Latest / A Passage to India / Ch 35 - A Passage to India

Transcript

Ch 35 - A Passage to India · A Passage to India

• 0:00
  Chapter thirty five, long before he discovered now another young Mohammedan had retired there
• 0:09
  a saint. His mother said to him, free prisoners, So he took
• 0:15
  a sword and went up to the fort. He unlocked a door, and
• 0:20
  the prisoners streamed out and resumed their previous occupations. But the police were too
• 0:27
  much annoyed and cut off the young man's head, ignoring its absence. He
• 0:33
  made his way over the rocks that separate the fort and the town, killing
• 0:38
  policemen as he went, and he fell outside his mother's house, having accomplished
• 0:44
  her orders. Consequently, there are two shrines to him to day, that
• 0:51
  of the head above and that of the body below, and they are worshiped
• 0:57
  by the few Mohammedans who live near and by Hindus. Also, there is
• 1:03
  no God but God. That symmetrical injunction melts in the mild airs of Mao.
• 1:11
  It belongs to pilgrimages and universities, not to feudalism and agriculture. When
• 1:19
  Aziz arrived and found that even Islam was idolatrous, he grew scornful and longed
• 1:26
  to purify the place like Alamgir, But soon he didn't mind, like Akbar
• 1:34
  After all, this saint had freed prisoners, and he himself had lain in
• 1:40
  prison. The Shrine of the Body lay in his own garden and produced a
• 1:46
  weekly crop of lamps and flowers, and when he saw them, he recalled
• 1:52
  his sufferings. The Shrine of the Head made a nice short walk for the
• 1:57
  children. He was off duty the morning after the Great Puta, and he
• 2:01
  told them to come. Jemila held his hand. Ahmed and Curry ran in
• 2:08
  front, arguing what the body looked like as it came staggering down, and
• 2:15
  whether they would have been frightened if they met it. He didn't want them
• 2:20
  to grow up superstitious, so he rebuked them, and they answered yes,
• 2:24
  Father, for they were well brought up. But like himself, they were
• 2:30
  impervious to argument, and after a polite pause, they continued, saying what
• 2:36
  their natures compelled them to say. A slim, tall, eight sided building
• 2:43
  stood at the top of the slope among some bushes. This was the Shrine
• 2:47
  of the Head. It had not been roofed, and was indeed merely a
• 2:53
  screen. Inside it crouched a humble dome, and inside that, visible through
• 3:00
  a grille, was a truncated gravestone swathed in calico. The inner angles of
• 3:07
  the screen were cumbered with bees nests, and a gentle shower of broken wings
• 3:15
  and other aerial oddments kept falling and had strewn the damp pavement with their flu
• 3:23
  Ahmed, apprized by Mohammed Latif of the character of the bee, said they
• 3:29
  will not hurt us, whose lives are chaste, and pushed boldly in.
• 3:35
  His sister was more cautious. From the shrine, they went to a mosque,
• 3:39
  which in size and design resembled a fire screen. The arcades of Chandrapor
• 3:47
  had shrunk to a flat piece of ornamental stucco, with protubrinces at either end
• 3:54
  to suggest minarets. The funny little thing didn't even stand straight, for the
• 4:00
  rock on which it had been put was slipping down the hill. It and
• 4:06
  the shrine were a strange outcome of the protests of Arabia. They wandered over
• 4:15
  the old fort, now deserted, and admired the various views. The scenery,
• 4:20
  according to their standards, was delightful, the sky gray and black,
• 4:27
  belly folds of rain all over it, the earth poked with pools of water
• 4:32
  and slimy with mud. A magnificent monsoon, the best for three years.
• 4:39
  The tanks already full, bumper crops possible out towards the river, the route
• 4:46
  by which the fieldings had escaped from Deora. The downpour had been enormous.
• 4:54
  The males had to be pulled across by ropes. They could just see break
• 5:00
  in the forest trees where the gorge came through, and the rocks above that
• 5:05
  marked the site of the diamond mine glistening with wet Close beneath was the suburban
• 5:13
  residence of the Junior Rani, isolated by floods, and her Highness lax about
• 5:19
  Porda to be seen paddling with her handmaidens in the garden and waving her sari
• 5:27
  at the monkeys on the roof. But better not look close beneath, perhaps,
• 5:33
  nor towards the European guest house. Either beyond the guest house rose another
• 5:41
  gray green gloom of hills covered with temples like little white flames. There were
• 5:46
  over two hundred gods in that direction alone, who visited each other constantly and
• 5:54
  owned numerous cows and all the betel leaf industry, besides shares in the Asirgar
• 6:01
  motor omnibus. Many of them were in the palace at this moment, having
• 6:06
  the time of their lives. Others too large or proud to travel, had
• 6:14
  sent symbols to represent them. The air was thick with religion and rain,
• 6:23
  their white shirts fluttering. Ahmed and Kharim ran about over the fort, shrieking
• 6:29
  with joy. Presently they intersected a line of prisoners who were looking aimlessly at
• 6:35
  an old bronze gun. Which of you is to be pardoned? They asked
• 6:42
  for. Tonight was the procession of the Chief God, when he would leave
• 6:46
  the palace, escorted by the whole power of the state, and pass by
• 6:51
  the jail which stood down in the town. Now as he did so,
• 6:58
  troubling the waters of our civilization, one prisoner would be released, and then
• 7:04
  he would proceed to the great Mao tank that stretched as far as the guest
• 7:10
  house garden, where something else would happen, some final or subsidiary apotheosis,
• 7:16
  after which he would submit to the experience of sleep. The Aziz family did
• 7:24
  not grasp as much as this, being Moslem, but the visit to the
• 7:29
  jail was common knowledge. Smiling with downcast eyes, the prisoners discussed with the
• 7:35
  gentry their chances of salvation. Except for the irons on their legs. They
• 7:43
  resembled other men, nor did they feel different. Five of them, who
• 7:47
  had not yet been brought to trial could expect no pardon. They did not
• 7:54
  distinguish between the God and the Raja in their minds. Both were too far
• 7:59
  above them. But the guard was better educated and ventured to inquire after his
• 8:05
  Highness's health. It always improves, replied the medicine man. As a matter
• 8:13
  of fact, the Raja was dead. The ceremony overnight had overtaxed his strength.
• 8:22
  His death was being concealed lest the glory of the festival were dimmed.
• 8:28
  The Hindu physician, the private secretary, and a confidential servant remained with the
• 8:33
  corpse, while Aziz had assumed the duty of being seen in public and misleading
• 8:39
  people. He had liked the ruler very much and might not prosper under his
• 8:46
  successor. Yet he could not worry over such problems yet, for he was
• 8:52
  involved in the illusion he helped to create. The children continued to run about,
• 9:00
  hunting for a frog to put in Mohammad Latif's bed. A little fools.
• 9:05
  Hundreds of frogs lived in their own garden, but they must needs catch
• 9:11
  one up on the fort. They reported two topis below. Fielding and his
• 9:18
  brother in law, instead of resting after their journey, were climbing the slopes
• 9:24
  to the Saints Tomb. Throw Stones asked Kharim put powdered glass in their palm.
• 9:33
  Ahmed, come here for such wickedness. He raised his hand to smite
• 9:39
  his firstborn, but allowed it to be kissed instead. It was sweet to
• 9:45
  have his sons with him at this moment, and to know they were affectionate
• 9:50
  and brave. He pointed out that the Englishmen were state guests, so must
• 9:56
  not be poisoned, and received as always gentle yet enthusiastic assent to his words.
• 10:05
  The two visitors entered the octagon, but rushed out at once, pursued
• 10:11
  by some bees. Hither and thither they ran, beating their heads. The
• 10:16
  children shrieked with derision, and out of heaven, as if a plug had
• 10:22
  been pulled, fell a jolly dallop of rain. Aziz had not meant to
• 10:28
  greet his former friend, but the incident put him into an excellent temper.
• 10:33
  He felt compact and strong. He shouted out, hello, gentlemen, are
• 10:39
  you in trouble? The brother in law exclaimed a bee had got him lie
• 10:46
  down in a pool of water. My dear sir, here are plenty.
• 10:50
  Don't come near me. I cannot control them. They are state bees,
• 10:56
  complained to his Highness of their behavior was no real danger, for the ring
• 11:01
  was increasing. The swarm retired to the shrine. He went up to the
• 11:07
  stranger and pulled a couple of stings out of his wrist, remarking, come
• 11:13
  pull yourself together and be a man. How do you do, Aziz?
• 11:16
  After all this time, I heard you were settled in here, Fielding called
• 11:22
  to him, but not in friendly tones. I suppose a couple of stings
• 11:28
  don't signify, not the least. I'll send an embrocation over to the guesthouse.
• 11:35
  I heard you were settled in there. Why have you not answered my
• 11:39
  letters, he asked, going straight for the point but not reaching it.
• 11:46
  Owing two buckets of rain his companion, new to the country, he cried
• 11:52
  as the drops drummed on his TOPI that the bees were renewing their attack.
• 11:58
  Fielding checked his antics rather sharply, then said, is there a short cut
• 12:05
  down to our carriage? We must give up our walk? The weather's pestilential.
• 12:09
  Yes, that way. Are you not coming down yourself? Azzi's sketched
• 12:16
  a comic salam. Like all Indians, he was skillful in the slighter impertinences.
• 12:24
  I tremble, I obey, the gesture said, and it was not
• 12:28
  lost. Upon fielding, they walked down a rough path to the road.
• 12:35
  The two men first, the brother in law boy rather than man, next,
• 12:41
  in a state over his arm, which hurt the three Indian children,
• 12:46
  last, noisy and impudent, all six wet through. How goes it?
• 12:52
  Azzi's in my usual health. Are you making anything out of your life here?
• 13:00
  How much do you make out of yours? Who is in charge of
• 13:03
  the guest house? He asked, giving up his slight effort to recapture their
• 13:09
  intimacy, and growing more official. He was older and sterner, his Highness's
• 13:16
  private secretary. Probably where is he? Then? I don't know, because
• 13:24
  not a soul's been near us since we arrived. Really, I wrote beforehand
• 13:31
  to the door bar and asked if a visit was convenient. I was told
• 13:35
  it was, and arranged my tour accordingly. But the guest house servants appear
• 13:41
  to have no definite instructions. We can't get any eggs also, my wife
• 13:46
  wants to go out in the boat. There are two boats exactly, and
• 13:52
  no oars. Colonel Maggs broke the oars when here last all four. He
• 14:00
  is a most powerful man. If the weather lifts, we want to see
• 14:05
  your torchlight procession from the water this evening, he pursued. I wrote to
• 14:11
  good Bullet about it, but he has taken no notice. It's a place
• 14:16
  of the dead. Perhaps your letter never reached the minister in question. Will
• 14:22
  there be any objection to English people watching the procession? I know nothing at
• 14:28
  all about the religion here. I should never think of watching it myself.
• 14:33
  We had a very different reception both at Mutkoul and Doorah. They were kindness
• 14:39
  itself. At Doorah, the Maharajah and Maharani wanted us to see everything.
• 14:46
  You should never have left them. Jump in, Ralph. They had reached
• 14:52
  the carriage. Jump in, mister quested, and mister fielding. Who on
• 14:58
  earth is mister quested? Do I mispronounce that well known name? Is not
• 15:03
  he your wife's brother? Who on earth do you suppose I've married? I'm
• 15:11
  only Ralph Moore, said the boy, blushing, And at that moment there
• 15:16
  fell another paleful of the rain and made a mist round their feet as he's
• 15:22
  tried to withdraw, but it was too late, quested. Quested, don't
• 15:30
  you know that my wife was missus Moore's daughter. He trembled and went purplish
• 15:37
  gray. He hated the news, hated hearing the name more. Perhaps this
• 15:43
  explains your odd attitude, and pray, what is wrong with my attitude?
• 15:50
  The preposterous letter you allowed mammoud Ali to write for you. This is a
• 15:56
  very useless conversation I consider, however, did you make such a mistake?
• 16:03
  Said Fielding, more friendly than before, but scathing and scornful. It's almost
• 16:10
  unbelievable. I should think I wrote you half a dozen times mentioning my wife
• 16:15
  by name, misquested, What an extraordinary notion from his smile, Azzi's guest
• 16:23
  that Stella was beautiful? Misquested? Is our best friend? She introduced us,
• 16:30
  but had an amazing notion? Azzis. We must thrash this misunderstanding out
• 16:37
  later on. It is clearly some devilry of mahmud Ali's. He knows perfectly
• 16:44
  well I married miss Moore, he called her. He slaps sister in his
• 16:48
  insolent letter to me. The name woke furies in him. So she is,
• 16:56
  and here is. He slaps brother, and you his brother in law,
• 17:00
  and good bye. Shame turned into rage that brought back his self respect.
• 17:08
  What does it matter to me who you marry? Don't trouble me here
• 17:12
  at mao is all I ask. I do not want you. I do
• 17:17
  not want one of you in my private life. With my dying breath,
• 17:21
  I say it, yes, yes, I made a foolish blunder. Despise
• 17:26
  me and feel cold. I thought you married my enemy. I never read
• 17:32
  your letter. Mahammoud Ali deceived me. I thought you'd stolen my money.
• 17:37
  But he clapped his hands together and his children gathered round him. It's as
• 17:44
  if you stole it. I forgive Mahamoud Ali all things because he loves me.
• 17:49
  Then, pausing while the rain exploded like pistols, he said, my
• 17:55
  heart is for my own people, henceforward and turned away. Cyril followed him
• 18:03
  through the mud, apologizing, laughing a little, wanting to argue and reconstruct,
• 18:10
  pointing out with irrefragable logic that he had married not he Slav's betrothed,
• 18:15
  but he Slav's sister. What difference did it make at this hour of the
• 18:22
  day. He had built his life on a mistake, but he had built
• 18:26
  it. Speaking in Urdu that the children might understand, he said, please
• 18:33
  do not follow us whomever you marry. I wish no englishman or englishwoman to
• 18:38
  be my friend. He returned to the house excited and happy. It had
• 18:45
  been an uneasy, uncanny moment when missus Moore's name was mentioned, stirring memories,
• 18:53
  asked miss s s Moore, as though she was coming to help him,
• 18:59
  she had always been so good, And that youth whom he had scarcely
• 19:03
  looked at was her son, Ralph Moore Stella and Ralph whom he had promised
• 19:11
  to be kind to, and Stella had married Cyril. End of Chapter thirty five.