Spread the love

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

In this blog post, I am sharing the simplified version (Paraphrase in English and Hindi) of CBSE Class 12 Vistas Chapter 1 – The Third Level Line by Line Explanation in English and Hindi. This post will help you understand the chapter in a clear and easy-to-follow manner. Whether you’re a student preparing for exams or someone looking to grasp the essence of the story, this explanation will break down the key points and provide a complete understanding of the chapter. So, let’s dive in and explore the fascinating world of The Third Level!

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

THE presidents of the New York Central and the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroads will swear on a stack of timetables that there are only two. But I say there are three, because I’ve been on the third level of the Grand Central Station. Yes, I’ve taken the obvious step: I talked to a psychiatrist friend of mine, among others. I told him about the third level at Grand Central Station, and he said it was a waking-dream wish fulfilment. He said I was unhappy. That made my wife kind of mad, but he explained that he meant the modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and all the rest of it, and that I just want to escape. Well, who doesn’t? Everybody I know wants to escape, but they don’t wander down into any third level at Grand Central Station.

Paraphrase in English:

The heads (presidents) of two major railway companies say that Grand Central Station has only two levels (floors). But the narrator says there are three levels, because he has personally been to the third level.

To understand what was happening to him, he talked to a psychiatrist (a doctor friend for mental health). He told the psychiatrist about this “third level”, and the doctor said it was like a daydream or wishful thinking while awake. The doctor said that the narrator was probably unhappy. This comment made the narrator’s wife angry, but the doctor explained that in today’s world, people are always worried, afraid, and insecure because of things like war and stress, so it’s natural to want to escape reality.

The narrator agrees—everyone wants to escape. But he says that only he ended up at the third level of Grand Central Station.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

न्यू यॉर्क सेंट्रल और न्यू यॉर्क, न्यू हेवन और हार्टफोर्ड रेलवे कंपनियों के अध्यक्ष कसम खाकर कहेंगे कि ग्रैंड सेंट्रल स्टेशन पर सिर्फ दो ही लेवल (मंजिलें) हैं। लेकिन लेखक कहता है कि वहाँ तीन लेवल हैं, क्योंकि वह खुद तीसरे लेवल पर गया है।

समझने के लिए कि उसके साथ क्या हो रहा था, उसने अपने मनोचिकित्सक दोस्त (psychiatrist) से बात की। उसने उसे ग्रैंड सेंट्रल स्टेशन के तीसरे लेवल के बारे में बताया। डॉक्टर ने कहा कि यह तो जागते हुए सपना देखने जैसा है या मन की एक ख्वाहिश है। उसने यह भी कहा कि शायद लेखक असंतुष्ट या दुखी है।

यह सुनकर लेखक की पत्नी को गुस्सा आ गया। लेकिन डॉक्टर ने समझाया कि आज की दुनिया बहुत तनावपूर्ण और डर से भरी है — जैसे युद्ध, चिंता, और असुरक्षा। इसलिए हर कोई हकीकत से भागना चाहता है।

लेखक भी मानता है कि हर कोई भागना चाहता है, लेकिन कहता है कि सिर्फ वही ग्रैंड सेंट्रल के तीसरे लेवल तक पहुँच पाया है।

But that’s the reason, he said, and my friends all agreed. Everything points to it, they claimed. My stamp collecting, for example; that’s a ‘temporary refuge from reality.’ Well, maybe, but my grandfather didn’t need any refuge from reality; things were pretty nice and peaceful in his day, from all I hear, and he started my collection. It’s a nice collection too, blocks of four of practically every U.S. issue, first-day covers, and so on. President Roosevelt collected stamps too, you know.

Paraphrase in English:

The psychiatrist said that the desire to escape reality is the reason the narrator imagined the third level. His friends also agreed with this idea. They said that everything about him proves it — for example, his stamp collecting. They called it a “temporary escape from reality.”

The narrator accepts that maybe that’s true, but he argues that his grandfather also collected stamps, and his grandfather lived in peaceful times, so he didn’t need to escape from anything. In fact, his grandfather was the one who started the stamp collection.

The narrator also says that his collection is really good, with rare items like blocks of four stamps, first-day covers, etc. He adds that even President Roosevelt collected stamps.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

मनोचिकित्सक ने कहा कि हकीकत से भागने की चाहत ही तीसरे लेवल की कल्पना करने की वजह है। और लेखक के सभी दोस्तों ने भी इस बात से सहमति जताई।

उन्होंने कहा कि लेखक की हर बात इसी ओर इशारा करती है — जैसे कि उसका स्टैंप (डाक टिकट) इकट्ठा करना। उन्होंने इसे कहा कि यह एक ‘हकीकत से अस्थायी बचाव’ है।

लेखक मानता है कि शायद यह सच हो, लेकिन वह कहता है कि उसके दादा जी भी स्टैंप इकट्ठा करते थे, जबकि उनके समय में सब कुछ शांत और अच्छा था। तो उन्हें तो हकीकत से भागने की जरूरत नहीं थी। और दादा जी ने ही यह कलेक्शन शुरू किया था।

लेखक बताता है कि उसकी स्टैंप की कलेक्शन बहुत अच्छी है, जैसे चार-चार स्टैम्प के ब्लॉक्स, पहले दिन के कवर (first-day covers) वगैरह। और वह यह भी जोड़ता है कि अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति रूज़वेल्ट भी स्टैंप इकट्ठा करते थे।

Anyway, here’s what happened at Grand Central. One night last summer I worked late at the office. I was in a hurry to get uptown to my apartment so I decided to take the subway from Grand Central because it’s faster than the bus.

Paraphrase in English:

Now the narrator begins to tell what actually happened at Grand Central Station.

He says that one night last summer, he worked late at his office. After work, he was in a hurry to go home to his apartment in uptown. So, to save time, he decided to take the subway (underground train) from Grand Central Station because it is faster than taking a bus.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

अब लेखक ग्रैंड सेंट्रल स्टेशन पर जो हुआ था, उसकी कहानी बताने लगता है।

वह कहता है कि पिछली गर्मियों की एक रात, वह ऑफिस में देर तक काम कर रहा था। काम के बाद वह जल्दी से अपने अपार्टमेंट (घर) जाना चाहता था, जो अपटाउन में था। इसलिए समय बचाने के लिए उसने ग्रैंड सेंट्रल से सबवे ट्रेन (भूमिगत ट्रेन) लेने का फैसला किया, क्योंकि वह बस से ज्यादा तेज़ चलती है।

Now, I don’t know why this should have happened to me. I’m just an ordinary guy named Charley, thirty-one years old, and I was wearing a tan gabardine suit and a straw hat with a fancy band; I passed a dozen men who looked just like me. And I wasn’t trying to escape from anything; I just wanted to get home to Louisa, my wife.

Simple Explanation (English):

The narrator says he doesn’t understand why this strange thing (going to the third level) happened to him.

He says he is just an ordinary man named Charley, 31 years old, and that night he was wearing a tan-colored gabardine suit and a straw hat with a decorative band. He even saw many other men dressed like him, so he didn’t look unusual.

Charley also says he wasn’t trying to run away from anything. He just wanted to go home to his wife Louisa.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

लेखक कहता है कि उसे समझ नहीं आता कि ऐसा अजीब हादसा उसके साथ ही क्यों हुआ।

वह कहता है कि वह बस एक आम आदमी है, उसका नाम चार्ली है, और उसकी उम्र 31 साल है। उस रात उसने हल्के भूरे रंग का गबार्डीन सूट और सजावटी पट्टी वाली एक स्ट्रॉ हैट (तोकरी जैसी टोपी) पहनी हुई थी। उसने कहा कि उसने ऐसे कई आदमी देखे जो उसी जैसे दिख रहे थे, यानी वह कुछ अलग नहीं लग रहा था।

चार्ली कहता है कि वह किसी चीज़ से भागने की कोशिश नहीं कर रहा था — वह तो बस अपनी पत्नी लुईसा के पास घर जाना चाहता था।

I turned into Grand Central from Vanderbilt Avenue, and went down the steps to the first level, where you take trains like the Twentieth Century. Then I walked down another flight to the second level, where the suburban trains leave from, ducked into an arched doorway heading for the subway — and got lost. That’s easy to do. I’ve been in and out of Grand Central hundreds of times, but I’m always bumping into new doorways and stairs and corridors. Once I got into a tunnel about a mile long and came out in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. Another time I came up in an office building on Forty-sixth Street, three blocks away.

Paraphrase in English:

The narrator describes how he entered Grand Central Station.

He came in from Vanderbilt Avenue, went down the stairs to the first level, where long-distance trains like the Twentieth Century leave. Then he went down another set of stairs to the second level, where suburban trains (local trains going to nearby towns) depart.

Then, he went through an arched doorway toward the subway, but somehow, he got lost. He says it’s very easy to get lost in Grand Central, even though he has been there many times.

He explains that the station is like a maze, full of new doors, staircases, and hallways. Once, he accidentally ended up in a long tunnel, walked for a mile, and came out in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. Another time, he ended up in an office building on 46th Street, which is three blocks away from the station.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

लेखक बताता है कि वह ग्रैंड सेंट्रल स्टेशन में कैसे घुसा।

वह वेंडरबिल्ट एवेन्यू से ग्रैंड सेंट्रल में घुसा, और पहली मंज़िल पर जाने के लिए सीढ़ियाँ नीचे उतरा, जहाँ से ट्वेंटीएथ सेंचुरी जैसी लंबी दूरी की ट्रेनें चलती हैं। फिर वह और नीचे दूसरी मंज़िल पर गया, जहाँ से सबर्बन (निकटवर्ती शहरों की) ट्रेनें जाती हैं।

इसके बाद वह एक मेहराबदार दरवाज़े (arched doorway) से सबवे (भूमिगत ट्रेन) की ओर मुड़ा — और रास्ता भटक गया। वह कहता है कि ग्रैंड सेंट्रल में रास्ता भटकना आसान है, क्योंकि वह वहाँ सैकड़ों बार गया है, लेकिन फिर भी हर बार कोई नया दरवाज़ा, सीढ़ी या गलियारा मिल जाता है।

एक बार वह एक मील लंबी सुरंग में चला गया और बाहर निकलते ही रूज़वेल्ट होटल के लॉबी में पहुँच गया। एक और बार वह फोर्टी-सिक्स्थ स्ट्रीट पर एक ऑफिस बिल्डिंग में निकल गया, जो स्टेशन से तीन ब्लॉक दूर थी।

Sometimes I think Grand Central is growing like a tree, pushing out new corridors and staircases like roots. There’s probably a long tunnel that nobody knows about feeling its way under the city right now, on its way to Times Square, and maybe another to Central Park. And maybe — because for so many people through the years Grand Central has been an exit, a way of escape — maybe that’s how the tunnel I got into… But I never told my psychiatrist friend about that idea.

Paraphrase in English:

The narrator imagines that Grand Central Station is growing like a tree, and its corridors and staircases are like roots spreading underground.

He thinks that there might be secret tunnels under the city — maybe one going toward Times Square, and another toward Central Park.

He wonders if, because so many people have used Grand Central as a way to escape over the years, maybe that’s why the tunnel he found existed — as an escape route.

But he says he never shared this idea with his psychiatrist friend.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

लेखक सोचता है कि ग्रैंड सेंट्रल स्टेशन एक पेड़ की तरह बढ़ रहा है, और इसके गलियारे और सीढ़ियाँ जैसे जड़ें ज़मीन के नीचे फैल रही हैं।

वह सोचता है कि शहर के नीचे शायद ऐसी लंबी सुरंगें (tunnels) हैं जिनके बारे में कोई नहीं जानता — हो सकता है एक टाइम्स स्क्वायर की तरफ जा रही हो, और दूसरी सेंट्रल पार्क की तरफ।

वह सोचता है कि चूंकि सालों से बहुत सारे लोग ग्रैंड सेंट्रल से भागने का रास्ता खोजते रहे हैं, शायद इसीलिए वह सुरंग भी एक तरह का भागने का रास्ता थी।

लेकिन वह कहता है कि उसने ये विचार अपने मनोचिकित्सक दोस्त को कभी नहीं बताया।

The corridor I was in began angling left and slanting downward and I thought that was wrong, but I kept on walking. All I could hear was the empty sound of my own footsteps and I didn’t pass a soul. Then I heard that sort of hollow roar ahead that means open space and people talking. The tunnel turned sharp left; I went down a short flight of stairs and came out on the third level at Grand Central Station. For just a moment I thought I was back on the second level, but I saw the room was smaller, there were fewer ticket windows and train gates, and the information booth in the centre was wood and old-looking. And the man in the booth wore a green eyeshade and long black sleeve protectors. The lights were dim and sort of flickering. Then I saw why; they were open flame gaslights.

Paraphrase in English:

The narrator continues his story. He says that the corridor he was walking through started to turn left and slope downward, which felt strange, but he kept walking anyway.

The place was completely empty — he could only hear his own footsteps and didn’t see anyone else.

Then he heard a distant, hollow sound — like the sound you hear in a large open area where people are talking. He followed that sound.

The tunnel turned sharply left, and after going down a few steps, he suddenly found himself on the third level of Grand Central Station.

At first, he thought it might be the second level, but then he noticed differences:

The room was smaller
There were fewer ticket windows and fewer train gates
The information booth in the center was made of old wood
The man inside wore a green eyeshade and long black sleeve covers (common in the early 1900s)

The lights were dim and flickering, and he realized they were gaslights with open flames, not electric lights.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

लेखक अपनी कहानी आगे बढ़ाता है। वह कहता है कि जिस गलियारे में वह चल रहा था, वह बाएँ मुड़ने और नीचे की ओर ढलान लेने लगा। उसे लगा कुछ गलत है, लेकिन फिर भी वह चलता रहा।

वहाँ बिल्कुल सन्नाटा था — उसे सिर्फ अपने कदमों की आवाज़ सुनाई दे रही थी और उसने कोई दूसरा व्यक्ति नहीं देखा।

फिर उसे आगे से एक खाली-सी गूंजती हुई आवाज़ सुनाई दी, जैसी आमतौर पर खुले स्थान में लोगों के बोलने से आती है। वह उसी आवाज़ की दिशा में बढ़ गया।

फिर सुरंग ने तेज़ मोड़ लिया, और वह कुछ सीढ़ियाँ नीचे उतरा, और अचानक ग्रैंड सेंट्रल का तीसरा स्तर उसके सामने था।

पहले तो उसे लगा कि यह दूसरा स्तर है, लेकिन फिर उसने कुछ फर्क महसूस किए:

कमरा छोटा था
वहाँ कम टिकट खिड़कियाँ और कम ट्रेन गेट थे
बीच में जो इन्फॉर्मेशन बूथ था, वह लकड़ी का और पुराना दिख रहा था
बूथ के अंदर आदमी ने हरा छज्जेदार चश्मा और काली लंबी बाँहों के कवर पहन रखे थे (जैसा पुराने जमाने में लोग पहनते थे)

लाइटें धीमी और झपकती हुई थीं — और फिर उसे समझ आया कि वे खुले शोलों वाली गैस लाइटें थीं, बिजली की नहीं।

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

There were brass spittoons on the floor, and across the station a glint of light caught my eye; a man was pulling a gold watch from his vest pocket. He snapped open the cover, glanced at his watch and frowned. He wore a derby hat, a black four-button suit with tiny lapels, and he had a big, black, handlebar moustache. Then I looked around and saw that everyone in the station was dressed like eighteen-ninety something; I never saw so many beards, sideburns and fancy moustaches in my life. A woman walked in through the train gate; she wore a dress with leg-of mutton sleeves and skirts to the top of her high-buttoned shoes. Back of her, out on the tracks, I caught a glimpse of a locomotive, a very small Currier & Ives locomotive with a funnel-shaped stack. And then I knew.

Paraphrase in English:

There were brass spittoons (metal pots used for spitting) on the floor.
The narrator saw a flash of light — it came from a man taking out a gold watch from his vest pocket.
The man opened the watch, looked at the time, and frowned (looked unhappy).
He was wearing old-fashioned clothes — a derby hat, a black coat with four buttons, and had a big handlebar moustache.
When the narrator looked around, he noticed that everyone was dressed like people from the 1890s.
He saw many men with beards, sideburns, and stylish moustaches.
A woman walked in through the train gate. She wore an old-style dress with leg-of-mutton sleeves (puffy sleeves) and a long skirt reaching her high-buttoned shoes.
Behind her, the narrator saw a small old train engine (locomotive) with a funnel-shaped chimney, just like those seen in Currier & Ives paintings.
At that moment, he realized he was not in the present — he had somehow reached the past (the 1890s).

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

फर्श पर पीतल के थूकदान रखे हुए थे।
लेखक की नज़र एक चमक पर पड़ी — एक आदमी अपनी वेस्ट की जेब से सोने की घड़ी निकाल रहा था।
उसने घड़ी का ढक्कन खोला, समय देखा और चेहरे पर चिंता के भाव आ गए।
वह पुराने ज़माने के कपड़े पहने था — एक डर्बी टोपी, चार बटन वाला काला सूट, और बड़ी घुमावदार मूंछें थीं।
जब लेखक ने चारों ओर देखा, तो पाया कि सभी लोग 1890 के दशक जैसे कपड़े पहने हुए थे।
उसे बहुत सारे दाढ़ी वाले, साइडबर्न और स्टाइलिश मूंछों वाले लोग दिखाई दिए।
एक महिला ट्रेन गेट से अंदर आई। उसने फूली हुई बाजू वाली ड्रेस (leg-of-mutton sleeves) और ऊँचे बटन वाले जूतों तक पहुंचने वाला लंबा स्कर्ट पहना था।
उसके पीछे, पटरियों पर, लेखक ने एक छोटा पुराना इंजन देखा जिसकी चिमनी फनल (कीप) जैसी थी — जैसे कि Currier & Ives की तस्वीरों में दिखते हैं।
और उसी समय, लेखक को समझ आ गया कि वह अब वर्तमान में नहीं, बल्कि अतीत (1890 के दशक) में पहुंच चुका है।

To make sure, I walked over to a newsboy and glanced at the stack of papers at his feet. It was The World; and The World hasn’t been published for years. The lead story said something about President Cleveland. I’ve found that front page since, in the Public Library files, and it was printed June 11, 1894.

Paraphrase in English:

To be sure about where he was, the narrator walked to a newspaper boy and looked at the newspapers near him. The newspaper was called The World, and the narrator knew that this newspaper had stopped being printed many years ago. The main news on the front page was about President Cleveland. Later, the narrator went to the public library and checked the old newspaper records. There, he found the same front page of The World newspaper, and it was printed on June 11, 1894. This proved to him that he had somehow reached the past.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

यह पता लगाने के लिए कि वह कहां है, लेखक एक अखबार बेचने वाले लड़के के पास गया और उसके पास रखे अखबारों को देखा। उस अखबार का नाम The World था, और लेखक जानता था कि यह अखबार कई साल पहले छपना बंद हो गया था। पहले पन्ने पर मुख्य खबर राष्ट्रपति क्लीवलैंड के बारे में थी। बाद में लेखक सार्वजनिक पुस्तकालय (Public Library) में गया और पुरानी अखबारों की फाइलें देखीं। वहां उसे उसी अखबार का वही पन्ना मिला, जो 11 जून, 1894 को छपा था। इससे लेखक को यकीन हो गया कि वह किसी तरह अतीत में पहुंच गया था।

I turned toward the ticket windows knowing that here — on the third level at Grand Central — I could buy tickets that would take Louisa and me anywhere in the United States we wanted to go. In the year 1894. And I wanted two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois.

Paraphrase in English:

The narrator turned towards the ticket windows, feeling sure that since he was on the third level of Grand Central, he could buy train tickets from the year 1894. He believed that he and his wife Louisa could travel anywhere in the United States they wanted to go — but in the past. He decided he wanted two tickets to a place called Galesburg in the state of Illinois.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

लेखक टिकट खिड़कियों की ओर मुड़ा, यह सोचते हुए कि अब जब वह ग्रैंड सेंट्रल स्टेशन के तीसरे स्तर पर है, तो वह 1894 के समय के टिकट खरीद सकता है। उसे भरोसा था कि वह और उसकी पत्नी लुइसा अमेरिका में कहीं भी जा सकते हैं — लेकिन उस पुराने समय में। उसने दो टिकट लेने का सोचा, और वह जगह थी गेल्सबर्ग, इलिनॉय।

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

Have you ever been there? It’s a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894, summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palmleaf fans, with the fire-flies all around, in a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off, and World War II over forty years in the future… I wanted two tickets for that.

Paraphrase in English:

The narrator asks the reader if they have ever been to Galesburg. He describes it as a beautiful town that still has old wooden houses, big green lawns, and huge trees whose branches meet above the roads like a roof. He says that in 1894, summer evenings felt longer, and people used to sit outside on their lawns. Men would smoke cigars and talk softly, while women would wave palmleaf fans. Fireflies would glow around them in a calm and peaceful world. He wishes to go back to that time — a time before World War I and World War II — and that’s why he wanted to buy two tickets for that place and that era.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

लेखक पाठक से पूछता है कि क्या वे कभी गेल्सबर्ग गए हैं। वह बताते हैं कि यह आज भी एक सुंदर शहर है, जहाँ पुराने लकड़ी के घर, बड़े-बड़े लॉन और विशाल पेड़ हैं जिनकी शाखाएँ सड़कों के ऊपर छत जैसी मिल जाती हैं। वह कहते हैं कि 1894 में गर्मियों की शामें दुगनी लंबी लगती थीं। लोग अपने लॉन पर बैठते थे—पुरुष सिगार पीते हुए धीरे-धीरे बातें करते और महिलाएं पंखे झलती थीं। चारों तरफ जुगनू उड़ते थे, और माहौल बहुत शांत और सुखद होता था। लेखक उस समय में वापस जाना चाहता है—जब पहली विश्व युद्ध को शुरू होने में अभी 20 साल बाकी थे और दूसरी विश्व युद्ध को 40 साल। इसलिए वह उस समय के लिए दो टिकट लेना चाहता था।

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

The clerk figured the fare — he glanced at my fancy hatband, but he figured the fare — and I had enough for two coach tickets, one way. But when I counted out the money and looked up, the clerk was staring at me. He nodded at the bills. ‘‘That ain’t money, mister,’’ he said, ‘‘and if you’re trying to skin me, you won’t get very far,’’ and he glanced at the cash drawer beside him. Of course the money was old-style bills, half again as big as the money we use nowadays, and different-looking. I turned away and got out fast. There’s nothing nice about jail, even in 1894.

Paraphrase in English:

The narrator tells us that the ticket clerk calculated the fare for two tickets. The clerk looked at the narrator’s stylish hatband, but still told him the price. The narrator had enough money to buy two coach tickets for a one-way journey. But when he gave the money to the clerk, the man stared at it and said, “This isn’t real money, sir,” and warned him not to try cheating. The clerk even looked at his cash drawer, maybe to call for help. The narrator then realized that the money he was carrying looked old-fashioned — it was much bigger than modern money and looked different. Fearing trouble or even jail, the narrator quickly left. He says that jail is not a good place, not even in the year 1894.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

कहानी का लेखक बताता है कि टिकट क्लर्क ने किराया गिना। क्लर्क ने लेखक की फैशनेबल टोपी की पट्टी को देखा, लेकिन फिर भी उसने किराया बता दिया। लेखक के पास एक तरफ़ा यात्रा के लिए दो टिकटों के लिए पैसे थे। लेकिन जैसे ही उसने पैसे दिए, क्लर्क ने पैसे देखकर हैरानी से उसे घूरा और बोला, “यह पैसे नहीं हैं, साहब। अगर आप मुझे धोखा देने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं, तो ज्यादा दूर नहीं जा पाएंगे।” क्लर्क ने अपने पास रखी नकदी की दराज की ओर भी देखा, जैसे मदद बुलाने वाला हो। लेखक को तब समझ आया कि उसके पास जो पैसे थे, वे पुराने ज़माने के थे — आज के नोटों से बड़े और अलग दिखने वाले। परेशानी से बचने के लिए लेखक जल्दी से वहां से निकल गया। वह कहता है कि जेल कहीं भी अच्छी जगह नहीं होती, चाहे वो 1894 में ही क्यों न हो।

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

And that was that. I left the same way I came, I suppose. Next day, during lunch hour, I drew three hundred dollars out of the bank, nearly all we had, and bought old-style currency (that really worried my psychiatrist friend). You can buy old money at almost any coin dealer’s, but you have to pay a premium. My three hundred dollars bought less than two hundred in old-style bills, but I didn’t care; eggs were thirteen cents a dozen in 1894.

Paraphrase in English:

And that was the end of that experience—for now. The narrator thinks he must have left the third level the same way he entered it. The next day, during his lunch break, he went to the bank and withdrew $300, which was almost all the money he and his wife had. He used this money to buy old-style currency from a coin dealer. This made his psychiatrist friend very concerned. He explains that buying old money is possible, but it costs more than its actual value. So, his $300 got him less than $200 in old money. But he didn’t mind because in the year 1894, things were very cheap—for example, eggs cost only thirteen cents a dozen.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

और उस अनुभव का वहीं अंत हो गया — फिलहाल के लिए। लेखक सोचता है कि वह उसी रास्ते से वापस आया होगा जिससे गया था। अगली दोपहर लंच टाइम में वह बैंक गया और 300 डॉलर निकाल लिए, जो कि लगभग उसके और उसकी पत्नी की सारी जमा पूंजी थी। उसने ये पैसे पुराने ज़माने के नोट खरीदने में लगा दिए, जो उसने एक सिक्कों की दुकान से खरीदे। यह बात उसके मनोचिकित्सक दोस्त को बहुत चिंता में डाल देती है। लेखक बताता है कि पुराने नोट खरीदे तो जा सकते हैं, लेकिन उनकी कीमत असली कीमत से ज्यादा देनी पड़ती है। इसलिए उसके 300 डॉलर से उसे पुराने समय के सिर्फ 200 डॉलर से भी कम मिले। लेकिन उसे कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ा क्योंकि 1894 में चीजें बहुत सस्ती थीं — जैसे अंडों की दरजन कीमत सिर्फ 13 सेंट थी।

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

But I’ve never again found the corridor that leads to the third level at Grand Central Station, although I’ve tried often enough.

Paraphrase in English:

The narrator says that even though he has tried many times, he has never been able to find that mysterious corridor again—the one that led him to the third level at Grand Central Station. It was a one-time experience that he couldn’t repeat, no matter how much he searched for it.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

लेखक कहता है कि उसने कई बार कोशिश की, लेकिन वह रहस्यमयी गलियारा फिर कभी नहीं मिला — वही गलियारा जो उसे ग्रैंड सेंट्रल स्टेशन के तीसरे स्तर तक ले गया था। यह एक ऐसा अनुभव था जो सिर्फ एक बार हुआ और फिर दोबारा कभी नहीं हुआ, चाहे उसने कितनी भी कोशिश की हो।

Louisa was pretty worried when I told her all this, and didn’t want me to look for the third level any more, and after a while I stopped; I went back to my stamps. But now we’re both looking, every weekend, because now we have proof that the third level is still there. My friend Sam Weiner disappeared! Nobody knew where, but I sort of suspected because Sam’s a city boy, and I used to tell him about Galesburg — I went to school there — and he always said he liked the sound of the place. And that’s where he is, all right. In 1894.

Paraphrase in English:

When Charley told his wife Louisa about his experience of the third level, she became very worried and didn’t want him to go searching for it anymore. So, he stopped and went back to his hobby of collecting stamps. But now, both he and Louisa have started looking for the third level again on weekends, because they believe they have proof that it really exists. Charley’s friend Sam Weiner has disappeared, and no one knows where he went. Charley thinks Sam is in Galesburg, Illinois in the year 1894—because Sam always liked hearing about the peaceful life there, and now, somehow, he has gone there.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

जब चार्ली ने अपनी पत्नी लुईसा को तीसरे स्तर (Third Level) के बारे में बताया, तो वह बहुत परेशान हो गई और उसने चार्ली को दोबारा उसे ढूंढ़ने से मना कर दिया। इसलिए चार्ली ने उसकी बात मानकर उसे ढूंढ़ना बंद कर दिया और फिर से अपनी डाक टिकटें इकट्ठा करने लगा। लेकिन अब वे दोनों हर सप्ताहांत में तीसरे स्तर की खोज कर रहे हैं, क्योंकि अब उन्हें लगता है कि इसका सबूत मिल गया है। चार्ली का दोस्त सैम वीनर गायब हो गया है, और किसी को नहीं पता कि वह कहां गया। लेकिन चार्ली को शक है कि सैम गैलेसबर्ग (Galesburg), इलिनॉय के साल 1894 में है, क्योंकि वह अक्सर गैलेसबर्ग के शांत जीवन के बारे में सुनकर खुश होता था। और अब शायद वह वहीं चला गया है।

Because one night, fussing with my stamp collection, I found — Well, do you know what a first-day cover is? When a new stamp is issued, stamp collectors buy some and use them to mail envelopes to themselves on the very first day of sale; and the postmark proves the date. The envelope is called a first-day cover. They’re never opened; you just put blank paper in the envelope.

Paraphrase in English:

One night, while Charley was looking at his stamp collection, he found something surprising. He begins to explain what a “first-day cover” is. It’s a special envelope that stamp collectors use. When a new stamp is released, collectors buy it and send it to themselves in an envelope on that first day. The envelope gets a postmark that shows the exact date. These envelopes are called first-day covers. People don’t open them — they just put a blank paper inside and save them as a record.

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

एक रात जब चार्ली अपनी डाक टिकटों की संग्रह (stamp collection) देख रहा था, तो उसे कुछ चौंकाने वाली चीज़ मिली। वह बताता है कि “फर्स्ट-डे कवर” क्या होता है। जब कोई नई डाक टिकट जारी होती है, तो कलेक्टर उसे खरीदकर उसी दिन अपने नाम एक लिफाफा भेजते हैं। उस लिफाफे पर जो डाक टिकट और तारीख की मुहर (postmark) होती है, वह उस दिन की याद बन जाती है। ऐसे लिफाफों को “फर्स्ट-डे कवर” कहा जाता है। इन्हें कभी खोला नहीं जाता — बस अंदर खाली कागज़ रखा जाता है और संभाल कर रखा जाता है।

That night, among my oldest first-day covers, I found one that shouldn’t have been there. But there it was. It was there because someone had mailed it to my grandfather at his home in Galesburg; that’s what the address on the envelope said. And it had been there since July 18, 1894 — the postmark showed that — yet I didn’t remember it at all. The stamp was a six-cent, dull brown, with a picture of President Garfield. Naturally, when the envelope came to Granddad in the mail, it went right into his collection and stayed there — till I took it out and opened it.

Paraphrase in English:

One night, while looking through his oldest “first-day covers,” Charley found one that shouldn’t have been there. It was an envelope that had been mailed to his grandfather in Galesburg, as the address on the envelope showed. The postmark on it was from July 18, 1894, but Charley had no memory of it. The stamp on the envelope was a six-cent, dull brown stamp with a picture of President Garfield. When the envelope first arrived at his grandfather’s house, it was added to his collection, and it stayed there until Charley took it out and opened it.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

एक रात, जब चार्ली अपनी सबसे पुरानी “फर्स्ट-डे कवर” देख रहा था, उसने एक ऐसा पाया जो वहां नहीं होना चाहिए था। वह एक लिफाफा था जिसे उसके दादा को गेल्सबर्ग में उनके घर पर भेजा गया था, और यही पता लिफाफे पर लिखा था। उस पर जुलाई 18, 1894 की पोस्टमार्क (डाक मुहर) थी, लेकिन चार्ली को इसका कोई याद नहीं था। उस पर एक छह-सेंट की धुंधली भूरे रंग की डाक टिकट थी, जिस पर राष्ट्रपति गारफ़ील्ड की तस्वीर थी। जब यह लिफाफा पहले बार चार्ली के दादा के घर आया, तो यह उनके संग्रह में चला गया और वहीं पड़ा रहा, जब तक कि चार्ली ने इसे बाहर निकालकर खोला।

The paper inside wasn’t blank. It read:

Paraphrase in English:

When Charley opened the envelope, he found that the paper inside wasn’t blank like it was supposed to be. It had writing on it.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

जब चार्ली ने लिफाफा खोला, तो उसने पाया कि अंदर का कागज़ वैसा नहीं था जैसा उसे होना चाहिए था। उस पर कुछ लिखा हुआ था।

The Third Level Line by Line Explanation

941 Willard Street
Galesburg, Illinois
July 18, 1894
Charley
I got to wishing that you were right. Then I got to believing you were right. And, Charley, it’s true; I found the third level! I’ve been here two weeks, and right now, down the street at the Daly’s, someone is playing a piano, and they’re all out on the front porch singing ‘Seeing Nelly Home.’ And I’m invited over for lemonade. Come on back, Charley and Louisa. Keep looking till you find the third level! It’s worth it, believe me!

Paraphrase in English:

Inside the envelope, Charley found a letter with the following message:

The letter was addressed to Charley and said:

“I started wishing that you were right, and then I began to believe you were right. And Charley, it’s true—I found the third level! I’ve been here for two weeks, and right now, down the street at the Daly’s house, someone is playing the piano, and people are all out on the porch singing ‘Seeing Nelly Home.’ They invited me over for lemonade. Come back, Charley and Louisa. Keep looking for the third level until you find it! It’s worth it, believe me!”

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

लिफाफे के अंदर, चार्ली ने एक पत्र पाया, जिसमें लिखा था:

पत्र में लिखा था:

“मैंने सोचा कि तुम सही हो, और फिर मुझे विश्वास होने लगा कि तुम सही हो। और चार्ली, यह सच है—मैंने तीसरे स्तर को ढूंढ लिया! मैं यहाँ दो हफ्तों से हूं, और अभी, डाली के घर में, कोई पियानो बजा रहा है, और सब लोग आगे के बरामदे पर ‘सींग नेली होम’ गा रहे हैं। उन्होंने मुझे नींबू पानी पीने के लिए बुलाया है। चार्ली और लुइसा, वापस आओ। तीसरे स्तर को ढूंढने तक कोशिश करते रहो! यह इसके लायक है, विश्वास करो!”

The note is signed Sam.

At the stamp and coin store I go to, I found out that Sam bought eight hundred dollars’ worth of old-style currency. That ought to set him up in a nice little hay, feed and grain business; he always said that’s what he really wished he could do, and he certainly can’t go back to his old business. Not in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1894. His old business? Why, Sam was my psychiatrist.

Paraphrase in English:

At the stamp and coin store, Charley learned that Sam had bought $800 worth of old-style currency. Charley thought this would help Sam start a little business selling hay, feed, and grain—something Sam always said he wanted to do. Charley realized that Sam wouldn’t be able to go back to his old job as a psychiatrist. Not in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1894. Yes, Sam was Charley’s psychiatrist.

The Third Level Paraphrase in Hindi:

स्टाम्प और सिक्कों की दुकान पर, चार्ली को पता चला कि सैम ने 800 डॉलर की पुरानी मुद्रा खरीदी थी। चार्ली ने सोचा कि इससे सैम को घास, चारा और अनाज बेचने का एक छोटा सा व्यवसाय शुरू करने में मदद मिलेगी, क्योंकि सैम हमेशा यही कहता था कि यही वह काम है जो वह करना चाहता था। चार्ली ने महसूस किया कि सैम अपने पुराने पेशे में वापस नहीं जा सकता। गैलेसबर्ग, इलिनॉय, 1894 में नहीं। और सैम का पुराना पेशा? वह चार्ली का मानसिक चिकित्सक (psychiatrist) था।