CHAPTER III

ThethirdactofCousinKatewaswelladvancedbythetimeMrs.Moorere-enteredtheclub.Windowswerebarred,lesttheservantsshouldseetheirmem-sahibsacting,andtheheatwasconsequentlyimmense.Oneelectricfanrevolvedlikeawoundedbird,anotherwasoutoforder.Disinclinedtoreturntotheaudience,shewentintothebilliardroom,whereshewasgreetedby“IwanttoseetherealIndia,”andherappropriatelifecamebackwitharush.ThiswasAdelaQuested,thequeer,cautiousgirlwhomRonnyhadcommissionedhertobringfromEngland,andRonnywasherson,alsocautious,whomMissQuestedwouldprobablythoughnotcertainlymarry,andsheherselfwasanelderlylady. “Iwanttoseeittoo,andIonlywishwecould.ApparentlytheTurtonswillarrangesomethingfornextTuesday.” “It’llendinanelephantride,italwaysdoes.Lookatthisevening.CousinKate!Imagine,CousinKate!Butwherehaveyoubeenoffto?DidyousucceedincatchingthemoonintheGanges?” Thetwoladieshadhappened,thenightbefore,toseethemoon’sreflectioninadistantchannelofthestream.Thewaterhaddrawnitout,sothatithadseemedlargerthantherealmoon,andbrighter,whichhadpleasedthem. “Iwenttothemosque,butIdidnotcatchthemoon.” “Theanglewouldhavealtered—sheriseslater.” “Laterandlater,”yawnedMrs.Moore,whowastiredafterherwalk.“Letmethink—wedon’tseetheothersideofthemoonouthere,no.” “Come,India’snotasbadasallthat,”saidapleasantvoice.“Othersideoftheearth,ifyoulike,butwesticktothesameoldmoon.”Neitherofthemknewthespeakernordidtheyeverseehimagain.Hepassedwithhisfriendlywordthroughred-brickpillarsintothedarkness. “Wearen’tevenseeingtheothersideoftheworldthat’sourcomplaint,”saidAdela.Mrs.Mooreagreedshetoowasdisappointedatthedullnessoftheirnewlife.TheyhadmadesucharomanticvoyageacrosstheMediterraneanandthroughthesandsofEgypttotheharbourofBombay,tofindonlyagridironofbungalowsattheendofit.ButshedidnottakethedisappointmentasseriouslyasMissQuested,forthereasonthatshewasfortyyearsolder,andhadlearntthatLifenevergivesuswhatwewantatthemomentthatweconsiderappropriate.Adventuresdooccur,butnotpunctually.ShesaidagainthatshehopedthatsomethinginterestingwouldbearrangedfornextTuesday. “Haveadrink,”saidanotherpleasantvoice.“Mrs.Moore—MissQuested—haveadrink,havetwodrinks.”Theyknewwhoitwasthistime—theCollector,Mr.Turton,withwhomtheyhaddined.Likethemselves,hehadfoundtheatmosphereofCousinKatetoohot.Ronny,hetoldthem,wasstage-managinginplaceofMajorCallendar,whomsomenativesubordinateorotherhadletdown,anddoingitverywellthenheturnedtoRonny’sothermerits,andinquiet,decisivetonessaidmuchthatwasflattering.Itwasn’tthattheyoungmanwasparticularlygoodatthegamesorthelingo,orthathehadmuchnotionoftheLaw,but—apparentlyalargebut—Ronnywasdignified. Mrs.Moorewassurprisedtolearnthis,dignitynotbeingaqualitywithwhichanymothercreditsherson.MissQuestedlearntitwithanxiety,forshehadnotdecidedwhethershelikeddignifiedmen.ShetriedindeedtodiscussthispointwithMr.Turton,buthesilencedherwithagood-humouredmotionofhishand,andcontinuedwhathehadcometosay.“ThelongandtheshortofitisHeaslop’sasahibhe’sthetypewewant,he’soneofus,”andanothercivilianwhowasleaningoverthebilliardtablesaid,“Hear,hear!”Thematterwasthusplacedbeyonddoubt,andtheCollectorpassedon,forotherdutiescalledhim. Meanwhiletheperformanceended,andtheamateurorchestraplayedtheNationalAnthem.Conversationandbilliardsstopped,facesstiffened.ItwastheAnthemoftheArmyofOccupation.ItremindedeverymemberoftheclubthatheorshewasBritishandinexile.Itproducedalittlesentimentandau