CHAPTER X

Theheathadleaptforwardinthelasthour,thestreetwasdesertedasifacatastrophehadcleanedoffhumanityduringtheinconclusivetalk.OppositeAziz’bungalowstoodalargeunfinishedhousebelongingtotwobrothers,astrologers,andasquirrelhunghead-downwardsonit,pressingitsbellyagainstburningscaffoldingandtwitchingamangytail.Itseemedtheonlyoccupantofthehouse,andthesquealsitgavewereintunewiththeinfinite,nodoubt,butnotattractiveexcepttoothersquirrels.Morenoisescamefromadustytree,wherebrownbirdscreakedandflounderedaboutlookingforinsectsanotherbird,theinvisiblecoppersmith,hadstartedhis“ponkponk.”Itmatterssolittletothemajorityoflivingbeingswhattheminority,thatcallsitselfhuman,desiresordecides.MostoftheinhabitantsofIndiadonotmindhowIndiaisgoverned.NoraretheloweranimalsofEnglandconcernedaboutEngland,butinthetropicstheindifferenceismoreprominent,theinarticulateworldiscloserathandandreadiertoresumecontrolassoonasmenaretired.Whenthesevengentlemenwhohadheldsuchvariousopinionsinsidethebungalowcameoutofit,theywereawareofacommonburden,avaguethreatwhichtheycalled“thebadweathe