The Judge's Will
By Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, first published in The New Yorker
As a man lays dying, his mistress, wife, and son must navigate their strange circumstances as well as the man's will.
Author
Published in
Year
Words
Availability
Collections
Plot Summary
Laying in his hospital bed after recovering from his second heart attack, Judge Sahib decides to finally tell his wife about his adultery. His wife, Binny, reacts apathetically. She tells their son about his father's mistress. The son, Yasi, is prone to rage meltdowns. A few days later when the judge is back at home, he invites his mistress over. The woman, named Phul, arrives in a plain white sari. Every night their driver returns Phul to her apartment, and every morning he brings her back to the judge. One night, the judge tells Yasi that he has included Phul in his will. Binny is furious. Binny returns home one day to find out that Judge Sahib has sent Yasi somewhere secret. She gets the address from the driver and follows him. Sure enough, Yasi is visiting Phul at her apartment. Binny has had enough and tells the judge she is taking Yasi away. Yasi grows upset by his parent's fighting over him, and Phul comforts him. Phul falls ill and doesn't want to infect the judge, so she stays in a room alone. The judge asks Yasi to help Phul, but Binny disapproves. Finally, the judge makes Binny promise everything will happen as his will says because Phul is terrified as to what will happen when the judge dies.
Tags