CHAPTER XI
關燈
小
中
大
asanassistancetohim,andhelpedhimtowardsclarity,butclaritypreventedhimfromexperiencingsomethingelse.
“HowdidyoulikethetwoladiesyoumetlastThursday?”heasked.
Azizshookhisheaddistastefully.ThequestionremindedhimofhisrashremarkabouttheMarabarCaves.
“HowdoyoulikeEnglishwomengenerally?”
“HamidullahlikedtheminEngland.Hereweneverlookatthem.Ohno,muchtoocareful.Let’stalkofsomethingelse.”
“Hamidullah’sright:theyaremuchnicerinEngland.There’ssomethingthatdoesn’tsuitthemouthere.”
Azizafteranothersilencesaid,“Whyareyounotmarried?”
Fieldingwaspleasedthathehadasked.“BecauseIhavemoreorlesscomethroughwithoutit,”hereplied.
“IwasthinkingoftellingyoualittleaboutmyselfsomedayifIcanmakeitinterestingenough.TheladyIlikedwouldn’tmarryme—thatisthemainpoint,butthat’sfifteenyearsagoandnowmeansnothing.”
“Butyouhaven’tchildren.”
“None.”
“Excusethefollowingquestion:haveyouanyillegitimatechildren?”
“No.I’dwillinglytellyouifIhad.”
“Thenyournamewillentirelydieout.”
“Itmust.”
“Well.”Heshookhishead.“ThisindifferenceiswhattheOrientalwillneverunderstand.”
“Idon’tcareforchildren.”
“Caringhasnothingtodowithit,”hesaidimpatiently.
“Idon’tfeeltheirabsence,Idon’twantthemweepingaroundmydeath-bedandbeingpoliteaboutmeafterwards,whichIbelieveisthegeneralnotion.I’dfarratherleaveathoughtbehindmethanachild.Otherpeoplecanhavechildren.Noobligation,withEnglandgettingsochock-a-blockandoverrunningIndiaforjobs.”
“Whydon’tyoumarryMissQuested?”
“GoodGod!why,thegirl’saprig.”
“Prig,prig?Kindlyexplain.Isn’tthatabadword?”
“Oh,Idon’tknowher,butshestruckmeasoneofthemorepatheticproductsofWesterneducation.Shedepressesme.”
“Butprig,Mr.Fielding?How’sthat?”
“Shegoesonandonasifshe’satalecture—tryingeversohardtounderstandIndiaandlife,andoccasionallytakinganote.”
“Ithoughthersoniceandsincere.”
“Sosheprobablyis,”saidFielding,ashamedofhisroughness:anysuggestionthatheshouldmarryalwaysdoesproduceoverstatementsonthepartofthebachelor,andamentalbreeze.“ButIcan’tmarryherifIwantedto,forshehasjustbecomeengagedtotheCityMagistrate.”
“Hassheindeed?Iamsoglad!”heexclaimedwithrelief,forthisexemptedhimfromtheMarabarexpedition:h
