CHAPTER II

lled,thatissufficient,”hesaid,tearingtheprotestup.“Hereismycard.Callmeatonga.” “Huzoor,allareattheclub.” “Thentelephoneforonedowntotherailwaystation.”Andsincethemanhastenedtodothishesaid,“Enough,enough,Iprefertowalk.”Hecommandeeredamatchandlitacigarette.Theseattentions,thoughpurchased,soothedhim.Theywouldlastaslongashehadrupees,whichissomething.ButtoshakethedustofAnglo-Indiaoffhisfeet!Toescapefromthenetandbebackamongmannersandgesturesthatheknew!Hebeganawalk,anunwontedexercise. Hewasanathleticlittleman,daintilyputtogether,butreallyverystrong.Neverthelesswalkingfatiguedhim,asitfatigueseveryoneinIndiaexceptthenew-comer.Thereissomethinghostileinthatsoil.Iteitheryields,andthefootsinksintoadepression,orelseitisunexpectedlyrigidandsharp,pressingstonesorcrystalsagainstthetread.Aseriesoftheselittlesurprisesexhaustsandhewaswearingpumps,apoorpreparationforanycountry.Attheedgeofthecivilstationheturnedintoamosquetorest. Hehadalwayslikedthismosque.Itwasgracious,andthearrangementpleasedhim.Thecourtyard—enteredthrougharuinedgate—containedanablutiontankoffreshclearwater,whichwasalwaysinmotion,beingindeedpartofaconduitthatsuppliedthecity.Thecourtyardwaspavedwithbrokenslabs.ThecoveredpartofthemosquewasdeeperthanisusualitseffectwasthatofanEnglishparishchurchwhosesidehasbeentakenout.Wherehesat,helookedintothreearcadeswhosedarknesswasilluminatedbyasmallhanginglampandbythemoon.Thefront—infullmoonlight—hadtheappearanceofmarble,andtheninety-ninenamesofGodonthefriezestoodoutblack,asthefriezestoodoutwhiteagainstthesky.ThecontestbetweenthisdualismandthecontentionofshadowswithinpleasedAziz,andhetriedtosymbolizethewholeintosometruthofreligionorlove.Amosquebywinninghisapprovalletloosehisimagination.Thetempleofanothercreed,Hindu,Christian,orGreek,wouldhaveboredhimandfailedtoawakenhissenseofbeauty.HerewasIslam,hisowncountry,morethanaFaith,morethanabattle-cry,more,muchmore...Islam,anattitudetowardslifebothexquisiteanddurable,wherehisbodyandhisthoughtsfoundtheirhome. Hisseatwasthelowwallthatboundedthecourtyardontheleft.Thegroundfellawaybeneathhimtowardsthecity,visibleasabluroftrees,andinthestillnessheheardmanysmallsounds.Ontheright,overintheclub,theEnglishcommunitycontributedanamateurorchestra.ElsewheresomeHindusweredrumming—heknewtheywereHindus,becausetherhythmwasuncongenialtohim,—andotherswerebewailingacorpse—heknewwhose,havingcertifieditintheafternoon.Therewereowls,thePunjabmail...andflowerssmeltdeliciouslyinthestation-master’sgarden.Butthemosque—thatalonesignified,andhereturnedtoitfromthecomplexappealofthenight,anddeckeditwithmeaningsthebuilderhadneverintended.Somedayhetoowouldbuildamosque,smallerthanthisbutinperfecttaste,sothatallwhopassedbyshouldexperiencethehappinesshefeltnow.Andnearit,underalowdome,shouldbehistomb,withaPersianinscription: Alas,withoutmeforthousandsofyears TheRosewillblossomandtheSpringwillbloom, Butthosewhohavesecretlyunderstoodmyheart— TheywillapproachandvisitthegravewhereIlie. HehadseenthequatrainonthetombofaDeccanking,andregardeditasprofoundphilosophy—healwaysheldpathostobeprofound.Thesecretunderstandingoftheheart!Herepeatedthephrasewithtearsinhiseyes,andashedidsooneofthepillarsofthemosqueseemedtoquiver.Itswayedinthegloomanddetacheditself.Beliefinghostsraninhisblood,buthesatfirm.Anotherpillarmoved,athird,andthenanEnglishwomansteppedoutintothemoonlight.Suddenlyhewasfuriouslyangryandshouted:“Madam!Madam!Madam!” “Oh!Oh!”thewomangasped. “Madam,thisisamosque,youhavenorighthereatallyoushouldhavetakenoffyourshoesthisisaholyplaceforMoslems.” “Ihavetakenthemoff.” “Youhave?” “Ileftthemattheentrance.” “ThenIaskyourpardon.” Stillstartled,thewomanmovedout,keepingtheablution-tankbetweenthem.Hecalledafterher,“Iamtrulysorryforspeaking.” “Yes,Iwasright,wasInot?IfIremovemyshoes,Iamallowed?” “Ofcourse,butsofewladiestakethetrouble,especiallyifthinkingnooneistheretosee.” “Thatmakesnodifference.Godishere.” “Madam!” “Pleaseletmego.” “Oh,canIdoyousomeservicenoworatanytime?” “No,thankyou,reallynone—goodnight.” “MayIknowyourname?” Shewasnowintheshadowofthegateway,sothathecouldnotseeherface,butshesawhis,andshesaidwithachangeofvoice,“Mrs.Moore.” “Mrs.——”Advancing,hefoundthat