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Ch 8 - A Passage to India · A Passage to India

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  Chapter eight. Although misquested had known Ronnie Well in England, she felt well
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  advised to visit him before deciding to be his wife. India had developed sides
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  of his character that she had never admired. His self complacency, his censoriousness,
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  his lack of subtlety, all grew vivid beneath the tropic sky. He
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  seemed more indifferent than of old do what was passing in the minds of his
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  fellows, more certain that he was right about them, nor that if he
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  was wrong, it didn't matter. When proved wrong, he was particularly exasperating.
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  He always managed to suggest that she needn't have bothered to prove it.
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  The point she made was never the relevant point. Her arguments conclusive but barren.
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  She was reminded that he had expert knowledge and she none, and that
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  experience would not help her because she could not interpret it. A public school,
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  London University, a year at a Crammer's, a particular sequence of posts
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  in a particular province, a fall from a horse, and a touch of
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  fever were presented to her as the only training by which Indians and all who
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  reside in their country can be understood, The only training she could comprehend,
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  that is to say, for of course, above Ronie there stretched the higher
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  realms of knowledge, inhabited by Calenders and Turtons, who had been not one
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  year in the country but twenty, and whose instincts were superhuman. For himself,
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  he made no extravagant claims. She wished he would. It was the
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  qualified bray of the callow official the I am not perfect. But that got
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  on her nerves. How gross he had been at mister Fielding's, spoiling the
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  talk and walking off in the middle of the haunting song. As he drove
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  them away in their tum tum, her irritation became unbearable, and she did
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  not realize that much of it was directed against herself. She longed for an
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  opportunity to fly out at him, and since he felt cross too, and
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  they were both in India, and opportunity soon occurred. They had scarcely left
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  the college grounds before she heard him say to his mother, who was with
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  him on the front seat, what was that about the caves? And she
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  promptly opened fire. Missus Moore, your delightful doctor has decided on a picnic
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  instead of a party in his house. We are to meet him out there,
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  you myself, mister Fielding, Professor Goudboullet, exactly the same party out
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  where the Maraba caves. Oh no, I'm blessed, he murmured, after
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  a pause. Did he descend to any details? Hated not. If you
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  had spoken to him, we could have arranged them. He shook his head,
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  laughing, Have I said anything funny? I was only thinking how the
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  worthy doctor's collar climbed up his neck. I thought you were discussing the caves.
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  So I am Aziz was exquisitely dressed from Tai Pin two spats, but
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  he had forgotten his back collar stud And there you have the Indian all over
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  in attention to detail, the fundamental slackness that reveals the race similar to meet
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  in the caves as if they were clock at Charing Cross, when they're miles
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  from the station and each other. Have you been to them? No?
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  But I know all about them? Naturally, Oh, naturally? Are you
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  too pledged to this expedition? Mother? Mother is pledged to nothing, said
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  missus Moore rather unexpectedly. Certainly not to this polo. Will you drive up
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  to the bungalow first and drop me there, please? I prefer to rest
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  drop me too, said Sadeloe. I don't want to watch polo either.
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  I'm sure simpler to drop the polo, said Ronnie. Tired and disappointed,
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  he quite lost self control and added in a loud, lecturing voice, I
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  won't have you messing about with Indians any more. If you want to go
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  to the Barrabar Caves, you'll go under British auspices. I've never heard of
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  these caves. I don't know what or where they are, said missus Moore,
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  but I really can't have She tapped the cushion beside her so much quarreling
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  and tiresomeness. The young people were ashamed. They dropped her at the bungalow
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  and drove on together to the polo, feeling it was the least they could
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  do. Their crackling bad humor left them, but the heaviness of their spirit
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  remained. Thunderstorms seldom cleared the air. Miss quested was thinking over her own
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  behavior and didn't like it at all. Instead of weighing Ronnie and herself and
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  coming to a reasoned conclusion about marriage, she had incidentally, in the course
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  of a talk about mangoes, remarked to mixed company that she didn't mean to
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  stop in India, which meant that she wouldn't marry Ronnie. But what a
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  way to announce it. What a way for a civilized girl to behave.
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  She owed him an explanation, but unfortunately there was nothing to explain. The
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  thorough talk so dear to her principles and temperament, had been postponed until too
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  late. There seemed no point in being disagreeable to him and formulating her complaints
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  against his character at this hour of the day, which was the evening.
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  The polo took place on the maidan near the entrance of Chandrapur City. The
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  sun was already declining and each of the trees held a premonition of night.
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  They walked away from the government group to a distant seat, and there,
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  feeling that it was his due and her own, she forced out of herself
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  the undigested remark, we must have a thorough talk, Ronnie. I'm afraid
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  fors rotten. I must apologize, was his reply. I didn't mean to
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  order you and mother about, but of course the way those Bengalis let you
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  down this morning annoyed me, and I don't want that sort of thing to
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  keep happening. It's nothing to do with them that I know what. Azis
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  would make some similar model over the caves. He meant nothing by the invitation.
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  I could tell by his voice. It's just their way of being pleasant.
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  It's something very different, nothing to do with the caves that I wanted
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  to talk over with you. She gazed at the colorless grass. I've finally
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  decided we are not going to be married, my dear boy. The news
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  hurt Ronnie very much. He had heard Aziz announced that she would not return
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  to the country, but had paid no attention to the remark, for he
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  never dreamt that an Indian could be a channel of communication between two English people.
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  He controlled himself and said, gently, you never said we should marry,
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  my dear girl, You never bound either yourself or me. Don't let
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  this upset you. She felt ashamed how decent he was. He might force
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  his opinions down her throat, but did not press her to an engagement,
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  because he believed, like herself, in the sanctity of personal relationships. It
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  was this that had drawn them together at their first meeting, which had occurred
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  among the grand scenery of the English lakes. Her ordeal was over, but
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  she felt it should have been more painful and longer. Adela will not marry
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  Ronnie. It seemed slipping away like a dream, she said, But let
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  us discuss things. It's all so frightfully important. We mustn't make false steps.
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  I want next to hear your point of view about me. It might
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  help us both. His manner was unhappy and reserved. I don't much believe
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  in this discussing. Besides, I'm so dead with all this extra work Mohu
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  Rum's bringing. If you'll excuse me, I only want everything to be absolutely
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  clear between us, and to answer any questions you care to put to me
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  on my conduct. But I haven't got any questions. You've acted within your
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  rights. You were quite right to come out and have a look at me
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  doing my work. It was an excellent plan. And anyhow, it's no
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  use talking further. We should only get up steam. He felt angry and
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  bruised. He was too proud to tempt her back, but he did not
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  consider that she had behaved badly, because where his compatriots were concerned, he
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  had a generous mind. I suppose that there is nothing else. It's unpardonable
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  of me to have given you and your mother. All this bother said,
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  misquested heavily and frowned up at the tree beneath which they were sitting. A
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  little green bird was observing her, so brilliant and neat that it might have
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  hopped straight out of a shop. On catching her eye, it closed its
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  own, gave a small skip, and prepared to go to bed. Some
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  Indian wild bird. Yes, nothing else, she repeated, feeling that a
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  profound and passionate speech ought to have been delivered by one or both of them.
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  We've been awfully British over it. But I suppose that's all right,
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  as we are British. I suppose it is anyhow, We've not quarreled,
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  Ronnie. Oh, that would have been too absurd. Why should we quarrel?
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  I think we shall keep friends. I know we shall quite so.
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  As soon as they had exchanged this admission, a wave of relief passed through
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  them both, and then transformed itself into a wave of tenderness and passed back.
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  They were softened by their own honesty and began to feel lonely and unwise.
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  Experiences not character divided them. They were not dissimilar as humans go.
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  Indeed, when compared with the people who stood nearest to them in point of
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  space, They became practically identic the Bheel who was holding an officer's polo pony,
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  the Eurasian who drove the nahuah Badu's car, the nahuab Badur himself,
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  the nahuab Badur's debotched grandson. None would have examined a difficulty so frankly and
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  coolly. The mere fact of examination caused it to diminish. Of course,
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  they were friends and forever. Do you know what the name of that green
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  bird of above us is? She asked, putting her shoulder rather nearer to
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  his b eater. Oh no, Ronnie, it has red bars on its
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  wings, parrot, he hazarded, Good, gracious, No, the bird
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  in question dived into the dome of the tree. It was of no importance.
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  Yet they would have liked to identify it, would somehow have solaced their
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  hearts. But nothing in India is identifiable. The mere asking of a question
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  causes it to disappear, or to merge into something else. McBride has an
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  illustrated bird book, he said, dejectedly. I'm no good at birds.
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  In fact, I'm useless at any information outside my job. It's a great
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  pity, so am I. I'm useless at everything? What do I hear?
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  Shouted the Nawab Bahadur at the top of his voice, causing both of
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  them to start. What most improbable statement have I heard an English lady useless?
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  He laughed genially, sure within limits of his welcome Hallo Nahua Badur In
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  watching the polo again, said Ronnie tepidly, I have sahib I have?
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  How do you do? Said Adela, likewise, pulling herself together, she
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  held out her hand. The old gentleman judged from so wanton a gesture that
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  she was new to this country, But he paid a little heed. Women
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  who exposed their faith became by that one act so mysterious to him that he
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  took them at the valuation of their men folk rather than at his own.
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  Perhaps they were not immoral, and anyhow they were not his affair. On
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  seeing the city magistrate along with a maiden at twilight, he had borne down
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  on them with hospitable intent. He had a new little car and wished to
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  place it at their disposal. The city magistrate would decide whether the offer was
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  acceptable. Ronnie was by this time rather ashamed of his curtness to Aziz and
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  good boy. And here was an opportunity of showing that he could treat Indians
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  with consideration when they deserved it, So he said, worth the same sad
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  friendliness that he had employed when discussing the bird, would half an hour's spin
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  entertain you at all? Oughtn't we to get back to the bungalow? Why?
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  I think perhaps I ought to see your mother and discuss future plans.
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  That's as you like. But there's no hurry, is there? Let me
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  take you to the bungalow and first the little spin, cried the old man
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  and hastened to the car. He may show you some aspect of the country
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  I can't, And he's a real loyalist. I thought you might care for
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  a bit of a change. Determined to give him no more trouble, she
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  agreed, but her desire to see India had suddenly decreased. There had been
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  a factitious element in it. How should they seat themselves in the car.
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  The elegant grandson had to be left behind. The Nawab Bahadur got up in
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  front, for he had no intention of neighboring an English girl. Despite my
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  advanced years, I am learning to drive, he said, man can learn
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  everything if he will, but try and for seeing a further difficulty, he
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  added, I do not do the actual steering. I sit and ask my
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  chauffeur questions and thus learn the reason for everything that is done before I do
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  it myself. By this method serious, and I may say, ludicrous accidents
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  such as befell one of my compatriots during that delightful reception at the English Club,
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  are avoided. Our good panalal, I hope Sahib, that great damage
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  was not done to your flowers. Let us have our little spin down the
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  Gungavati road. He fell asleep. Rani instructed the chauffeur to take the Marabar
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  road rather than the Gangavati since the letter was under repair, and settled himself
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  down beside the lady he had lost. The car, made a burring noise
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  and rushed along a chasse that ran upon an embankment above the melancholy fields.
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  Trees of a poor quality bordered the road. Indeed, the whole scene was
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  inferior, and suggested that the countryside was too vast to admit of excellence.
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  In vain did each item in it call out? Come? Come there was
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  not enough God to go round. The two young people conversed feebly and felt
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  unimportant. When the darkness began, it seemed to well out of the meager
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  vegetation, entirely covering the fields each side of them. Before it brimmed over
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  the road. Rannie's face grew dim, an event that always increased her esteem
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  for his character. Her hand touched his, owing to a jolt, and
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  one of those thrills so frequent in the animal kingdom, passed between them and
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  announced that all their difficulties were only a lover's quarrel. Each was too proud
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  to increase the pressure, but neither withdrew it, and a spurious unity descended
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  on them, as local and temporary as the gleam that inhabits a firefly.
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  It would vanish in a moment, perhaps to reappear. But the darkness is
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  alone durable, and the night that encircled them, absolute as it seemed,
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  was itself only a spurious unity, being modified by the gleams of day that
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  leaked up round the edges of the earth and by the stars. They gripped
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  bump jump a swerve. Two wheels lifted in the air, breaks on bump
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  with a tree at edge of embankment stand still. An accident a slight one.
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  Nobody hurt. The Nawab Bahadur awoke. He cried out in Arabic,
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  and violently tugged his beard. What's the damage, inquired Ranie, after the
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  moment's pause, that he permitted himself before taking charge. The duration inclined to
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  be flustered to the sound of his voice and every inch an Englishman replied,
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  you give me five minutes time. I'll take you damn anywhere. Frightened Adela,
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  not a bit I consider not to be frightened. The height of folly,
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  cried the Nahwa Bahadur quite rudely. Well it's all over now. Tears
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  are useless, said Ronnie, dismounting we had some luck butting that tree all
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  over. Oh yes, the danger is past. Let us smoke cigarettes,
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  let us do anything we please. Oh yes, enjoy ourselves. Oh,
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  my merciful God. His words died into Arabic again. Wasn't the bridge we
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  skidded? We didn't skid, said Adela, who had seen the cause of
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  the accident and thought everyone must have seen it too. We ran into an
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  animal. A loud cry broke from the old man. His terror was disproportionate
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  and ridiculous. An animal, a large animal, rushed up out of the
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  dark on the rights and hit us. By jove, she's right, Ronnie,
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  exclaimed. The paint's gone, by jove, Sir, your lady is
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  right, echoed the Eurasian. Just by the hinges of the door was a
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  dent, and the door opened with difficulty. Of course, I'm right.
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  I saw its harry back quite plainly, I say, Adela, what twas
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  it? I don't know the animals any better than the birds here? Too
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  big for a goat. Exactly too big for a goat, said the old
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  man. Let's go into this, let's look for its tracks. Exactly you
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  wish to borrow this electric torch. The English people walked a few steps back
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  into the darkness, united and happy. Thanks to their youth and upbringing,
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  they were not upset by the accident. They traced back the writhing of the
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  tires to the source of their disturbance. It was just after the exit from
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  a bridge. The animal had probably come up out of the nulla steady and
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  smooth ran The marks of the car ribbons neatly nicked with lozenges. Then all
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  went mad. Certainly some external force had impinged, but the road had been
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  used by too many objects for any one track to be legible, and the
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  torch created such highlights and black shadows that they could not interpret what it revealed.
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  Moreover, Adela, in her excitement, knelt and swept her skirts about
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  until it was she if anyone who appeared to have attacked the car. The
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  incident was a great relief to them both. They forgot about their abortive personal
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  relationship and felt adventurous as they mumbled about in the dust. I believe it
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  was a buffalo, she called to their host, who had not accompanied them.
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  Exactly unless it was a Hyaena. Rani approved this last conjecture. Hyaenas
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  prowel indullas and headlights dazzled them. Excellent a Hyaena, said the Indian,
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  with an angry irony and a gesture at the night. Mister Harris, half
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  a moue give me ten minutes time, Sahib, says Hyaena. Don't worry,
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  mister Harris. He saved us from a nasty smash. Harris, well
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  done, smash, Sahib, that would not have taken place had he obeyed
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  and taken us Gangavati side instead of morabar. My fault that I told him
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  to come this way because the road's better. Mister Leslie has made it puka
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  right up to the hills. Ah, Now I begin to understand. Seeming
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  to pull himself together, he apologized slowly and elaborately for the accident. Ranie
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  murmured not at all, but apologies were his due and should have started sooner.
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  Because English people are so calm at a crisis, it is not to
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  be assumed that they are unimportant. The Nahwa Badur had not come out very
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  well. At that moment. A large car approached from the opposite direction.
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  Ranie advanced a few steps down the road, and with authority in his voice
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  and gesture, stopped it. It bore the inscription mudcol State across its bonnet.
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  I'll friskiness and friendliness. Miss Deryck sat inside, mister Heslop, Miss
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  question, what are you holding up an innocent female for? We've had a
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  breakdown. How putrid we ran into a hyaena, how absolutely rotten? Can
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  you give us a lift? Yes? Indeed, take me too, said
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  the nawab Bahadur. Hey what about me, cried mister Harris. Now what's
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  all this? I'm not an omnibus, said miss Deryck with decision. I've
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  a harmonium and two dogs in here with me. As it is, I'll
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  take three of you if one'll sit in front and nurse a pug. No
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  more, I will sit in front, said the Nauab Madur. Then hop
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  in. I've no notion who you are. Hey, no, what about
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  my dinner? I can't be left alone all night trying to look and feel
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  like a European, The chauffeur interposed aggressively. He still wore a topi,
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  despite the darkness, and his face to which the ruling race had contributed a
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  little beyond bad teeth, peered out of it pathetically and seemed to say,
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  what's it all about? Don't worry me so you blacks and whites here.
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  I am stuck in dam India same as you, and you've got to fit
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  me in better than this. A nou su will bring you out some suitable
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  dinner upon a bicycle, said the Nawab Madur, who had regained his usual
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  dignity. I shall despatch him with all possible speed. Meanwhile, repair my
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  car. They sped off, and mister Harris, after a reproachful glance squatted
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  down upon his hands. When Indians and English were both present, he grew
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  self conscious because he did not know to whom he belonged. For a little
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  he was vexed by opposite currents in his blood. Then they blended, and
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  he belonged to no one but himself. But Miss Derrick was in tearing spirits.
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  She had succeeded in stealing the mudcoul car. Her maharaj would be awfully
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  sick, but she didn't mind. He could sack her if he liked.
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  I don't believe in these people letting you down, she said. If I
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  didn't snatch like the devil, I should be nowhere. He doesn't want the
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  car, silly fool. Surely it's to the credit of his state that I
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  should be seen about in it at Chandrapoor during my leave. He ought to
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  look at it that way. Anyhow, he's got to look at it that
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  way. My Maharani's different. My Maharani is a dear. That's her fox
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  terrier. Poor little devil. I fished them out, both with the driver.
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  Imagine taking dogs to a chief's conference as sensible as taking chiefs. Perhaps
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  she shrieked with laughter. The harmonium. The Harmonium's my little mistake, I
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  own. I rather had me over the harmonium. I meant to stop on
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  the train, Oh Lord, Rani laughed with restraint. He did not approve
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  of English people taking service under the native states, where they obtained a certain
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  amount of influence, but at the expense of the general prestige. The humorous
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  triumphs of a freelance are of no assistance to an administrator. And he told
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  the young lady that she would outdo Indians at their own game if she went
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  on much longer. They always sack me before that happens, and then I
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  get another job. The whole of India seethes with Maharanees and ranees and begums
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  who clamor for such as me. Really, I had no idea. How
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  could you have any idea, mister Heslop, What should he know about maharani
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  is misquested? Nothing, at least, I should hope not. I understand
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  those big people are not particularly interesting, said Adela, quietly, disliking the
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  young woman's tone. Her hand touched Rani's again in the darkness, and the
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  animal thrilled. There was now added a coincidence of opinion. Ah, there
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  you're wrong, They're priceless. I would scarcely call her wrong. Broke out
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  the Nahwa Bandur from his isolation on the front seat, whither they had relegated
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  him native state a Hindu state. The wife of a ruler of a Hindu
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  state may beyond doubt, be a most excellent lady. And let it not
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  be for a moment supposed that I suggest anything against the character of her highness,
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  the Maharani of Mudkoul. But I fear she will be uneducated. I
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  fear she will be superstitious. Indeed, how could she be otherwise what opportunity
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  of education has such a lady had? Oh, superstition is terrible, terrible.
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  Oh, it is a great defect in our Indian character. And as
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  if to point his criticism, the lights of the civil station appeared on a
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  rise to the right. He grew more and more valuable. Oh, it
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  is the duty of each and every citizen to shake superstition off. And though
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  I have little experience of Hindu states, and none of this particular one named
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  Mudkool, the ruler I fancy has a salute of but eleven guns. Yet
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  I cannot imagine that they have been as successful as British India, where we
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  see reason and orderliness spreading in every direction like a most health giving flood.
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  Miss Derrick said Kali, undeterred by the expletive the old man swept on.
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  His tongue had been loosed, and his mind had several points to make.
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  He wanted to endorse misquested's remark that big people are not interesting, because he
• 31:55
  was bigger himself than many an independent chief. At the same time, he
• 32:00
  must neither remind nor inform her that he was big lest she felt she had
• 32:07
  committed a discourtesy. This was the groundwork of his oration. Worked in with
• 32:15
  it was his gratitude to Miss Derrick for the lift, his willingness to hold
• 32:21
  a repulsive dog in his arms, and his general regret for the trouble he
• 32:25
  had caused the human race during the evening. Also, he wanted to be
• 32:31
  dropped near the city to get hold of his cleaner and to see what mischief
• 32:37
  his grandson was up to. As he wove all these anxieties into a single
• 32:43
  rope, he suspected that his audience felt no interest, and that the city
• 32:50
  magistrate fondled either maiden behind the cover of the harmonium, but good breeding compelled
• 32:57
  him to continue. It was nothing to him if they were bored because he
• 33:02
  did not know what boredom is, and it was nothing to him if they
• 33:07
  were licentious, because God had created all races to be different. The accident
• 33:14
  was over, and his life equably useful, distinguished, happy, ran on
• 33:22
  as before and expressed itself in streams of well chosen words. When this old
• 33:29
  geyser had left them, Ronie made no comment, but taught lightly about Polo.
• 33:36
  Turton had taught him that it is sounder not to discuss a man at
• 33:40
  once, and he reserved what he had to say on the nawab's character until
• 33:45
  later in the evening. His hand, which she had removed to say goodbye,
• 33:52
  touched Adelot's again. She caressed it definitely, he responded, and their
• 33:59
  firm and mutual pressure surely meant something. They looked at each other when they
• 34:06
  reached the bungalow, for missus Moore was inside. It was for misquested to
• 34:12
  speak, and she said, nervously, Ronnie, I should like to take
• 34:17
  back what I said on the maidan. He assented, and they became engaged
• 34:23
  to be married in consequence. Neither had foreseen such a consequence. She had
• 34:30
  meant to revert to her former condition of important and cultivated uncertainty, but it
• 34:37
  had passed out of her reach at its appropriate hour. Unlike the green bird
• 34:44
  or the hairy animal, she was labeled. Now she felt humiliated again,
• 34:51
  for she deprecated labels, and she felt too that there should have been another
• 34:58
  scene between her lover and her herself at this point, something dramatic and lengthy.
• 35:05
  He was pleased instead of distressed. He was surprised, but he had
• 35:10
  really nothing to say. What, indeed is there to say? To be
• 35:16
  or not to be married? That was the question, and they had decided
• 35:22
  it in the affirmative. Come long, and let's tell the mater all this.
• 35:28
  Opening the perforated zinc door that protected the bungalow from the swarms of winged
• 35:34
  creatures, the noise woke the Mater up. She had been dreaming of the
• 35:38
  absent children who were so seldom mentioned, Ralph and Stella, and did not
• 35:45
  at first grasp what was required of her. She too had become used to
• 35:50
  thoughtful procrastination and felt alarmed when it came to an end. When the announcement
• 35:57
  was over. He made a gracious and honest remark, Look here, both
• 36:02
  of you see India if you like, and as you like. I know
• 36:08
  I made myself rather ridiculous at Fieldings, but it's different now. I wasn't
• 36:15
  quite sure of myself. My duties here are evidently finished. I don't want
• 36:22
  to see India now. Now for my happy passage back was missus Moore's thought.
• 36:29
  She reminded herself of all that happy marriage means, and of her own
• 36:35
  happy marriages, one of which had produced Ronnie. Adela's parents had also been
• 36:42
  happily married and excellent. It was to see the incident repeated by the younger
• 36:47
  generation on and on. The number of such unions would certainly increase as education
• 36:55
  spread and ideals grew loftier and characters firmer. But she was tired by her
• 37:04
  visit to Government College. Her feet ached. Mister Fielding had walked too fast
• 37:09
  and too far. The young people had annoyed her in the tum tum and
• 37:15
  given her to suppose they were breaking with each other. And though it was
• 37:20
  all right now, she could not speak as enthusiastically of wedlock or of anything
• 37:28
  as she should have done. Ronnie was suited. Now she must go home
• 37:32
  and help the others if they wished. She was past marrying herself, even
• 37:39
  unhappily. Her function was to help others. Her reward to be informed that
• 37:45
  she was sympathetic. Elderly ladies must not expect more than this. They dined
• 37:53
  alone. There was much pleasant and affectionate talk about the future. Later on
• 38:00
  they spoke of passing events, and Rani reviewed and recounted the day from his
• 38:06
  own point of view. It was a different day from the women's because while
• 38:10
  they had enjoyed themselves or thought he had worked, Mohoram was approaching, and
• 38:19
  as usual, the chandrapp or Mohammedans were building paper towers of a size too
• 38:24
  large to pass under the branches of a certain peppool tree. One knew what
• 38:30
  happened next. The tower struck a Mohammedan climbed up the peppool and cut the
• 38:37
  branch off. The Hindus protested there was a religious riot, and heaven knew
• 38:44
  what with Perhaps the troops sent for there had been deputations and conciliation committees under
• 38:52
  the auspices of Turton, and all the normal work of chandrapor had been hung
• 38:58
  up. Should the session, take another root or should the towers be shorter?
• 39:05
  The Mohammedans offered the former, the Hindoos insisted on the ladder. The
• 39:10
  collector had favored the Hindoos until he suspected that they had artificially bent the tree
• 39:16
  near the ground. They said it sagged naturally. Measurements plans an official visit
• 39:25
  to the spot. But Ronie had not disliked his day, for it proved
• 39:31
  that the British were necessary to India. There would certainly have been bloodshed without
• 39:37
  them. His voice grew complacent again. He was here not to be pleasant,
• 39:43
  but to keep the peace. And now that Adela had promised to be
• 39:49
  his wife, she was sure to understand. What does our old gentleman of
• 39:53
  the car think? She asked, and her negligent tone was exactly what he
• 39:59
  designed. Our old gentleman is helpful and sound, as he always is over
• 40:06
  public affairs. You've seen in him our show Indian have I really, I'm
• 40:13
  afraid so incredible? Aren't they even the best of them? They all forget
• 40:20
  their back collar studs. Sooner or later. You've had to do with three
• 40:25
  sets of Indians today, the Bacharias, Azzies and this chap and it really
• 40:32
  isn't a coincidence that they've all let you down. I like azzies. Azzi's
• 40:38
  is my friend, missus Moore interposed. When the animal runs into us,
• 40:45
  the Noah loses his head, deserts his unfortunate chauffeur intrudes upon Miss Derrick.
• 40:53
  No great crimes, no great crimes, but no white man would have done
• 40:58
  it. Animal. Oh, we had a small accident on the Marabar road.
• 41:05
  Adela thinks it was a hyaena An accident. She cried nothing, no
• 41:10
  one hurt. Our excellent host awoke, much rattled from his dreams, appeared
• 41:16
  to think it was our vault, and chanted exactly exactly this is more shivered
• 41:24
  a ghost, but the idea of a ghost scarcely passed her lips. The
• 41:31
  young people did not take it up, being occupied with their own outlooks and
• 41:37
  deprived of support. It perished or was reabsorbed into the part of the mind
• 41:43
  that seldom speaks. Yes, nothing criminal, Ronnie summed up. But there's
• 41:49
  the native, and there's one of the reasons why we don't admit him to
• 41:53
  our clubs. And how a decent girl like miss Derrick can take service under
• 41:59
  natives. Me But I must get on with my work, Krishna. Krishna
• 42:06
  was the peon who should have brought the files from his office. He had
• 42:10
  not turned up, and a terrific row ensued. Ronie stormed, shouted,
• 42:19
  howled, and only the experienced observer could tell that he was not angry,
• 42:24
  did not much want the files, and only made a row because it was
• 42:30
  The custom servants, quite understanding, ran slowly in circles, carrying hurricane laps.
• 42:39
  Krishna the earth Krishna, the stars replied, until the Englishman was appeased
• 42:46
  by their echoes. Find the absent peon eight on us and sat down to
• 42:52
  his arrears in the next room. Will you play patience with your future mother
• 42:58
  in law? Or does it seem too tame? I should like to I
• 43:02
  don't feel a bit excited. I'm just glad it's settled up at last,
• 43:08
  but I'm not conscious of a vast change. We are all three the same
• 43:13
  people. Still. That's much the best feeling to have. She dealt out
• 43:20
  the first row of damon. I suppose so, said the girl thoughtfully.
• 43:27
  I feared at mister Fieldings that it might be settled the other way. Black
• 43:34
  knave on a red queen. They chatted gently about the game presently. Adelote
• 43:42
  said, you heard me tell Aziz and good bullet. I wasn't stopping in
• 43:47
  their country. I didn't mean it, so why did I say it?
• 43:52
  I feel I haven't been a frank enough, attentive enough, or something.
• 43:59
  It's as if I got everything out of proportion. You have been so very
• 44:05
  good to me, and I meant to be good when I sailed, but
• 44:08
  somehow I haven't been. Missus Moore, If one isn't absolutely honest, what
• 44:15
  is the use of existing? She continued to lay out her cards. The
• 44:21
  words were obscure, but she understood the uneasiness that produced them. She had
• 44:28
  experienced it twice herself during her own engagements. This vague contrition and doubt all
• 44:37
  had come right enough afterwards, and doubtless would this time. Marriage makes most
• 44:43
  things right enough. I wouldn't worry, she said. It's partly the odd
• 44:51
  surroundings. You and I keep on attending to trifles instead of what's important.
• 44:58
  We are what the people here you knew? You mean that my brothers are
• 45:04
  mixed up with India Indias? She stopped, What made you call it a
• 45:10
  ghost? Call what a ghost? The animal thing that hit us. Didn't
• 45:19
  you say, oh, a ghost in passing? I couldn't have been thinking
• 45:23
  of what I was saying. It was probably a hyaena. As a matter
• 45:28
  of fact, Ah, very likely. And they went on with their patients.
• 45:35
  Down in Chandrapur, the Nawab Bahadur waited for his car. He sat
• 45:39
  behind his town house, a small, unfurnished building which he rarely entered,
• 45:45
  in the midst of the little court that always improvises itself round Indians of position,
• 45:53
  as if turbans were the natural product of darkness. A fresh one would
• 45:59
  occasionally to the front, incline itself towards him and retire. He was preoccupied.
• 46:07
  His diction was appropriate to a religious subject. Nine years previously, when
• 46:14
  first he had had a car, he had driven it over a drunken man
• 46:17
  and killed him. And the man had been waiting for him ever since.
• 46:23
  The Nahwa Badur was innocent before God and the law. He had paid double
• 46:30
  the compensation necessary, but it was no use. The man continued to wait
• 46:37
  in an unspeakable form, close to the scene of his death. None of
• 46:42
  the English people knew of this, nor did the chauffeur. It was a
• 46:46
  racial secret communicable more by blood than speech. He spoke now in horror of
• 46:54
  the particular circumstances he had led others into danger. He had risked the lives
• 47:01
  of two innocent and honored guests. He repeated, If I had been killed,
• 47:08
  what matter? It must happen sometime. But they who trusted me the
• 47:15
  company shuddered and invoked the mercy of God. Only Aziz held aloof because a
• 47:23
  personal experience restrained him. Was it not by despising ghosts that he had come
• 47:30
  to know missus Moore? You know, nun Adin, He whispered to the
• 47:37
  grandson and effeminate youths, whom he seldom met, always liked, and invariably
• 47:44
  forgot. You know, my dear fellow, we Moslems simply must get rid
• 47:51
  of these superstitions or India will never advance. How long must I hear of
• 47:58
  the savage pig upon the Marabar road? Nouradin looked down as he's continued.
• 48:07
  Your grandfather belongs to another generation, and I respect and love the old gentleman.
• 48:13
  As you know, I say nothing against him, only that it is
• 48:17
  wrong for us because we are young. I want you to promise me,
• 48:22
  Nouradin, are you listening not to believe in evil spirits, and if I
• 48:30
  die for my health grows very weak, to bring up my three children to
• 48:36
  disbelieve in them too. Nouradin smiled and a suitable answer rose to his pretty
• 48:42
  lips, But before he could make it, the car arrived and his grandfather
• 48:47
  took him away. The game of patience up in the civil lines went on
• 48:52
  longer than this. Missus Moore continued to murmur rand ten on a black nave,
• 49:02
  disquested to assist her, and to intersperse among the intricacies of the play,
• 49:08
  details about the Hyaena, the engagement the Maharani of Mudgul, the Batacharias,
• 49:16
  and the day generally, whose rough, desiccated surface acquired as it receded
• 49:23
  a definite outline, as India itself might. Could it be viewed from the
• 49:30
  moon. Presently, the players went to bed, but not before other people
• 49:36
  had woken up elsewhere, people whose emotions they could not share and whose existence
• 49:42
  they ignored. Never tranquil, never perfectly dark, the night wore itself away,
• 49:51
  distinguished from other nights by two or three blasts of wind, which seemed
• 49:55
  to fall perpendicularly out of the sky and to bounce back into it, hard
• 50:02
  and compact, leaving no freshness behind them. The hot weather was approaching end
• 50:13
  of chapter eight,