He began with labored respect
to explain how he was a poor man with no concern in such matters, which were
all under the control of God, but presently broke out of Urdu into familiar
Punjabi, the mere sound of which had a rustic smack of village smoke-reek and
plough-tail, as he denounced the wearers of white coats, the jugglers with
words who filched his field from him, the men whose backs were never bowed in
honest work; and poured ironical scorn on the Bengali. He and one of his
brothers had seen Calcutta, and being at work there had Bengali carpenters
given to them as assistants.
"Those carpenters!" said Bishen Singh. "Black apes were more efficient
workmates, and as for the Bengali babu--tchick!" The guttural click needed no
interpretation, but Orde translated the rest, while Pagett gazed with interest
at the wood-carver.
"He seems to have a most illiberal prejudice against the Bengali," said the
M.P.
"Yes, it's very sad that for ages outside Bengal there should he so bitter a
prejudice. Pride of race, which also means race-hatred, is the plague and
curse of India and it spreads far," Orde pointed with his riding-whip to the
large map of India on the veranda wall.
"See! I begin with the North," said he.
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