563296589345
like the liquid eyes of a dog. ‘Ah, my friend! If I should but be elected! What an end to all my troubles! But, my friend, ass I said before, do not be too rash in this matter. Beware of U Po Kyin! By now he will have numbered you among hiss enemies. And even for you hiss enmity can be a danger.’ ‘Oh, good Lord, he can’t touch me. He’s done nothing so far–only a few silly anonymous letters.’ ‘I would not be too sure. He hass subtle ways to strike. And for sure he will raise heaven and earth to keep me from being elected to the Club. If you have a weak spot, guard it, my friend. He will find it out. He strikes always at the weakest spot.’ ‘Like the crocodile,’ Flory suggested. ‘Like the crocodile,’ agreed the doctor gravely. ‘Ah but, my friend, how gratifying to me if I should become a member of your European Club! What an honour, to be the associate of European gentlemen! But there iss one other matter, Mr Flory, that I did not care to mention before. It iss–I hope this iss clearly understood–that I have no intention of using the Club in any way. Membership iss all I desire. Even if I were elected, I should not, of course, ever presume to come to the Club.’ ‘Not come to the Club?’ ‘No, no! Heaven forbid that I should force my society upon the European gentlemen! Simply I should pay my subscriptions. That, for me, iss a privilege high enough. You understand that, I trust?’ ‘Perfectly, doctor, perfectly.’ Flory could not help laughing as he walked up the hill. He was definitely committed now to proposing the doctor’s election. And there would be such a row when the others heard of it–oh, such a devil of a row! But the astonishing thing was that it only made him laugh. The prospect that would have appalled him a month back now almost exhilarated him. Why? And why had he given his promise at all? It was a small thing, a small risk to take–nothing heroic about it–and yet it was unlike him. Why, after all these years–the circumspect, pukka sahib-like years–break all the rules so suddenly? He knew why. It was because Elizabeth, by coming into his life, had so changed it and renewed it that all the dirty, miserable years might never have passed. Her presence had changed the whole orbit of his mind. She had brought back to him the air of England–dear England, where thought is free and one is not condemned forever to dance the danse du pukka sahib for the edification of the lower races. Where is the life that late I led? he thought. Just by existing she had made it possible for him, she had even made it natural to him, to act decently. Where is the life that late I led? he thought again as he came through the garden gate. He was happy, happy. For he had perceived that the pious ones are right when they say that there is salvation and life can begin anew. He came up the path, and it seemed to him that his house, his flowers, his servants, all the life that so short a time ago had been drenched in ennui and homesickness, were somehow made new, significant, beautiful inexhaustibly. What fun it could all be, if only you had someone to share it with you! How you could love this country, if only you were not alone! Nero was out on the path, braving the sun for some grains of paddy that the mali had dropped, taking food to his goats. Flo made a dash at him, panting, and Nero sprang into the air with a flurry and lighted on Flory’s
shoulder. Flory walked into the house with the little red cock in his arms, stroking his silky ruff and the smooth, diamond-shaped feathers of his back. He had not set foot on the veranda before he knew that Ma Hla May was in the house. It did not need Ko S’la to come hurrying from within with a face of evil tidings. Flory had smelled her scent of sandalwood, garlic, coconut oil and the jasmine in her hair. He dropped Nero over the veranda rail. ‘The woman has come back,’ said Ko S’la. Flory had turned very pale. When he turned pale the birthmark made him hideously ugly. A pang like a blade of ice had gone through his entrails. Ma Hla May had appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. She stood with her face downcast, looking at him from beneath lowered brows. ‘Thakin,’ she said in a low voice, half sullen, half urgent. ‘Go away!’ said Flory angrily to Ko S’la, venting his fear and anger upon him. ‘Thakin,’ she said, ‘come into the bedroom here. I have a thing to say to you.’ He followed her into the bedroom. In a week–it was only a week–her appearance had degenerated extraordinarily. Her hair looked greasy. All her lockets were gone, and she was wearing a Manchester longyi of flowered cotton, costing two rupees eight annas. She had coated her face so thick with powder that it was like a clown’s mask, and at the roots of her hair, where the powder ended, there was a ribbon of natural-coloured brown skin. She looked a drab. Flory would not face her, but stood looking sullenly through the open doorway to the veranda. ‘What do you mean by coming back like this? Why did you not go home to your village?’ ‘I am staying in Kyauktada, at my cousin’s house. How can I go back to my village after what has happened?’ ‘And what do you mean by sending men to demand money from me? How can you want more money already, when I gave you a hundred rupees only a week ago?’ ‘How can I go back?’ she repeated, ignoring what he had said. Her voice rose so sharply that he turned round. She was standing very upright, sullen, with her black brows drawn together and her lips pouted. ‘Why cannot you go back?’ ‘After that! After what you have done to me!’ Suddenly she burst into a furious tirade. Her voice had risen to the hysterical graceless scream of the bazaar women when they quarrel. ‘How can I go back, to be jeered at and pointed at by those low, stupid peasants whom I despise? I who have been a bo-kadaw, a white man’s wife, to go home to my father’s house, and shake the paddy basket with old hags and women who are too ugly to find husbands! Ah, what shame, what shame! Two years I was your wife, you loved me and cared for me, and then without warning, without reason, you drove me from your door like a dog. And I must go back to my village, with no money, with all my jewels and silk longyis gone, and the people will point and say, “There is Ma Hla May who thought herself cleverer than the rest of us. And behold! her white man has treated her as they always do.” I am ruined, ruined! What man will marry me after I have lived two years in your house? You have taken my youth from me. Ah, what shame, what shame!’
- Page 53 and 54: imperialism in which he lived. For
- Page 55 and 56: streaming egrets-were more native t
- Page 57 and 58: ‘No.’ ‘You have been in priso
- Page 59 and 60: (Signed) A FRIEND. The letter was w
- Page 61 and 62: did not think she could be much pas
- Page 63 and 64: ‘What it means to meet somebody w
- Page 65 and 66: VII Elizabeth lay on the sofa in th
- Page 67 and 68: ‘school’ where she produced gre
- Page 69 and 70: of the bow was like a moving arrowh
- Page 71 and 72: ‘And oh, aunt, such an interestin
- Page 73 and 74: there would be a scandal when they
- Page 75 and 76: grotesque, it’s even ugly, with a
- Page 77 and 78: sahib’. Mr Macgregor made a very
- Page 79 and 80: IX During the next fortnight a grea
- Page 81 and 82: S’la’s notions of what went on
- Page 83 and 84: He was anything but tactful with he
- Page 85 and 86: ‘Thanks, I’ll remember about th
- Page 87 and 88: example-she seemed to have an enthu
- Page 89 and 90: ‘Oh, it’s all right, they’ll
- Page 91 and 92: girls wear broad brass rings to str
- Page 93 and 94: They walked up the road, he to the
- Page 95 and 96: murder by poison, murder by sympath
- Page 97 and 98: Thongwa to rebel, and then I arrest
- Page 99 and 100: ‘Do you not see, woman? Do you no
- Page 101 and 102: operations. ‘Belly-cutting’ was
- Page 103: ‘Ah, I have a few friends left. B
- Page 107 and 108: Instantly she cried out in renewed
- Page 109 and 110: naked boy was standing between two
- Page 111 and 112: were tattooed with dark blue patter
- Page 113 and 114: As they were walking to the fifth b
- Page 115 and 116: ‘Oh, do let’s! Oh, what awful f
- Page 117 and 118: stroked his beautiful white belly,
- Page 119 and 120: morning when he met her, and the si
- Page 121 and 122: to marry him? He was being so slow
- Page 123 and 124: teetotal pledge tomorrow morning. H
- Page 125 and 126: ‘I’m afraid you won’t get any
- Page 127 and 128: to his feet. He was badly bruised,
- Page 129 and 130: ‘Oh, shut up! I’m sick of the s
- Page 131 and 132: that ran down to the Irrawaddy. The
- Page 133 and 134: ‘Go away this instant! If you fol
- Page 135 and 136: help. The doctor sent back a quanti
- Page 137 and 138: struck too hard, came swishing thro
- Page 139 and 140: ‘Hell!’ said Ellis. He went int
- Page 141 and 142: there was no sleep yet for Elizabet
- Page 143 and 144: Verrall could drop his offensive ma
- Page 145 and 146: Flory being brought indoors-and cam
- Page 147 and 148: Lackersteen came back to the drawin
- Page 149 and 150: XX Next morning there was great exc
- Page 151 and 152: in that there is no disguising it,
- Page 153 and 154: XXI O Western wind, when wilt thou
like the liquid eyes of a dog.<br />
‘Ah, my friend! If I should but be elected! What an end to all my troubles! But, my friend, ass I said<br />
before, do not be too rash in this matter. Beware of U Po Kyin! By now he will have numbered you<br />
among hiss enemies. And even for you hiss enmity can be a danger.’<br />
‘Oh, good Lord, he can’t touch me. He’s done nothing so far–only a few silly anonymous letters.’<br />
‘I would not be too sure. He hass subtle ways to strike. And for sure he will raise heaven and earth<br />
to keep me from being elected to the Club. If you have a weak spot, guard it, my friend. He will find it<br />
out. He strikes always at the weakest spot.’<br />
‘Like the crocodile,’ Flory suggested.<br />
‘Like the crocodile,’ agreed the doctor gravely. ‘Ah but, my friend, how gratifying to me if I should<br />
become a member of your European Club! What an honour, to be the associate of European<br />
gentlemen! But there iss one other matter, Mr Flory, that I did not care to mention before. It iss–I hope<br />
this iss clearly understood–that I have no intention of using the Club in any way. Membership iss all I<br />
desire. Even if I were elected, I should not, of course, ever presume to come to the Club.’<br />
‘Not come to the Club?’<br />
‘No, no! Heaven forbid that I should force my society upon the European gentlemen! Simply I<br />
should pay my subscriptions. That, for me, iss a privilege high enough. You understand that, I trust?’<br />
‘Perfectly, doctor, perfectly.’<br />
Flory could not help laughing as he walked up the hill. He was definitely committed now to<br />
proposing the doctor’s election. And there would be such a row when the others heard of it–oh, such<br />
a devil of a row! But the astonishing thing was that it only made him laugh. The prospect that would<br />
have appalled him a month back now almost exhilarated him.<br />
Why? And why had he given his promise at all? It was a small thing, a small risk to take–nothing<br />
heroic about it–and yet it was unlike him. Why, after all these years–the circumspect, pukka sahib-like<br />
years–break all the rules so suddenly?<br />
He knew why. It was because Elizabeth, by coming into his life, had so changed it and renewed it<br />
that all the dirty, miserable years might never have passed. Her presence had changed the whole orbit<br />
of his mind. She had brought back to him the air of England–dear England, where thought is free and<br />
one is not condemned forever to dance the danse du pukka sahib for the edification of the lower<br />
races. Where is the life that late I led? he thought. Just by existing she had made it possible for him,<br />
she had even made it natural to him, to act decently.<br />
Where is the life that late I led? he thought again as he came through the garden gate. He was happy,<br />
happy. For he had perceived that the pious ones are right when they say that there is salvation and life<br />
can begin anew. He came up the path, and it seemed to him that his house, his flowers, his servants,<br />
all the life that so short a time ago had been drenched in ennui and homesickness, were somehow<br />
made new, significant, beautiful inexhaustibly. What fun it could all be, if only you had someone to<br />
share it with you! How you could love this country, if only you were not alone! Nero was out on the<br />
path, braving the sun for some grains of paddy that the mali had dropped, taking food to his goats. Flo<br />
made a dash at him, panting, and Nero sprang into the air with a flurry and lighted on Flory’s
Change language