Bhowani Junction by John Masters

Author:John Masters [John Masters]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780285641723
Publisher: Souvenir Press
Published: 2012-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

I did not sleep well that night. In my thoughts I saw myself always in one or another of my saris. Sometimes I saw things of the past, things that had happened; sometimes I imagined things to come. Like—in the past: On Saturday morning Colonel Savage had looked me up and down and said, ‘Please remember that caste marks may not be worn when in uniform.’ George Howland, the awful young man, had come into my office and started back with his hand across his eyes, crying, ‘What’s the fancy dress in aid of, Vicky?’ Major Dickson had looked at me, opened his mouth, and said, ‘Good morning, Miss Jones—er—good morning.’ Rifleman Birkhe had smiled at me and said nothing.

But the subadar-major had marched in to return a map, saluted, frowned, and said brusquely in his painful Hindustani, ‘You have got oil mark on sari, miss-sahiba. Sari is not good clothes for running or bicycling.’

And—in the future: I was a bride, being prepared for marriage. I stood in a light and airy room with my arms outstretched while Indian girls ministered to me, I and they in flowing diaphanous saris. There was no bridegroom in that room, of course. Then I was in a big hall of parliament, and again I had my arms lifted up and stretched out, but that time I was exhorting the men in there, and the sari made me like one of those pictures of Romans in the school history books.

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