CHAPTER VI

AzizhadnotgonetotheBridgeParty.ImmediatelyafterhismeetingwithMrs.Moorehewasdivertedtoothermatters.Severalsurgicalcasescamein,andkepthimbusy.Heceasedtobeeitheroutcasteorpoet,andbecamethemedicalstudent,verygay,andfullofdetailsofoperationswhichhepouredintotheshrinkingearsofhisfriends.Hisprofessionfascinatedhimattimes,butherequiredittobeexciting,anditwashishand,nothismind,thatwasscientific.Theknifehelovedandusedskilfully,andhealsolikedpumpinginthelatestserums.Buttheboredomofregimeandhygienerepelledhim,andafterinoculatingamanforenteric,hewouldgoawayanddrinkunfilteredwaterhimself.“Whatcanyouexpectfromthefellow?”saiddourMajorCallendar.“Nogrits,noguts.”ButinhisheartheknewthatifAzizandnothehadoperatedlastyearonMrs.Graysford’sappendix,theoldladywouldprobablyhavelived.Andthisdidnotdisposehimanybettertowardshissubordinate. Therewasarowthemorningafterthemosque—theywerealwayshavingrows.TheMajor,whohadbeenuphalfthenight,wanteddamnwelltoknowwhyAzizhadnotcomepromptlywhensummoned. “Sir,excuseme,Idid.Imountedmybike,anditbustinfrontoftheCowHospital.SoIhadtofindatonga.” “BustinfrontoftheCowHospital,didit?Andhowdidyoucometobethere?” “Ibegyourpardon?” “OhLord,ohLord!WhenIlivehere”—hekickedthegravel—“andyoulivethere—nottenminutesfromme—andtheCowHospitalisrighteversofarawaytheothersideofyou—there—thenhowdidyoucometobepassingtheCowHospitalonthewaytome?Nowdosomeworkforachange.” Hestrodeawayinatemper,withoutwaitingfortheexcuse,whichasfarasitwentwasasoundone:theCowHospitalwasinastraightlinebetweenHamidullah’shouseandhisown,soAzizhadnaturallypassedit.HeneverrealizedthattheeducatedIndiansvisitedoneanotherconstantly,andwereweaving,howeverpainfully,anewsocialfabric.Caste“orsomethingofthesort”wouldpreventthem.Heonlyknewthatnooneevertoldhimthetruth,althoughhehadbeeninthecountryfortwentyyears. Azizwatchedhimgowithamusement.WhenhisspiritswereuphefeltthattheEnglishareacomicinstitution,andheenjoyedbeingmisunderstoodbythem.Butitwasanamusementoftheemotionsandnerves,whichanaccidentorthepassageoftimemightdestroyitwasapartfromthefundamentalgaietythathereachedwhenhewaswiththosewhomhetrusted.AdisobligingsimileinvolvingMrs.Callendaroccurredtohisfancy.“ImusttellthattoMahmoudAli,it’llmakehimlaugh,”hethought.Thenhegottowork.Hewascompetentandindispensable,andheknewit.Thesimilepassedfromhismindwhileheexercisedhisprofessionalskill. Duringthesepleasantandbusydays,heheardvaguelythattheCollectorwasgivingaparty,andthattheNawabBahadursaideveryoneoughttogo