CHAPTER IV

scheapwithoutourvaluation,Ithink.” “IdonotexpectIshallmakemyselfcheap,”saidtheNawabBahadurtoMr.RamChand,speakingverypleasantly,forhewasawarethatthemanhadbeenimpoliteandhedesiredtoshieldhimfromtheconsequences.Ithadpassedthroughhismindtoreply,“IexpectIshallmakemyselfcheap,”butherejectedthisasthelesscourteousalternative.“Idonotseewhyweshouldmakeourselvescheap.Idonotseewhyweshould.Theinvitationiswordedverygraciously.”Feelingthathecouldnotfurtherdecreasethesocialgulfbetweenhimselfandhisauditors,hesenthiselegantgrandson,whowasinattendanceonhim,tofetchhiscar.Whenitcame,herepeatedallthathehadsaidbefore,thoughatgreaterlength,endingupwith“TillTuesday,then,gentlemenall,whenIhopewemaymeetintheflowergardensoftheclub.” Thisopinioncarriedgreatweight.TheNawabBahadurwasabigproprietorandaphilanthropist,amanofbenevolenceanddecision.Hischaracteramongallthecommunitiesintheprovincestoodhigh.Hewasastraightforwardenemyandastaunchfriend,andhishospitalitywasproverbial.“Give,donotlendafterdeathwhowillthankyou?”washisfavouriteremark.Hehelditadisgracetodierich.Whensuchamanwaspreparedtomotortwenty-fivemilestoshaketheCollector’shand,theentertainmenttookanotheraspect.Forhewasnotlikesomeeminentmen,whogiveoutthattheywillcome,andthenfailatthelastmoment,leavingthesmallfryfloundering.Ifhesaidhewouldcome,hewouldcome,hewouldneverdeceivehissupporters.Thegentlemenwhomhehadlecturednowurgedoneanothertoattendtheparty,althoughconvincedatheartthathisadvicewasunsound. HehadspokeninthelittleroomneartheCourtswherethepleaderswaitedforclientsclients,wa