Mahfil. vol, l^ no, 1 l4 COLD 5 LIKE ICE (UlaMa ^o^t) by Sadat Hasan Manto As soon as Iswar Singh entered the room 9 Kalwant Kaur got out of bed 5 glaring at him with her fierce eyes 3 she bolted the door. It was past midnight., and the suburbs were swallowed in a fathmoless silence• Kalx^ant Kaur returned to the bed and sat down 5 crossing her fat legs like a yogi. Iswar Singh5 busy unsnarling the threads^of his scattered thoughts 9 stood in a corner with his kripan /.a small dagger/ In his hand, A few minutes passed this way in silence. After a little while 5 Kalwant Kaur 9 tired of the way she was sitting 9 swung her legs down, She was a buxom womans thick arms and heavy legs with large fleshy buttocks. Her ample bosom showed well with prominently pointed nipples• Her sharp eyes 3 the faint trace of fuzz over her upper lip 5 and the determined cut of her chin showed that she was not an easy woman to deal witho Iswar Singli stood in the corner with his gaze fixed on the floo, His turban was coming untied 5 and his hands were shaking as they held the kri-pan^ but his tall 9 nuscular body and gross features well-evidenced the fact thaL he was just the right kind of man for Kalwant Kaur, \Ihen several more moments passed in silence 5 Kalwant Kaur could nob scand it any longer. Still glaring at him 9 she merely said9 "Isvar Syani" Iswar Singh raised his head and looked at Kalwant Kaur9 but unable to face the fire in her eyes 9 turned away. ^Iswar SinghJ11 shouted Kalwant Kaur5 but immediately she checked her self 5 and getbing out of bed 9 she went up close to him and asked in a soft voice 9 "Where have you been all these days 9 Jani?" Iswar bingh moved his bonguo over his peeling lips. ^I don't know.f{ Kalwant Faur got mad, "V/hat kind of mother-f., ..» answer was that^ Iswar Singh threw aside his kripan and slowly lowered himself down on the bed9 as if he he'd been sick for several days. Kal-want Kaur looked at the bed 9 now pleasantly filled with Isvar Singh.9 and her heart junped in sudden sympathy,, She placed her hand on his forehead and asked in a voice of milk and honey9 lrJani9 what happened to you?" Iswar Singh gazed at tLe ceiling. He turned and looked at Kal-wajit Kaur^ intimate face and murmured 9 "KalwantJ0 His voice was full of such pathos that Kalwant Kauris soul melted and moved out onto her throbbing upper lip,