CHAPTER IV
關燈
小
中
大
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-Governormaybemyver
