A Suitable Boy(237)

‘Not all I need to know,’ said Lata. ‘All I happen to know. And Firpos and The Golden Slipper. And the New Market.’

Tapan greeted this news with a Kakoli-couplet:

‘Cuddles, Cuddles, gentle dog,

Go and bite Sir Stuart Hogg.’



Lata looked mystified. Since neither Tapan nor Amit explained the reference, she went on: ‘But Arun has said we’ll go for a picnic to the Botanical Gardens.’

‘Under the spreading banyan tree,’ said Amit.

‘It’s the biggest in the world,’ said Tapan, with a Calcutta chauvinism equal to his brother’s.

‘And will you go there in the rains?’ said Amit.

‘Well, if not now, then at Christmas.’

‘So you’ll be back at Christmas?’ asked Amit, pleased.

I think so,’ said Lata.

‘Good, good,’ said Amit. ‘There are lots of concerts of Indian classical music in winter. And Calcutta is very pleasant. I’ll show you around. I’ll dispel your ignorance. I’ll expand your mind. I’ll teach you Bangla!’

Lata laughed. ‘I’ll look forward to it,’ she said.

Cuddles gave a blood-curdling growl.

‘What’s the matter with you now?’ asked Tapan. ‘Will you hold this for a second?’ he asked Lata, handing her the leash.

Cuddles subsided into silence. Tapan bent down and looked carefully at Cuddles’ ear.

‘He hasn’t had his walk yet,’ said Tapan. ‘And I haven’t had my milkshake.’

‘You’re right,’ said Amit. ‘Well, the rain’s let up. Let’s just look at the second great poetic relic and then we’ll go out onto the Maidan and the two of you can get as muddy as you like. And on the way back we’ll stop at Keventers.’ He continued, turning to Lata: ‘I was thinking of taking you to Rabindranath Tagore’s house in North Calcutta, but it’s quite far and a bit slushy and it can wait for another day. But you haven’t told me if there’s anything particular that you’d like to see.’

‘I’d like to see the university area some day,’ said Lata. ‘College Street and all that. But nothing else really. Are you sure you can spare the time?’

‘Yes,’ said Amit. ‘And here we are. It was in that small building there that Sir Ronald Ross discovered what caused malaria.’ He pointed to a plaque affixed to the gate. ‘And he wrote a poem to celebrate it.’

Everyone got down this time, though Tapan and Cuddles took no interest in the plaque. Lata read it through with a great deal of curiosity. She was not used to the comprehensible writings of scientists, and did not know what to expect.

This day relenting God

Hath placed within my hand

A wondrous thing; and God

Be praised. At his command,





Seeking his secret deeds

With tears and toiling breath,

I find thy cunning seeds

O million-murdering death.





I know this little thing

A myriad men will save.

O death where is thy sting

And victory, O grave?



Lata read it a second time. ‘What do you think of it?’ asked Amit.

‘Not much,’ said Lata.

‘Really? Why?’

‘I’m not sure,’ said Lata. ‘I just don’t. “Tears and toiling”, “million-murdering” – it’s too alliterative. And why should “God” be allowed to rhyme with “God”? Do you like it?’

‘Well, yes, in a way,’ said Amit. ‘I do like it. But equally I can’t defend that feeling. Perhaps I find it moving that a Surgeon-Major should write so fervently and with such religious force about something he’d done. I like the quaint chiasmus at the end. Ah, I’ve just created a pentameter,’ he said, pleased.

Lata was frowning slightly, still looking at the plaque, and Amit could see she was not convinced. ‘You’re quite severe in your judgment,’ he said with a smile. ‘I wonder what you’d say about my poems.’

‘Maybe some day I’ll read them,’ said Lata. ‘I can’t imagine the kind of poetry you write. You seem so cheerful and cynical.’

‘I’m certainly cynical,’ said Amit. ‘Do you ever recite your poetry?’

‘Almost never,’ said Amit. ‘Don’t people ask you to?’

‘Yes, all the time,’ said Amit. ‘Have you listened to poets reading their work? It’s usually awful.’

Lata thought back to the Brahmpur Poetry Society and smiled broadly. Then she thought again of Kabir. She felt confused and sad.

Amit saw the swift change of expression on her face. He hesitated for a few seconds, wanting to ask her what had brought it about, but before he could do so she asked, pointing to the plaque: ‘How did he discover it?’