Krishna play together."
"Your Krishna is an old man!" Susanna exclaimed in exasperation. "Can you not remember that?"
"Do not get involved, that was my counsel. Yet look at you! Dressed in Indian clothes. Eating with your hands like a native from the jungle. Speaking their gibberish language!"
"Yes, yes, Dr. Cooper. I am guilty on every charge. All of them! But I did not interject myself into the landlord's slave business."
"Slave business! There you are, rousing up trouble again! We can only thank God that the policemen were not around to hear you say that."
Miss Abigail looked at Dr. Cooper's flushed face and flashing eyes. She could not help but notice the pulsing at his temples.
Best not to tell him I gave Ashish my Bible, she decided.
Age and experience had their benefits. This was a truth Miss Abigail Davidson understood in her more lucid moments. And she had both at her disposal. She was painfully acquainted with India's decades-old struggle for independence, and even more with her own country's determination to thwart those efforts. The "Quit India" movement, for instance, when the Indian Congress had demanded immediate independence. The British response was to call out fifty-seven fully armed army battalions. Horrible! They had fired on the peacefully assembled, unarmed Indians and had killed thousands. When Miss Abigail tried to tell Dr. Cooper and Susanna about it the next day, they told her to stop spreading such ridiculous tales.
"Really, we've nothing to fear from the Indian police, have we, dear?" Susanna asked her husband.
"I shouldn't think so," Dr. Cooper said. "We know those fellows to be nothing more than an irritating nip at the heels of the unshakable Empire."
"It really is quite funny, when one considers it in that light," Susanna said. "Those two Indians, standing before us, were making such a show of looking official."
"That they would actually threaten us and expect us to fall into line behind them would be a grave insult, were it not so absurd," Dr. Cooper agreed.
Miss Abigail said nothing.
The doctor turned to her. "Although you most assuredly have nothing to fear from them, Miss Davidson, it does not lessen the import of our previous warning to you. I do hope you will try to understand."
Still Miss Abigail held her peace. So Dr. Cooper turned his attention back to his wife. But while he laughed with Susanna over the policemen's visit and joked about a "silly puppy barking at the feet of a tiger," Miss Abigail trembled. Because she knew. She knew.
As Abigail stood to excuse herself, Susanna Cooper interrupted. "Pardon me for being so blunt, Miss Davidson," she said, "but at times like this, I feel that one must be honest. You are a woman of considerable years, are you not?"
Miss Abigail smiled. "Indeed. Full of age and experience, and, at times, a fair share of wisdom. Would you agree, Doctor?"
Dr. Cooper cleared his throat.
"What I mean to say is that someone of your age really should be residing in a civilized country," Susanna pressed.
"I see. A country of aggressors as opposed to a country fighting for its right to govern itself. Is that what you mean?"
"Miss Davidson," Dr. Cooper interrupted, "what my wife is trying to explain is that, for your own good, at this time of your life you should be surrounded by your own kind."
"Ahhh. I see. And what exactly would you consider to be my own kind, Dr. Cooper?"
"Englishwomen who are . . . of an advanced age where . . . what I mean to say is, elderly women who have earned the right to . . . to drift a bit now and then and to . . . to . . ."
"Who have spent their lives lifting women and children out of a human dumping ground? Who have dedicated themselves to rescuing unwanted little ones who would otherwise have no chance of escaping poverty? Who have spent the better part of half a century showing the love of Jesus Christ with their hands as well as their words? Is that what you mean?"
"Well . . . I suppose . .
"Your Krishna is an old man!" Susanna exclaimed in exasperation. "Can you not remember that?"
"Do not get involved, that was my counsel. Yet look at you! Dressed in Indian clothes. Eating with your hands like a native from the jungle. Speaking their gibberish language!"
"Yes, yes, Dr. Cooper. I am guilty on every charge. All of them! But I did not interject myself into the landlord's slave business."
"Slave business! There you are, rousing up trouble again! We can only thank God that the policemen were not around to hear you say that."
Miss Abigail looked at Dr. Cooper's flushed face and flashing eyes. She could not help but notice the pulsing at his temples.
Best not to tell him I gave Ashish my Bible, she decided.
Age and experience had their benefits. This was a truth Miss Abigail Davidson understood in her more lucid moments. And she had both at her disposal. She was painfully acquainted with India's decades-old struggle for independence, and even more with her own country's determination to thwart those efforts. The "Quit India" movement, for instance, when the Indian Congress had demanded immediate independence. The British response was to call out fifty-seven fully armed army battalions. Horrible! They had fired on the peacefully assembled, unarmed Indians and had killed thousands. When Miss Abigail tried to tell Dr. Cooper and Susanna about it the next day, they told her to stop spreading such ridiculous tales.
"Really, we've nothing to fear from the Indian police, have we, dear?" Susanna asked her husband.
"I shouldn't think so," Dr. Cooper said. "We know those fellows to be nothing more than an irritating nip at the heels of the unshakable Empire."
"It really is quite funny, when one considers it in that light," Susanna said. "Those two Indians, standing before us, were making such a show of looking official."
"That they would actually threaten us and expect us to fall into line behind them would be a grave insult, were it not so absurd," Dr. Cooper agreed.
Miss Abigail said nothing.
The doctor turned to her. "Although you most assuredly have nothing to fear from them, Miss Davidson, it does not lessen the import of our previous warning to you. I do hope you will try to understand."
Still Miss Abigail held her peace. So Dr. Cooper turned his attention back to his wife. But while he laughed with Susanna over the policemen's visit and joked about a "silly puppy barking at the feet of a tiger," Miss Abigail trembled. Because she knew. She knew.
As Abigail stood to excuse herself, Susanna Cooper interrupted. "Pardon me for being so blunt, Miss Davidson," she said, "but at times like this, I feel that one must be honest. You are a woman of considerable years, are you not?"
Miss Abigail smiled. "Indeed. Full of age and experience, and, at times, a fair share of wisdom. Would you agree, Doctor?"
Dr. Cooper cleared his throat.
"What I mean to say is that someone of your age really should be residing in a civilized country," Susanna pressed.
"I see. A country of aggressors as opposed to a country fighting for its right to govern itself. Is that what you mean?"
"Miss Davidson," Dr. Cooper interrupted, "what my wife is trying to explain is that, for your own good, at this time of your life you should be surrounded by your own kind."
"Ahhh. I see. And what exactly would you consider to be my own kind, Dr. Cooper?"
"Englishwomen who are . . . of an advanced age where . . . what I mean to say is, elderly women who have earned the right to . . . to drift a bit now and then and to . . . to . . ."
"Who have spent their lives lifting women and children out of a human dumping ground? Who have dedicated themselves to rescuing unwanted little ones who would otherwise have no chance of escaping poverty? Who have spent the better part of half a century showing the love of Jesus Christ with their hands as well as their words? Is that what you mean?"
"Well . . . I suppose . .
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