CHAPTER XI
關燈
小
中
大
ontoyourthreespies,andtellthemtoputitintheirpipes.”
Azizwascharmedandinterested,andturnedthenewideaoverinhismind.SothiswaswhyMr.Fieldingandafewothersweresofearless!Theyhadnothingtolose.ButhehimselfwasrootedinsocietyandIslam.Hebelongedtoatraditionwhichboundhim,andhehadbroughtchildrenintotheworld,thesocietyofthefuture.Thoughhelivedsovaguelyinthisflimsybungalow,neverthelesshewasplaced,placed.
“Ican’tbesackedfrommyjob,becausemyjob’sEducation.Ibelieveinteachingpeopletobeindividuals,andtounderstandotherindividuals.It’stheonlythingIdobelievein.AtGovernmentCollege,Imixitupwithtrigonometry,andsoon.WhenI’masaddhu,Ishallmixitupwithsomethingelse.”
Heconcludedhismanifesto,andbothweresilent.Theeye-fliesbecameworsethaneveranddancedcloseuptotheirpupils,orcrawledintotheirears.Fieldinghitaboutwildly.Theexercisemadehimhot,andhegotuptogo.
“Youmighttellyourservanttobringmyhorse.Hedoesn’tseemtoappreciatemyUrdu.”
“Iknow.Igavehimordersnotto.SucharethetricksweplayonunfortunateEnglishmen.PoorMr.Fielding!ButIwillreleaseyounow.Ohdear!WiththeexceptionofyourselfandHamidullah,Ihavenoonetotalktointhisplace.YoulikeHamidullah,don’tyou?”
“Verymuch.”
“Doyoupromisetocomeatoncetouswhenyouareintrouble?”
“Inevercanbeintrouble.”
“Theregoesaqueerchap,Itrusthewon’tcometogrief,”thoughtAziz,leftalone.Hisperiodofadmirationwasover,andhereactedtowardspatronage.Itwasdifficultforhimtoremaininaweofanyonewhoplayedwithallhiscardsonthetable.Fielding,hediscoveredoncloseracquaintance,wastrulywarm-heartedandunconventional,butnotwhatcanbecalledwise.ThatfranknessofspeechinthepresenceofRamChand,RafiandCo.wasdangerousandinelegant.Itservednousefulend.
Buttheywerefriends,brothers.Thatpartwassettled,theircompacthadbeensubscribedbythephotograph,theytrustedoneanother,affectionhadtriumphedforonceinaway.Hedroppedofftosleepamidthehappiermemoriesofthelasttwohours—poetryofGhalib,femalegrace,goodoldHamidullah,goodFielding,hishonouredwifeanddearboys.Hepassedintoaregionwherethesejoyshadnoenemiesbutbloomedharmoniouslyinaneternalgarden,orrandownwatershootsofribbedmarble,orroseintodomeswhereunderwereinscribed,blackagainstwhite,theninety-nineattributesofGod.
