Deadlock or Deadlock? .

- Window Seat-Udayan Thakkar

- 'You pretend to have an affair and provide evidence so I can file for divorce!' Adam is willing to do this to please his wife

Can a divorce come before marriage? Yes, but only in the dictionary. Can I get a divorce after marriage? Yes, but in the England of the last century it was not easy. Let's go through AP Herbert's novel 'Holy Deadlock' which appeared in 19:

John Adam, publisher of educational books, is traveling by train with his secretary, May Myrtle. Adam reads the telegram sent by his wife Mary once again:

'Darling, I hope you behave like a gentleman. I have to marry Martin. Nothing can happen to me, you know. I fell in love, darling. With kisses - your Mary. '

'What a naive woman, my wife,' thought Adam, 'with such lips!' The lawyer explained to Adam in detail: You and Mary hurried to get married, didn't get along, yet tried to get married for seven years, separated for two years, now you want to end the unhappy marriage amicably, but be careful if you do ! Will be considered a criminal offense! A divorce can only be obtained if you or Mary have an extramarital affair!

Adam and Mary are charismatic, can't even imagine a horizontal relationship. But divorce is not possible without it. Mary scolds Adam, 'You pretend to have an affair and provide evidence so I can file for divorce!' Adam is a gentleman who is willing to do this to please his wife. The lawyer warned: If the husband and wife file a case together, it will be counted as 'collusion, conviction, condonation' which are all criminal offenses, and the crime of 'perjury' (making false statement before the court) will be suspended! However, the simple-minded Mary sends a telegram to prove all these crimes. We feel sympathy for this couple, what wrong people have to do because of the law!

May Myrtle is not Adam's secretary, a bureau has sent him with a large sum of money to raise false evidence of adultery. The two are going to the 'Hotel Capital' in the village of Brighton on the coast. Myrtle is experienced, says, 'Capital Hotel? Hash. I often go to other hotels for such work. ' Writing 'Mr and Mrs Adam' in the hotel register, Adam is bewildered: Another woman as Mrs Adam? Upon arriving at the hotel room, Myrtle instructs Adam, 'You sleep on the right side of the bed, so that the waitress who brings you breakfast and tea in the morning can see your face. He will have to testify against you in court! ' This is like a tragedy-comedy, we can't decide whether to laugh or cry.

The story seems a bit dull as all the events unfold over time, so the writers sometimes start with a half-hearted event, which in Latin is called 'In Media's Race'. The story of the beginning of Adam-Mary is now told. Adam fell in love with Mary when he was a soldier in World War I and got married. Mary gained immense popularity by becoming a drama actress and Adam was pushed to the margins.

Sitting in a restaurant, the lawyer explains to Adam how to get a divorce. One of you must commit adultery. ' The lawyer gets angry at the waiter, 'Alya, go away! We are plotting a crime! ' A lawyer who commits a humanitarian act has to get himself involved in a 'crime'!

The game of 'adultery' is over, Adam gives the waitress a big reward so that she remembers the face. The accustomed hotel manager thinks, 'Can't we work openly as a branch of the divorce-court?' Mary files a lawsuit.

Unexpected in court: The waitress called as a witness is so happy with the reward she received that she refuses to recognize Adam in court. The waitress is happy to have Adam acquitted, but Adam and Mary's plan is thwarted. The unfinished, famous actress Mary is featured in the newspapers. At Mary's urging, Adam again plays the game of adultery. This is when the raw divorce order is obtained. Yes, one condition is that if within six months Mary finds out that she is having an affair with someone, she will not get a divorce. So Mary, the one she wants to marry, has to stay as separate as possible for six months, from Martin. The 'King's Proctor' (say spy) keeps an eye on them. Lovers become like predators. The raw divorce decree is revoked when evidence of their personal moments falls into the hands of King Proctor. How do lovers feel about losing a lawsuit and getting out of court?

Martin put his hand on Mary's arm ... why show up now? Martin walked out of the court, moving people with one hand and drawing Mary with the other. Mary's head was raised, her face was innocent and proud, she was smiling. '

Lovers have decided to live together without getting married. (In some lands she was stoned to death.) Mary is to play the lead role in the nightly play. Everyone, including the producer, fears that Mary's hurricane will be called. At the entrance to the stage stands a manipulator (props). He sees Mary's pale face in panic.

Props realized that he, and only he, had a great job to do. He has to give a message to this chic, but faded actress, who wants to give a message to the whole theater company, the costumes, the costumes, the make-up, the stage carpenters, the curtain pullers, the bands ... He patted Mary on the back with his rough hand All right Miss. Does anyone else care? '

A smile spread across Mary's face as she entered the theater. Then ...

Some clapped. There was a shout from the balcony, 'Bravo!' The roar of applause went on, for a full minute, calmed down, resumed. Mary saluted. '

Ignoring the court's verdict, the public gave its verdict. What happened to Adam? The woman he loved was the headmistress of the school, it was impossible to live with him without getting married. Adam wrote him a letter from Matha Samachar which made his girlfriend shed tears. Then Adam went to the area of ​​prostitutes. One of the girls whispered in front of him, 'Come on darling, with me!' Adam said, 'I'm ready!'

The novel is entertaining as well as promotional. It is so intertwined with the law that it was read as a law textbook in England. The book became widely known, Herbert was elected to the Lok Sabha, and the 18th divorce law was relaxed.

Playwright Chandravadan Mehta has written about his divorce. While Chandravadan was chatting at the Fellowship School in Mumbai, his wife Vilas and friend Manek Gandhi came. The two wanted to get married and wanted Chandravadan's cooperation. Knowing that Vilas, who had been separated for years, could be happy by marrying someone else, Harkhabher consented. The law of the time called it a 'fraud' when a husband and wife got divorced. So Vilas had to accuse her husband of not taking care of me due to severe illness, causing me mental anguish, sometimes wandering towards the Himalayas ... getting a divorce. Chandravadan, Vilas and Manek Gandhi remained friends till the end. The day after his death, Vilas talked a lot. Chandravadan writes:

'(Vilas) Tell me about the happiness I enjoyed at the end of my life from the death bed.