CHAPTER IX
關燈
小
中
大
tycup,herecommendedamilkdiet.
“Thisisagreatrelieftous,itisverygoodofyoutocall,DoctorSahib,”SaidHamidullah,butteringhimupabit.
“Itisonlymyduty.”
“Weknowhowbusyyouare.”
“Yes,thatistrue.”
“Andhowmuchillnessthereisinthecity.”
Thedoctorsuspectedatrapinthisremarkifheadmittedthattherewasorwasnotillness,eitherstatementmightbeusedagainsthim.“Thereisalwaysillness,”hereplied,“andIamalwaysbusy—itisadoctor’snature.”
“Hehasnotaminute,heisduedoublesharpatGovernmentCollegenow,”saidRamChand.
“YouattendProfessorGodbolethereperhaps?”
Thedoctorlookedprofessionalandwassilent.
“Wehopehisdiarrh?aisceasing.”
“Heprogresses,butnotfromdiarrh?a.”
“Weareinsomeanxietyoverhim—heandDr.Azizaregreatfriends.Ifyoucouldtellusthenameofhiscomplaintweshouldbegratefultoyou.”
Afteracautiouspausehesaid,“H?morrhoids.”
“Andsomuch,mydearRafi,foryourcholera,”hootedAziz,unabletorestrainhimself.
“Cholera,cholera,whatnext,whatnow?”criedthedoctor,greatlyfussed.“Whospreadssuchuntruereportsaboutmypatients?”
Hamidullahpointedtotheculprit.
“Ihearcholera,Ihearbubonicplague,Iheareveryspeciesoflie.Wherewillitend,Iaskmyselfsometimes.Thiscityisfullofmisstatements,andtheoriginatorsofthemoughttobediscoveredandpunishedauthoritatively.”
“Rafi,doyouhearthat?Nowwhydoyoustuffusupwithallthishumbug?”
Theschoolboymurmuredthatanotherboyhadtoldhim,alsothatthebadEnglishgrammartheGovernmentobligedthemtouseoftengavethewrongmeaningforwords,andsoledscholarsintomistakes.
“Thatisnoreasonyoushouldbringachargeagainstadoctor,”saidRamChand.
“Exactly,exactly,”agreedHamidullah,anxioustoavoidanunpleasantness.Quarrelsspreadsoquicklyandsofar,andMessrs.SyedMohammedandHaqlookedcross,andreadytoflyout.“Youmustapologizeproperly,Rafi,Icanseeyourunclewishesit,”hesaid.“Youhavenotyetsaidthatyouaresorryforthetroubleyouhavecausedthisgentlemanbyyourcarelessness.”
“Itisonlyaboy,”saidDr.PannaLal,appeased.
“Evenboysmustlearn,”saidRamChand.
“Yourownsonfailingtopasstheloweststandard,Ithink,”saidSyedMohammedsuddenly.
“Oh,indeed?Ohyes,perhaps.HehasnottheadvantageofarelativeintheProsperityPrintingPress.”
“NoryoutheadvantageofconductingtheircasesintheCourtsanylonger.”
Theirvoicesrose.Theyattackedoneanotherwithobscureallusionsandhadasillyquarrel.Hamidullahandthedoctortriedtomakepeacebetweenthem.Inthemidstofthedinsomeonesaid,“Isay!Isheillorisn’theill?”Mr.Fieldinghadenteredunobserved.Allrosetotheirfeet,andHassan,todoanEnglishmanhonour,struckwithasugar-caneatthecoilofflies.
Azizsaid,“Sitdown,”coldly.Whataroom!Whatameeting!Squaloranduglytalk,thefloorstrewnwithfragmentsofcaneandnuts,andspottedwithink,thepicturescrookeduponthedirtywalls,nopunkah!Hehadn’tmeanttolivelikethisoramongthesethird-ratepeople.AndinhisconfusionhethoughtonlyoftheinsignificantRafi,whomhehadlaughedat,andallowedtobeteased.Theboymustbesentawayhappy,orhospitalitywouldhavefailed,alongthewholeline.
“ItisgoodofMr.Fieldingtocondescendtovisitourfriend,”saidthepoliceinspector.“Wearetouchedbythisgreatkindness.”
“Don’ttalktohimlikethat,hedoesn’twantit,andhedoesn’twantthreechairshe’snotthreeEnglishmen,”heflashed.“Rafi,comehere.Sitdownagain.I’mdelightedyoucouldcomewithMr.Hamidullah,mydearboyitwillhelpmetorecover,seeingyou.”
“Forgivemymistakes,”saidRafi,toconsolidatehimself.
“Well,areyouill,Aziz,oraren’tyou?”Fieldingrepeated.
“NodoubtMajorCallendarhastoldyouthatIamshamming.”
“Well,areyou?”Thecompanylaughed,friendlyandpleased.“AnEnglishmanathisbest,”theythought“sogenial.”
“EnquirefromDr.PannaLal.”
“You’resureIdon’ttireyoubystopping?”
“Why,no!Therearesixpeoplepresentinmysmallroomalready.Pleaseremainseated,ifyouwillexcusetheinformality.”HeturnedawayandcontinuedtoaddressRafi,whowasterrifiedatthearrivalofhisPrincipal,rememberedthathehadtriedtospreadslanderabouthim,andyearnedtogetaway.
“Heisillandheisnotill,”saidHamidullah,offeringacigarette.“AndIsupposethatmostofusareinthatsamecase.”
Fieldingagreedheandthepleasantsensitivebarristergotonwe
