CHAPTER VIII

AlthoughMissQuestedhadknownRonnywellinEngland,shefeltwelladvisedtovisithimbeforedecidingtobehiswife.Indiahaddevelopedsidesofhischaracterthatshehadneveradmired.Hisself-complacency,hiscensoriousness,hislackofsubtlety,allgrewvividbeneathatropicskyheseemedmoreindifferentthanofoldtowhatwaspassinginthemindsofhisfellows,morecertainthathewasrightaboutthemorthatifhewaswrongitdidn’tmatter.Whenprovedwrong,hewasparticularlyexasperatinghealwaysmanagedtosuggestthatsheneedn’thavebotheredtoproveit.Thepointshemadewasnevertherelevantpoint,herargumentsconclusivebutbarren,shewasremindedthathehadexpertknowledgeandshenone,andthatexperiencewouldnothelpherbecauseshecouldnotinterpretit.APublicSchool,LondonUniversity,ayearatacrammer’s,aparticularsequenceofpostsinaparticularprovince,afallfromahorseandatouchoffeverwerepresentedtoherastheonlytrainingbywhichIndiansandallwhoresideintheircountrycanbeunderstoodtheonlytrainingshecouldcomprehend,thatistosay,forofcourseaboveRonnytherestretchedthehigherrealmsofknowledge,inhabitedbyCallendarsandTurtons,whohadbeennotoneyearinthecountrybuttwentyandwhoseinstinctsweresuperhuman.Forhimselfhemadenoextravagantclaimsshewishedhewould.Itwasthequalifiedbrayofthecallowofficial,the“Iamnotperfect,but——”thatgotonhernerves. HowgrosshehadbeenatMr.Fielding’s—spoilingthetalkandwalkingoffinthemiddleofthehauntingsong!Ashedrovethemawayinthetum-tum,herirritationbecameunbearable,andshedidnotrealizethatmuchofitwasdirectedagainstherself.Shelongedforanopportunitytoflyoutathim,andsincehefeltcrosstoo,andtheywerebothinIndia,anopportunitysoonoccurred.TheyhadscarcelylefttheCollegegroundsbeforesheheardhimsaytohismother,whowaswithhimonthefrontseat,“Whatwasthataboutcaves?”andshepromptlyopenedfire. “Mrs.Moore,yourdelightfuldoctorhasdecidedonapicnic,insteadofapartyinhishousewearetomeethimoutthere—you,myself,Mr.Fielding,ProfessorGodbole—exactlythesameparty.” “Outwhere?”askedRonny. “TheMarabarCaves.” “Well,I’mblessed,”hemurmuredafterapause.“Didhedescendtoanydetails?” “Hedidnot.Ifyouhadspokentohim,wecouldhavearrangedthem.” Heshookhisheadlaughing. “HaveIsaidanythingfunny?” “Iwasonlythinkinghowtheworthydoctor’scollarclimbeduphisneck.” “Ithoughtyouwerediscussingthecaves.” “SoIam.Azizwasexquisitelydressed,fromtie-pintospats,buthehadforgottenhisbackcollar-stud,andthereyouhavetheIndianallover:inattentiontodetailthefundamentalslacknessthatrevealstherace.Similarly,to‘meet’inthecavesasiftheyweretheclockatCharingCross,whenthey’remilesfromastationandeachother.” “Haveyoubeentothem?” “No,butIknowallaboutthem,naturally.” “Ohnaturally!” “Areyoutoopledgedtothisexpedition,mother?” “Motherispledgedtonothing,”saidMrs.Moore,ratherunexpectedly.“Certainlynottothispolo.Willyoudriveuptothebungalowfirst,anddropmethere,please?Iprefertorest.” “Dropmetoo,”saidAdela.“Idon’twanttowatchpoloeither,I’msure.” “Simplertodropthepolo,”saidRonny.Tiredanddisappointed,hequitelostself-control,andaddedinaloudlecturingvoice,“Iwon’thaveyoumessingaboutwithIndiansanymore!IfyouwanttogototheMarabarCaves,you’llgounderBritishauspices.” “I’veneverheardofthesecaves,Idon’tknowwhatorwheretheyare,”saidMrs.Moore,“butIreallycan’thave”—shetappedthecushionbesideher—“somuchquarrellingandtiresomeness!” Theyoungpeoplewereashamed.Theydroppedheratthebungalowanddroveontogethertothepolo,feelingitwastheleasttheycoulddo.Theircracklingbadhumourleftthem,buttheheavinessoftheirspiritremainedthunderstormsseldomcleartheair.MissQuestedwasthinkingoverherownbehaviour,anddidn’tlikeitatall.InsteadofweighingRonnyandherself,andcomingtoareasonedconclusionaboutmarriage,shehadincidentally,inthecourseofatalkaboutmangoes,remarkedtomixedcompanythatshedidn’tmeantostopinIndia.Whichmeantthatshewouldn’tmarryRonny:butwhatawaytoannounceit,whatawayforacivilizedgirltobehave!Sheowedhimanexplanation,butunfortunatelytherewasnothingtoexplain.The“thoroughtalk”sodeartoherprinciplesandtemperamenthadbeenpostponeduntiltoolate.Thereseemednopointinbeingdisagreeabletohimandformulatinghercomplaintsagainsthischaracteratthishouroftheday,whichwastheevening....ThepolotookplaceontheMaidanneartheentranceofChandraporecity.Thesunwasalreadydecliningandeachofthetreesheldapremonitionofnight.Theywalkedawayfromthegoverninggrouptoadistantseat,andthere,feelingthatitwashisdueandherown,sheforcedoutofherselftheundigestedremark:“Wemusthaveathoroughtalk,Ronny,I’mafraid.” “Mytemper’srotten,Imustapologize,”washisreply.“Ididn’tmeantoorderyouandmotherabout,butofcoursethewaythoseBengalisletyoudownthismorningannoyedme,andIdon’twantthatsortofthingtokeephappening.” “It’snothingtodowiththemthatI...” “No,butAzizwouldmakesomesimilarmuddleoverthecaves.Hemeantnothingbytheinvitation,Icouldtellbyhisvoiceit’sjusttheirwayofbeingpleasant.” “It’ssomethingverydifferent,nothingtodowithcaves,thatIwantedtotalkoverwithyou.”Shegazedatthecolourlessgrass.“I’vefinallydecidedwearenotgoingtobemarried,mydearboy.” ThenewshurtRonnyverymuch.HehadheardAzizannouncethatshewouldnotreturntothecountry,buthadpaidnoattentiontotheremark,forheneverdreamtthatanIndiancouldbeachannelofcommunicationbetweentwoEnglishpeople.Hecontrolledhimselfandsaidgently,“Youneversaidweshouldmarry,mydeargirlyouneverboundeitheryourselforme—don’tletthisupsetyou.” Shefeltashamed.Howdecenthewas!Hemightforcehisopinionsdownherthroat,butdidnotpresshertoan“engagement,”becausehebelieved,likeherself,inthesanctityofpersonalrelationships:itwasthisthathaddrawnthemtogetherattheirfirstmeeting,whichhadoccurredamongthegrandsceneryoftheEnglishLakes.Herordealwasover,butshefeltitshouldhavebeenmorepainfulandlonger.AdelawillnotmarryRonny.Itseemedslippingawaylikeadream.Shesaid,“Butletusdiscussthingsit’sallsofrightfullyimportant,wemustn’tmakefalsesteps.Iwantnexttohearyourpointofviewaboutme—itmighthelpusboth.” Hismannerwasunhappyandreserved.“Idon’tmuchbelieveinthisdiscussing—besides,I’msodeadwithallthisextraworkMohurram’sbringing,ifyou’llexcuseme.” “Ionlywanteverythingtobeabsolutelyclearbetweenus,andtoansweranyquestionsyoucaretoputtomeonmyconduct.”