RUSKIN BOND'S "The Night Train at Deoli" with Annotations, Paraphrase and Wordnotes

"The Night Train at Deoli" with Annotations, Paraphrase and Wordnotes :

When I was at college I used to spend my summer vacations in Dehra, at my grandmother's place. I would leave the plains early in May and return in July. Deoli was a small station about thirty miles from Dehra; it marked the beginning of the heavy jungies of the Indian Terai.

The train would reach Deoli at about five in the morning, when the station would be dimly lit with electric bulbs and oil lamps, and the jungle across the railway tracks would just be visible in The faint light of dawn. Deoli had only one platform, an office for the station master and a waiting room. The platform boasted a tea stall, a fruit vendor, and a few stray dogs; not much else, because the train stopped there only ten minutes before rushing on into the forests.

Why it stopped at Deoli, I don't know. Nothing ever happened there. Hobody got off the train and nobody got in. There were never any coolies on the platform. But the train would halt there a full ten minutes, and then a bell would sound, the guard would blow his whistle, and presently Deoli would be left behind and forgotten. I used to wonder what happened in Deoli, behind the station walls. I always felt sorry for that lonely little platform and for the place that nobody wanted to visit decided that one day I would get off the train at Deoli, and spend the day there, just to please the town.

Annotations:

Dehra: Author mentions Dehradun, a city in India (Himalayan foothills).

Indian Terai: The foothills of the Himalayas, known for dense forests.

Electric bulbs and oil lamps: Shows a mix of modern and traditional lighting.

Station master: The person in charge of a railway station.

Coolies: Porters who carry luggage at train stations (historical term).

Wordnotes:

Dimly lit: Not brightly lit.

Faint light: Weak light.

Boasted: Had (used with a touch of humor).

Presently: Soon.

Evicted sympathy: Made me feel sorry for it.

I was eighteen, visiting my grandmother, and the night train stopped at Deoli. A girl came down the platform, selling baskets.

It was a cold morning and the girl had a shawl thrown across her shoulders. Her feet were bare and her clothes were old, but she was a young girl, walking gracefully and with dignity.

When she came to my window, she stopped. She saw that I was looking at her intently, but at first she pretended not to notice. She had pale skin, set off by shiny black hair, and dark, troubled eyes. And then those eyes, searching and eloquent, met mine.

She stood by my window for some time and neither of us said anything. But when she moved on, I found myself leaving my seat and going to the carriage door, and stood waiting on the platform, looking the other way. I walked across to the tea stall. A kettle was boiling over on a small fire, but the owner of the stall was busy serving tea somewhere on the train. The girl followed me behind the stall.

Annotations:

Deoli: This could be the name of a specific train station, but without further context, it's difficult to pinpoint the location.

Shawl: A long piece of cloth worn around the shoulders for warmth.

Bare feet: This detail suggests poverty or a simple lifestyle.

Intently: Looking at someone with close attention.

Pale skin: This could be due to her background or the cold weather.

Shiny black hair: A detail that adds to the girl's physical description.

Dark, troubled eyes: This suggests the girl carries some burden or sadness.

Searching and eloquent: Her eyes seem to be looking for something and communicating a message without words.

Carriage door: The door separating compartments on a train.

Tea stall: A small mobile stall selling tea and possibly snacks.

Kettle: A metal container used to boil water for tea.

Wordnotes:

Eighteen: Young and possibly inexperienced with the world.

Visiting: Suggests a temporary stay.

Night train: Implies a long journey.

Platform: The area where passengers board and alight from trains.

Baskets: Handmade containers, possibly used for carrying goods.

Gracefully: Moving with elegance and ease.

Dignity: A sense of self-respect and poise.

Intently: With focused attention.

Pale: Light in color, possibly due to illness or lack of sunlight.

Set off: Contrasted with, highlighting the difference.

Troubled: Distressed or worried.

Searching: Looking intently for something.

Eloquent: Communicative without words.

Carriage: An individual compartment within a train.

Stall: A small temporary structure used for selling goods.

Kettle: A container used for boiling water.

'Do you want to buy a basket? she asked. They are very strong, made of the finest cane...!

'No, I said, 'I don't want a basket.’

 We stood looking at each other for what seemed a very long time, and she said, "Are you sure you don't want a basket?"

'All right, give me one, I said, and I took the one on top and gave her a rupee", hardly daring to touch her fingers.

As she was about to speak, the guard blew his whistle; she said something, but it was lost in the clanging of the bell and the hissing of the engine. I had to run back to my compartment. The carriage shuddered and jolted forward.

I watched her as the platform slipped away. She was alone on the platform and she did not move, but she was looking at me and smiling. I watched her until the signal box came in the way, and then the jungle hid the station, but I could still see her standing there alone...

Annotations:

"Do you want to buy a basket?" - This question initiates the interaction but might have a secondary motive (poverty/pressure to sell).

"They are very strong, made of the finest cane..." - This emphasizes the quality of the baskets, potentially a sales tactic.

"No, I said, 'I don't want a basket'" - The narrator initially resists, perhaps due to hesitation or lack of need.

"We stood looking at each other for what seemed a very long time..." - This extended silence creates a sense of awkwardness or unspoken communication.

"Are you sure you don't want a basket?" - The seller persists, possibly out of need or a desire for connection.

"All right, give me one..." - The narrator gives in, perhaps out of sympathy or a sudden change of heart.

"hardly daring to touch her fingers." - This highlights the narrator's shyness or social awkwardness.

"As she was about to speak, the guard blew his whistle..." - This sudden interruption prevents further conversation.

"She said something, but it was lost in the clanging of the bell and the hissing of the engine." - The lost words create a sense of frustration and missed connection.

"I had to run back to my compartment. The carriage shuddered and jolted forward." - The urgency to return and the movement of the train emphasize the fleeting nature of the encounter.

"I watched her as the platform slipped away..." - The narrator is fixated on the woman, suggesting a newfound connection.

"She was alone on the platform and she did not move, but she was looking at me and smiling." - This image portrays the woman's hopefulness and the lingering connection despite the separation.

"I watched her until the signal box came in the way, and then the jungle hid the station..." - The physical barriers represent the growing distance and the end of the encounter.

"but I could still see her standing there alone..." - Despite the separation, the narrator's lingering gaze suggests a lasting impression.

Wordnotes:

Cane: A type of strong, hollow stem used for making baskets and furniture.

Rupee: The Indian unit of currency.

Compartment: A section of a train carriage.

Signal box: A small building containing controls for railway signals.

Jungle: A dense, wild forest.

I sat up awake for the rest of the journey. I could not rid my mind of the picture of the girl's face and her dark, smouldering eyes.

But when I reached Dehra the incident became blurred and distant for there were other things to occupy my mind. It was only when I was making the return journey, two months later, that I remembered the girl.

I was looking out for the girl as the train drew into the station, and I felt an unexpected thrill when I saw her walking up the platform. I sprang off the footboard and waved to her.

When she saw me, she smiled. She was pleased that I remembered her. I was pleased that I remembered her. I was pleased that she remembered  me. We were both pleased, and it was almost like a meeting of old friends.

She did not go down the length of the train selling baskets, but came straight to the tea stall, her dark eyes were suddenly filled with light. We said nothing for some time but we couldn't have been more eloquent.

I felt the impulse to put her on the train there and then, and take her away with me; I could not bear the thought of having to watch ner recede into the distance of Deoli station. I took the baskets from her hand and put them down on the ground. She put out her hand for one of them, but I caught her hand and held it.

“I have to go to Delhi,” I said.

She nodded, “I do not have to go anywhere."

Annotations:

Line 1: "sat up awake" - emphasizes the narrator's inability to sleep due to the encounter.

Line 2: "smouldering eyes" - suggests intensity or hidden emotion in the girl's gaze.

Line 4: "blurred and distant" - shows the passage of time and the narrator's initial attempt to forget.

Line 6: "unexpected thrill" - highlights the narrator's surprise and excitement at seeing the girl again.

Line 8: "almost like a meeting of old friends" - compares their brief encounter to a long-standing friendship, emphasizing the connection.

Line 10: "dark eyes...filled with light" - contrasts the girl's initial somber appearance with the happiness of being remembered.

Line 11: "eloquent" - implies that their wordless communication spoke volumes.

Line 12: "impulse" - suggests a sudden, strong urge to take action.

Line 14: "Deoli station" - presumably the girl's stop, highlighting the narrator's fear of separation.

Line 15: "caught her hand" - a physical gesture indicating a deeper connection than a casual encounter.

Line 17: "I do not have to go anywhere." - the girl's cryptic response, open to interpretation (willingness to go with him, lack of other obligations).

Wordnotes:

Smouldering (line 2): intense or suppressed emotion.

Eloquent (line 11): expressing ideas clearly and effectively, often without words.

Impulse (line 12): a sudden, strong urge to do something.

Cryptic (line 17): Mysterious or difficult to understand.

The guard blew his whistle for the train to leave and now I hated the guard for doing that.

I will come again, I said. "Will you be here?"

She nodded again, and, as she nodded, the bell clanged and the train slid forward. I had to wrench my hand away from the girl and run for the moving train.

This time I did not forget her. She was with me for the remainder of the journey, and for long after. All that year she was a bright, living thing. And when the college term finished I packed in haste and left for Dehra earlier than usual. My grandmother would be pleased at my eagerness to see her.

I was nervous and anxious as the train drew into Deoli, because I was wondering what I should say to the girl and what I should do. I was determined that I wouldn't stand helplessly before her, hardly able to speak or do anything about my feelings.

The train came to Deoli and I looked up and down the platform, but I could not see the girl anywhere.

Annotations:

Guard blew his whistle: This marks the moment of departure, highlighting the urgency and frustration of the narrator.

"Will you be here?" This question shows the narrator's hope for a future encounter.

Bell clanged and the train slid forward: These details emphasize the sense of separation and the narrator's helplessness.

"I had to wrench my hand away..." This action signifies the physical separation and the narrator's struggle to stay.

"This time I did not forget her." This suggests a newfound determination or commitment.

"She was with me for the remainder of the journey, and for long after. All that year she was a bright, living thing." This metaphorical description emphasizes the powerful impression the girl left on the narrator.

"My grandmother would be pleased at my eagerness..." This could be ironic, hinting at the narrator's true motivation for the early return.

"Nervous and anxious...wondering what I should say...determined..." These descriptors highlight the narrator's internal conflict and desire to make a better impression.

"The train came to Deoli... I could not see the girl anywhere." This creates a sense of disappointment and leaves the story open-ended.

Wordnotes:

Wrench: to pull something away with force

Remainder: the rest of something

Haste: a rush or hurry

Deoli: the name of a train station

Platform: the raised area at a train station where passengers wait

 I opened the door and stepped off the footboard. I was deeply disappointed and overcome by a sense of foreboding. I felt I had to do something and so I ran up to the stationmaster and said, "Do you know the girl who used to sell baskets here?

"No, I don't," said the stationmaster. 'And you'd better get on the train if you don't want to be left behind."

But I paced up and down the platform and stared over the railings at the station yard; all I saw was a mango tree and a dusty road leading into the jungle. Where did the road go? The train was moving out of the station and I had to run up the platform and jump for the door of my compartment. Then, as the train gathered speed and rushed through the foresta, I sat brooding in front of the window.

What could I do about finding a girl I had seen only twice, who had hardly spoken to me, and about whom I knew nothing- absolutely nothing-- but for whom I felt a tenderness and responsibility that I had never felt before?

Annotations:

Deeply disappointed and overcome by a sense of foreboding: These phrases highlight the narrator's strong negative emotions upon arriving at the station.

Stationmaster: This is the official in charge of a train station.

Paced up and down the platform: This action shows the narrator's agitation and frustration.

Mango tree and a dusty road leading into the jungle: This creates a sense of isolation and mystery.

Jumped for the door of my compartment: This conveys the narrator's last-minute decision to board the train.

Brooding: This word indicates the narrator's deep contemplation and worry.

Wordnotes:

Footboard: The narrow platform at the entrance of a train car.

Foreboding: A feeling of something bad is going to happen.

Tenderness: A feeling of caring and affection.

Responsibility: A feeling of duty to take care of someone or something.

Compartment: A separate section within a train car.

Foresta: This is likely a typo and should be "forest."

My grandmother was not pleased with my visit after all, because I didn't stay at her place more than a couple of weeks. I felt restless and ill at ease. So I took the train back to the plains, meaning to ask further questions of the stationmaster at Deoli.

But at Deoli there was a new stationmaster. The previous man had been transferred to another post within the past week. The new man didn't know anything about the girl who sold baskets. I found the owner of the tea stall, a small, shriveled-up man, wearing greasy clothes and asked him if he knew anything about the girl with the baskets.

Yes, there was such a girl, here, I remember quite well, he said. 'but she has stopped coming now.

"Why?" I asked. What happened to her?"

“How should I know?" said the man. She was nothing to me."

And once again I had to run for the train.

As Deoli platform receded, I decided that, one day I would have to break journey there, spend a day in the town, make enquiries and find the girl who had stolen my heart with nothing but a look from her dark, Impatient eyes.

Annotations:

Grandmother: This is likely the narrator's primary caregiver.

Restless and ill at ease: This suggests the narrator is anxious and uncomfortable.

Stationmaster: The person in charge of a train station.

Deoli: A location, possibly a small town with a train station.

New stationmaster: This suggests a setback in the narrator's investigation.

Tea stall owner: This might be someone with knowledge of local happenings.

Shriveled-up: This describes the man as thin and wrinkled.

Greasy clothes: This suggests the man's work is messy or he doesn't care much about his appearance.

Impatient eyes: This detail hints at the girl's personality.

Wordnotes:

Transferred: Moved to a different job location.

Enquiries: Asking questions to gather information.

Receded: Moved further away.

Break journey: Stop traveling for a while during a trip.

Stolen my heart: Captured my affection deeply.

With this thought I consoled myself throughout my last term in college. I went to Dehra again in the summer and when, in the early hours of the morning, the night train drew into Deoli station, I looked up and down the platform for signs of the girl, knowing I wouldn't find her but hoping just the same.

Somenow, I couldn't bring myself to break journey at Deoli and spend a day there. (If it was all fiction or a film, I reflected, I would have got and cleaned up the mystery and reached a suitable ending for the whole thing). I think I was afraid to do this. I was afraid of discovering what really happened to the girl. Perhaps she was no longer In Deoli, perhaps she was married, perhaps she had fallen ill...

In the last few years I have passed through Deoli many times, and I always look out of the carriage window, halt expecting to see the same unchanged face smiling up at me. I wonder what happens in Deoli, behind the station walls. But I will never break my journey there. It may spoil my game. I prefer to keep hoping and dreaming, and looking out of the window up and down that lonely platform, waiting for the girl with the baskets.

I never break my journey at Deoli, but I pass through as often as I can.

Annotations

Deoli: This is likely a specific train station, possibly a small one in a rural area.

Carriage window: This refers to the window of the train compartment the narrator is traveling in.

Fiction/Film: The narrator compares the situation to a fictional story where things would be neatly resolved.

Baskets: This detail might be a clue to the girl's identity or occupation.

Game: This is a metaphor for the narrator's emotional state - a way of avoiding facing the truth.

Lonely platform: This creates an image of isolation and reinforces the narrator's longing.

Wordnotes

Somenow (Somehow): Informal way of saying "somehow."

Break journey: To stop traveling at a particular place during a journey.

Cleaned up the mystery: Resolved the uncertain aspects of the situation.

Suitable ending: A satisfying conclusion to the story.

Reflected: Thought about something carefully.

Carriage: An outdated term for a train compartment.

Halt (Halting): Stopping briefly.

Unchanged face: A face that hasn't aged or changed in appearance.

Marred (Married): This is a misspelling, the correct word is "married."

Prefer: To like something better than another option.

As often as I can: Whenever possible.