shall I say, so, well, direct in his opinions and so willing to share them with his colleagues, however senior they may be. It is heartening. We may disagree of course; but India is a democracy and we can speak our minds….' He stopped for a few seconds, and stared out of the window at the dusty laburnum. 'A democracy. Yes. But even democracies are faced with hard choices. There can be only one head of department, for example. And when a post falls open, of all the deserving candidates only one can be selected. We are already hardpressed to teach twenty-one writers in the time we allot to this paper. If Joyce goes in, what comes out ?'
'Flecker,' said Pran without a moment's hesitation.
Professor Mishra laughed indulgently. 'Ah, Dr Kapoor, Dr Kapoor …' he intoned,
'Pass not beneath, O Caravan, or pass not singing. Have
you heard That silence where the birds are dead yet something pipeth
like a bird ?
7iJames Elroy Flecker, James Elroy Flecker.' That seemed to settle it in his mind.
Fran's face became completely impassive. Does he believe this ? he thought. Does he really believe what he is implying ? Aloud he said, 'If Fletcher - Flecker - is indispensable, I suggest we include Joyce as our twenty-second writer. I would be pleased to put it to the committee for a vote.' Surely, thought Pran, the ignominy of being known to have turned Joyce down (as opposed to merely having deferred the decision indefinitely) would be something that the committee would not be willing to face.
'Ah, Dr Kapoor, you are angry. Do not get angry. You want to pin us down,' said Professor Mishra playfully. He , turned his palms up on the table to display his owni helplessness. 'But we did not agree to decide the matter at 1 this meeting, only to decide whether to decide it.' 1
This was too much for Pran in his present mood, though 1 he knew it was true. j
'Please do not misunderstand me, Professor Mishra,' he ' said, 'but that line of argument may be taken by those of us not well-versed in the finer forms of parliamentary byplay to be a species of quibbling.'
'A species of quibbling … a species of quibbling.' Professor Mishra appeared delighted by the phrase, while both his colleagues looked appalled at Pran's insubordination. (This is like playing bridge with two dummies, thoughts Pran.) Professor Mishra continued: 'I will now order! coffee, and we will collect ourselves and approach the issues calmly, as it were.'
Dr Narayanan perked up at the prospect of coffee. Professor Mishra clapped his hands, and a lean peon in a threadbare green uniform came in.
'Is coffee ready ?' asked Professor Mishra in Hindi.
'Yes, Sahib.'
'Good.' Professor Mishra indicated that it should be served.
The peon brought in a tray with a coffee pot, a small jug of hot milk, a bowl of sugar, and four cups. Professor Mishra indicated that he should serve the others first. The
72-I
peon did so in the usual manner. Then Professor Mishra was offered coffee. As Professor Mishra poured coffee into his cup, the peon moved the tray deferentially backwards. Professor Mishra made to set down the coffee pot, and the peon moved the tray forward. Professor Mishra picked up the milk jug and began to add milk to his coffee, and the peon moved the tray backwards. And so on for each of three spoons of sugar. It was like a comic ballet. It would have been merely ridiculous, thought Pran, this display of the naked gradient of power and obsequiousness between the department head and the department peon, if it had only been some other department at some other university. But it was the English Department of Brahmpur University - and it was through this man that Pran had to apply to the selection committee for the readership he both wanted and needed.
This same man whom in my first term I considered jovial, bluff, expansive, charming, why have I
'Flecker,' said Pran without a moment's hesitation.
Professor Mishra laughed indulgently. 'Ah, Dr Kapoor, Dr Kapoor …' he intoned,
'Pass not beneath, O Caravan, or pass not singing. Have
you heard That silence where the birds are dead yet something pipeth
like a bird ?
7iJames Elroy Flecker, James Elroy Flecker.' That seemed to settle it in his mind.
Fran's face became completely impassive. Does he believe this ? he thought. Does he really believe what he is implying ? Aloud he said, 'If Fletcher - Flecker - is indispensable, I suggest we include Joyce as our twenty-second writer. I would be pleased to put it to the committee for a vote.' Surely, thought Pran, the ignominy of being known to have turned Joyce down (as opposed to merely having deferred the decision indefinitely) would be something that the committee would not be willing to face.
'Ah, Dr Kapoor, you are angry. Do not get angry. You want to pin us down,' said Professor Mishra playfully. He , turned his palms up on the table to display his owni helplessness. 'But we did not agree to decide the matter at 1 this meeting, only to decide whether to decide it.' 1
This was too much for Pran in his present mood, though 1 he knew it was true. j
'Please do not misunderstand me, Professor Mishra,' he ' said, 'but that line of argument may be taken by those of us not well-versed in the finer forms of parliamentary byplay to be a species of quibbling.'
'A species of quibbling … a species of quibbling.' Professor Mishra appeared delighted by the phrase, while both his colleagues looked appalled at Pran's insubordination. (This is like playing bridge with two dummies, thoughts Pran.) Professor Mishra continued: 'I will now order! coffee, and we will collect ourselves and approach the issues calmly, as it were.'
Dr Narayanan perked up at the prospect of coffee. Professor Mishra clapped his hands, and a lean peon in a threadbare green uniform came in.
'Is coffee ready ?' asked Professor Mishra in Hindi.
'Yes, Sahib.'
'Good.' Professor Mishra indicated that it should be served.
The peon brought in a tray with a coffee pot, a small jug of hot milk, a bowl of sugar, and four cups. Professor Mishra indicated that he should serve the others first. The
72-I
peon did so in the usual manner. Then Professor Mishra was offered coffee. As Professor Mishra poured coffee into his cup, the peon moved the tray deferentially backwards. Professor Mishra made to set down the coffee pot, and the peon moved the tray forward. Professor Mishra picked up the milk jug and began to add milk to his coffee, and the peon moved the tray backwards. And so on for each of three spoons of sugar. It was like a comic ballet. It would have been merely ridiculous, thought Pran, this display of the naked gradient of power and obsequiousness between the department head and the department peon, if it had only been some other department at some other university. But it was the English Department of Brahmpur University - and it was through this man that Pran had to apply to the selection committee for the readership he both wanted and needed.
This same man whom in my first term I considered jovial, bluff, expansive, charming, why have I
Similar Books
