CHAPTER XI

AlthoughtheIndianshaddrivenoff,andFieldingcouldseehishorsestandinginasmallshedinthecornerofthecompound,noonetroubledtobringittohim.Hestartedtogetithimself,butwasstoppedbyacallfromthehouse.Azizwassittingupinbed,lookingdishevelledandsad.“Here’syourhome,”hesaidsardonically.“Here’sthecelebratedhospitalityoftheEast.Lookattheflies.Lookatthechunamcomingoffthewalls.Isn’titjolly?NowIsupposeyouwanttobeoff,havingseenanOrientalinterior.” “Anyhow,youwanttorest.” “Icanrestthewholeday,thankstoworthyDr.Lal.MajorCallendar’sspy,Isupposeyouknow,butthistimeitdidn’twork.Iamallowedtohaveaslighttemperature.” “Callendardoesn’ttrustanyone,EnglishorIndian:that’shischaracter,andIwishyouweren’tunderhimbutyouare,andthat’sthat.” “Beforeyougo,foryouareevidentlyinagreathurry,willyoupleaseunlockthatdrawer?Doyouseeapieceofbrownpaperatthetop?” “Yes.” “Openit.” “Whoisthis?” “Shewasmywife.YouarethefirstEnglishmanshehasevercomebefore.Nowputherphotographaway.” Hewasastonished,asatravellerwhosuddenlysees,betweenthestonesofthedesert,flowers.Theflowershavebeenthereallthetime,butsuddenlyheseesthem.Hetriedtolookatthephotograph,butinitselfitwasjustawomaninasari,facingtheworld.Hemuttered,“Really,Idon’tknowwhyyoupaymethisgreatcompliment,Aziz,butIdoappreciateit.” “Oh,it’snothing,shewasnotahighlyeducatedwomanorevenbeautiful,butputitaway.Youwouldhaveseenher,sowhyshouldyounotseeherphotograph?” “Youwouldhaveallowedmetoseeher?” “Whynot?Ibelieveinthepurdah,butIshouldhavetoldheryouweremybrother,andshewouldhaveseenyou.Hamidullahsawher,andseveralothers.” “Didshethinktheywereyourbrothers?” “Ofcoursenot,butthewordexistsandisconvenient.Allmenaremybrothers,andassoonasonebehavesassuchhemayseemywife.” “Andwhenthewholeworldbehavesassuch,therewillbenomorepurdah?” “Itisbecauseyoucansayandfeelsucharemarkasthat,thatIshowyouthephotograph,”saidAzizgravely. “Itisbeyondthepowerofmostmen.ItisbecauseyoubehavewellwhileIbehavebadlythatIshowityou.IneverexpectedyoutocomebackjustnowwhenIcalledyou.Ithought,‘HehascertainlydonewithmeIhaveinsultedhim.’Mr.Fielding,noonecaneverrealizehowmuchkindnessweIndiansneed,wedonotevenrealizeitourselves.Butwekn