting on the box-seat of a taxi outside his club. Tom said that to serve in a bar or to drive a taxi was perfectly decent occupation (पेशा, धंधा), but if George could oblige (मजबूर करना) him with a couple of hundred pounds he didn't mind for the honour of the family giving it up. George paid.
Once Tom nearly (लगभग-लगभग) went to prison (जेल, कारागार). George was terribly (बहुत ज्यादा, भीषण रूप से) upset. He went into the whole discreditable (बदनामी, अपमान) affair. Really Tom had gone too far. He had been wild, thoughtless (अल्हड, विचारहीन) and selfish (स्वार्थी), but he had never before done anything dishonest, by which George meant illegal (अवैधानिक, अवैध, गैर-कानूनी) and if he were prosecuted (मुकदमा चलाया) he would assuredly (विश्वाश पूर्वक, निश्चित रूप से) be convicted (अपराधी, दोषी सिद्ध). But you cannot allow your only brother to go to gaol (जेल, कारागार). The man Tom had cheated, called Cronshaw, was vindictive (प्रतिशोधी, बदला लेने वाला). He was determined (दृढ-प्रतिज्ञ) to take the matter into court, he said Tom was a scoundrel (बदमाश, लुच्चा, लफंगा, नीच) and should be punished. It cost George an infinite (असीम, अनन्त) deal of trouble and five hundred pounds to settle the affair. I have never seen him in such a rage (क्रोध, गुस्सा) as when he heard that Tom and Cronshaw had gone off together to Monte Carlo the moment the cashed the cheque. They spent a happy month there.
For twenty years Tom raced and gambled, philandered (छिनरई करना, ऐयाशी करना, प्रेमालाप करना, आगे-पीछे डोलना) with the prettiest girls, danced, ate in the most expensive restaurants, and dressed beautifully. He always looked as if he had just stepped out of a bandbox (कागज का डब्बा). Though he was forty-six you would never have taken him for more than thirty-five. He was a most amusing (विनोदी, दिलचस्प) companion (साथी) and though you knew he was perfectly worthless(नालायक, बेकार, दो कौड़ी का)) you could not but enjoy his society. He had high spirits (उत्साही), an unfailing (कभी न समाप्त होने वाली) gaiety (प्रसन्नता) and incredible (आश्चर्य जनक, अविश्वश्नीय) charm. I never grudged (कुढ़ना, अनिक्षा प्रकट करना) the contributions (योगदान) he regularly levied (वसूल किया, उगाही किया) on me for the necessities (जरूरतें) of his existence (अस्तित्व). I never lent (उधार दिया) him fifty pounds without feeling that I was in his debt. Tom Ramsay knew everyone and everyone knew Tom Ramsay. You could not approve (सहमत होना, मंजूर, अनुमोदन करना) ) of him; but you could not help liking him.
Poor George! I sympathized with him. I wondered (आश्चर्यचकित हुआ) now as I sat down beside him what infamous (बदनाम, बदनामी) thing tom had done. George was evidently (बेशक, निःसंदेह) very much upset (परेशान).
"Do you know what's happened now?" he asked me.
I was prepared for the worst (सबसे ख़राब). I wondered if Tom had got into the hands of the police at last. George could hardly bring himself to speak.
George grew red in the face.
George Ramsay beat his clenched (भींचा, कसके बांधा) fist (मुट्ठी, घूंसा) on the table.