A House for Mr. Biswas - V.S. Naipaul [55]
The sisters and their husbands relaxed.
Mr Biswas said, ‘My sister better than anybody here, and better off too. And too besides, she living in a house a lot cleaner.’
Seth rested his elbow on the table and smoked sadly, looking down at his bluchers. ‘The Black Age,’ he said softly in Hindi. ‘The Black Age has come at last. Sister, we have taken in a serpent. It is my fault. You must blame me.’
‘I not asking to stay here, you know,’ Mr Biswas said. ‘I believe in the old ways too. You make me marry your daughter, you promise to do this and do that. So far I ain’t got nothing. The day you give me what you promise me, I gone.’
‘So you want girl children learning to read and write and picking up boy-friends? You want to see them wearing short frocks?’
‘I ain’t say a thing about short frocks. I talking about what you promise me.’
‘Short frocks. And love letters. Love letters! Remember the love letter you write Shama?’
Shama giggled. The sisters and their husbands, more at ease now, giggled. Mrs Tulsi gave a short explosive laugh. Only the gods remained stern; but Mrs Tulsi, still embracing the elder god, coaxed a smile from him.
So the encounter was a defeat. But Mr Biswas, so far from being cast down, was exhilarated. He had no doubt now that in his campaign against the Tulsis – for that was how he thought of it – he was winning.
Unexpected support came through the Aryan Association.
The Association attracted the attention of Mrs Weir, the wife of the owner of a small sugar-estate. She didn’t pay her labourers well but was respected by them for her interest in religion and the concern she showed for their spiritual welfare. Most of her labourers were Hindus and Mrs Weir was particularly interested in Hinduism. It was rumoured that her purpose was an eventual wholesale conversion of Hindus, but Misir denied this. He said he had practically converted her. She did indeed come to an Aryan meeting. And she invited some of the Aryans to tea. Mr Biswas, Misir, Shivlochan and two others went. Misir talked. Mrs Weir listened and never disagreed. Misir gave books and pamphlets. Mrs Weir said she looked forward to reading them. Just before they left, Mrs Weir presented everyone with copies of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, the Discourses of Epictetus, and a number of other booklets.
For days afterwards Hanuman House was subjected to the propaganda of a little-known Christian sect. Mrs Weir’s booklets turned up on the long table, in the Tulsi Store, in the kitchen, in bedrooms. A religious picture was nailed on the inside of the latrine-door. When a booklet was found on the prayer-room shrine, Seth summoned Mr Biswas and said, ‘The next thing will be for you to start teaching the children hymns. I can’t understand how anyone could have even tried to turn you into a pundit.’
Mr Biswas said, ‘Well, since I been in this house I begin to get the feeling that to be a good Hindu you must be a good Roman Catholic first.’
The elder god, seeing himself attacked, got up from the hammock, already prepared to cry.
‘Look at him,’ Mr Biswas said. ‘Little Jack Horner. If he just put his hand in his shirt he pull up a crucifix.’
The elder god did wear a crucifix. It was regarded in the house as an exotic and desirable charm. The elder god wore many charms and it was thought fitting that someone so valuable should be well protected. On the Sunday before examination week he was bathed by Mrs Tulsi in water consecrated by Hari; the soles of his feet were soaked in lavender water; he was made to drink a glass of Guinness stout; and he left Hanuman House, a figure of awe, laden with crucifix, sacred thread and beads, a mysterious sachet, a number of curious armlets, consecrated coins, and a lime in each trouser pocket.
‘You call yourself Hindus?’ Mr Biswas said.
Shama tried to silence Mr Biswas.
The younger god got out of the hammock and stamped. ‘I not going to remain in this hammock and hear my brother insulted, Ma. You don’t care.’
‘What?’ said Mr Biswas. ‘I insult somebody? At the Catholic college they make him close his eyes