CHAPTER VI

toit.Hisfellow-assistant,DoctorPannaLal,wasinecstasiesattheprospect,andwasurgentthattheyshouldattendittogetherinhisnewtum-tum.Thearrangementsuitedthemboth.Azizwassparedtheindignityofabicycleortheexpenseofhiring,whileDr.PannaLal,whowastimidandelderly,securedsomeonewhocouldmanagehishorse.Hecouldmanageithimself,butonlyjust,andhewasafraidofthemotorsandoftheunknownturnintotheclubgrounds.“Disastermaycome,”hesaidpolitely,“butweshallatalleventsgettheresafe,evenifwedonotgetback.”Andwithmorelogic:“Itwill,Ithink,createagoodimpressionshouldtwodoctorsarriveatthesametime.” Butwhenthetimecame,Azizwasseizedwitharevulsion,anddeterminednottogo.Foronethinghisspellofwork,latelyconcluded,lefthimindependentandhealthy.Foranother,thedaychancedtofallontheanniversaryofhiswife’sdeath.Shehaddiedsoonafterhehadfalleninlovewithherhehadnotlovedheratfirst.TouchedbyWesternfeeling,hedislikedunionwithawomanwhomhehadneverseenmoreover,whenhedidseeher,shedisappointedhim,andhebegathisfirstchildinmereanimality.Thechangebeganafteritsbirth.Hewaswonbyherloveforhim,byaloyaltythatimpliedsomethingmorethansubmission,andbyhereffortstoeducateherselfagainstthatliftingofthepurdahthatwouldcomeinthenextgenerationifnotintheirs.Shewasintelligent,yethadold-fashionedgrace.Graduallyhelostthefeelingthathisrelativeshadchosenwronglyforhim.Sensuousenjoyment—well,evenifhehadhadit,itwouldhavedulledinayear,andhehadgainedsomethinginstead,whichseemedtoincreasethelongertheylivedtogether.Shebecamethemotherofason...andingivinghimasecondsonshedied.Thenherealizedwhathehadlost,andthatnowomancouldevertakeherplaceafriendwouldcomenearertoherthananotherwoman.Shehadgone,therewasnoonelikeher,andwhatisthatuniquenessbutlove?Heamusedhimself,heforgotherattimes:butatothertimeshefeltthatshehadsentallthebeautyandjoyoftheworldintoParadise,andhemeditatedsuicide.Wouldhemeetherbeyondthetomb?Istheresuchameeting-place?Thoughorthodox,hedidnotknow.God’sunitywasindubitableandindubitablyannounced,butonallotherpointshewaveredliketheaverageChristianhisbeliefinthelifetocomewouldpaletoahope,vanish,reappear,allinasinglesentenceoradozenheart-beats,sothatthecorpusclesofhisbloodratherthanheseemedtodecidewhichopinionheshouldhold,andforhowlong.Itwassowithallhisopinions.Nothingstayed,nothingpassedthatdidnotreturnthecirculationwasceaselessandkepthimyoung,andhemournedhiswifethemoresincerelybecausehemournedherseldom. ItwouldhavebeensimplertotellDr.Lalthathehadchangedhismindabouttheparty,butuntilthelastminutehedidnotknowthathehadcha