CHAPTER IV

TheCollectorkepthisword.NextdayheissuedinvitationcardstonumerousIndiangentlemenintheneighbourhood,statingthathewouldbeathomeinthegardenoftheclubbetweenthehoursoffiveandsevenonthefollowingTuesday,alsothatMrs.Turtonwouldbegladtoreceiveanyladiesoftheirfamilieswhowereoutofpurdah.Hisactioncausedmuchexcitementandwasdiscussedinseveralworlds. “ItisowingtoordersfromtheL.G.,”wasMahmoudAli’sexplanation.“Turtonwouldneverdothisunlesscompelled.Thosehighofficialsaredifferent—theysympathize,theViceroysympathizes,theywouldhaveustreatedproperly.Buttheycometooseldomandlivetoofaraway.Meanwhile——” “Itiseasytosympathizeatadistance,”saidanoldgentlemanwithabeard.“Ivaluemorethekindwordthatisspokenclosetomyear.Mr.Turtonhasspokenit,fromwhatevercause.Hespeaks,wehear.Idonotseewhyweneeddiscussitfurther.”QuotationsfollowedfromtheKoran. “Wehavenotallyoursweetnature,NawabBahadur,noryourlearning.” “TheLieutenant-Governormaybemyverygoodfriend,butIgivehimnotrouble.—Howdoyoudo,NawabBahadur?—Quitewell,thankyou,SirGilberthowareyou?—Andallisover.ButIcanbeathorninMr.Turton’sflesh,andifheasksmeIaccepttheinvitation.IshallcomeinfromDilkushaspecially,thoughIhavetopostponeotherbusiness.” “Youwillmakeyourselfchip,”suddenlysaidalittleblackman. Therewasastirofdisapproval.Whowasthisill-bredupstart,thatheshouldcriticizetheleadingMohammedanlandownerofthedistrict?MahmoudAli,thoughsharinghisopinion,feltboundtoopposeit.“Mr.RamChand!”hesaid,swayingforwardstifflywithhishandsonhiships. “Mr.MahmoudAli!” “Mr.RamChand,theNawabBahadurcandecidewhati