The Thin Line
AFTERWARDS, Henry could never think of that interview with Sudden without experiencing a hot, futile sage Sudden was like a rock, quite impervious to reasoning: as always. Sudden was also something like a God, looking down from a pedestal. It has always been the hey to prefer the company own men to outsiders, Henry reminded him
"We cannot very well consider the son of a man who has served the company for over thirty years an outsider, stated Sudden And remember, policy has to be flexible: a rigid, inflexible policy is the hall mark of bad management."
You could not talk common sense to an oracle. but Henry pet- sisted.
I don't think I revo will have any idea of the work None of us has, Henry, when we begm. We all learn as we gu along, There's bound to be a good deal of resentment in the permanent staff, sir. Indeed, we cannot altogether ule out the possibility of some kind of a demonstration." 'No coolies have ever demonstrated agamst the Brindian Com pany. We just can't have that. My instructions to my managers are quite clear about any collective demonstrations, any threat of a strike ruthlessness! The time to put down a strike is before it.
Starts. "This is going to lead to a lot of criticism from the Indians, sir."
"In India, whatever we do will cause comment The Englishman will always be stuped at, no matter what he does. We cannot afford to show fear of Indian opinion"
He was surprised at Sudden's truculence, and for a moment he was swept by a wave of anger and resentment against Sudden for disturbing his own self-confidence.
"You have nothing personal against this man Trevor, have you, Henry? Sudden inquired. 'No, sir, nothing personal."
"Good! Then I hope you will try and look after him; give him all the guidance and help you can. Don't take any notice of what your men tell you: it's up to us to run the company's gardens. Personally, I should have thought it would be quite an asset to have an international hockey player on your staff. 'I do wish he had at least the minimum qualifications for the job, sir.' said Henry weakly.
'We have to make exceptions, now and then. Your headmistress cannot by any means be said to have the minimum qualifications fin her job."
Henry winced, sensing defeat. One could never be sure just how much Sudden knew about oneself, although ene did know that he had his special informants in all the gardens.
'Henry,' said Sudden, 'you as the manager have certain specific powers: for instance, to fill all vacancies up to one hundred rupees a month, besides things like schools and recreation facilities and amenities and canteens and all that. These things are your pigeon entirely, and I don't normally go asking managers what they do in these matters which lie within their powers...
Actually, Henry interrupted, if I had to take on a man like Trevor, sir. I would have engaged him on less than a hundred rupees in the first instance; as a daily-wage coolie."
'As a coolie?'
"Yes, sir."
For a moment a startled expression came over Sudden's features. followed by a quick flush of anger. Then he leaned forward in his chair, fixing Henry with his ge, and spoke slowly and forcefully. Sometimes, Henry, I don't know whether you act as you do because you don't know any better or because you deliberately wish to create difficulties."
I was only trying to recommend whatever was in the best in- terests of the company according to my lights. Sir Jellrey."
Then I would ask you to be guided by my lights. I am telling you to take on Mr. Trevor as your chief stockman in place of Jugal Kishore. I am also telling you to see that he makes a success of his job. Is that clear?"
Quite clear.
I would also like to give you a piece of a tvwce. Henry. I shouldn't get too deeply involved with any of the local girls: that's something all of us have to guard against. Have your fun, by all means, but if you cannot see the thin line that separates fun from serious involvement well, it's just as well to give up the game."
The day after Henry returned from his week-end visit to Chinnar a deputation of labour leaders came to see him in his office. There were six men and one woman. After he had called them in, they all stood up, solemn and unsmiling, shifting their feet uncomfortably and avoiding his eyes
Henry knew them all by name. They were already down on his 'black list as being those most closely associated with Jugal Kishore's Council of Labour.
What is it, Mahipat?' he asked the man neatest to him Mahipat stiffly handed him a paper. It was a formal notice of their intention to go on strike if an unqualified outsider was brought in as the new chief stockman.
Henry read through the notice carefully, trying to think how Sudden would have handled such a situation. The notice hore the unmistakable stamp of Jugal Kishore's draftsmanship. So this was the long-threatened strike. At last Jugal K. nored found a con- crete reason for putting his new weapon to the tas ironic, Henry thought, that he would now be having a se his ow workers to fight for Eddie Trevo He scowled and threw the paper on to his tatue with a gesture of disdain. He decided to keep his visitors standing this was no time for the velvet glove.
Your pay will be stopped. from this moment, e said to them. "All we want is justice,' said Mahipat fidgeting 'Car demand is quite reasonable."
'Any demand which contains an ultimatum is not reasonable." he retorted. You cannot thicaten a company like the Brindian Tea Company, a British company, and get away with it.
Labourers have a right to present their grievances, said Mahipat. 'In Bilayat they were given the right to form labour unions many years ago. Labour people have even been in the government. Here all we ask for is justice. One of our own men is being superseded.
That is wrong." It was astomshing how they were taught to repeat, parrot-like, the privileges enjoyed by the workers in other countries. Even Heniy himself had little idea of the course of the labour movement in his own country; and yet his Indian coolies seemed to know all about it.
"You are a sensible man, Mahipat, a family man. Do you want to lose your job just because the company has employed an out- sider in some other department? You do not know the reason. behind these appointments. The company has its own reasons."
We have to stand up for our rights, all of us together."
Henry tried a shot in the dark. "Do you want to see your women and children starve?-thrown out into the cold just because just because Jugal Kishore tells you to go on strike?"
Jugal Kishore babu is our friend. sahih He knows the law. He will get us our nights, in the end."
'Now you get night back to work, and don't let ne hear another word about a strike You will not only lose your jobs here, but none of the other tea companies in Assam will take you nn.
"So Trevor sahib is coming here?"
He is definitely coming here: and he is going to remain,here." said Henry, surprised at his own vehemence in support of Fddie Trevor, but then this was a fight against Jugal Kishore who had come out in the open at last, brandishing this new weapon with which he had always threatened them The thallenge had to be met. If you gave the slightest ground at this time, there was no knowing where the workers would take von. The time to break a strike is before it starts, Sudden had said Unless you take back your strike notice at once I am issuing olders to have all of you disuussed."
"Now?' they asked in one voice Dismisse
"Yes, now! You are the gleaders want an instant with- drawal of the notice and an apology Do you take back the notice?"
They shuffled awkwardly for a few seconds, looking sorry for themselves and dazed, and it was the man who spoke up for them. "No, sahib "
'Very well, then. From this moment, the seven of you are no longer in the employment of the company. By to morow morning. I want your quarters vacated." Our houses" exclaimed Mahipat, 'In this weather"
You cannot go on occupying the company's houses when you are no longer in the company's employment" 'But where can we go, sahib, we and our families?"
Go and ask Jugal Kishore, said Henry. I want your houses vacated by first roll call to-morrow-unless you withdraw your strike notice now."
They shook their heads in dejection. 'We cannot withdraw our notice, sahib. But our demands should at least be discussed, some assurance given... I can give no assurance. I want an unconditional withdrawal.
The deputation filed out of his office in silence, with bowed heads and sullen, brooding faces.
'Devicharan' DEVICHARAN Henry yelled for the super- intendent. Put out a notice that these seven have been dismissed with immediate effect Issue orders for them to vacate their living quarters by to-morrow morning. Ask for police help from Tinapu to get them out of their houses Juldi" Henry was almost shouting lus orders The deputation of labour leaders was still within ear- shot, and he wanted them to know that he meant business
For a long time Henty sat staring vacantly at the door through which they had gone, his mund filled with the bitterness of failure For some reason he had thought he would succeed in forung them to withdraw their notice, he felt sure that Sudden if he had been in his place would have been able to manage Now there would have to be a show-down There had never been a strike before in any of the company's gardens, and it was unbeatable that Silent Hill should be the first garden to have one That was one of the things a man like Sudden Dait would never forgive Would it make Sudden write hum off as a failure? At the thought a cold fear welled up inside him But with the leader's refusal to withdraw their notice. the die was cast On his part Henry would have to mike good his threats dismiss workers of long standing without any compensation, for ibly exit them from then houses, send out then names to the other tea companies to inake sure they would never get other jobs in the tea district, and have the leaders rounded up by the police to be systematically beaten to a pulp while in their custody. It made you feel shamefully dehumanized, but that was the way it had to be The time for feeling sorry for the coolies was gone This was a much bigger issue than a show of strength between himself and his workers, it was, in the last analysis, a struggle between management and labour, between Sudden Dart and all that he stood for on the one side. and Jugal Kishore and his Bolshevism on the other, it was equally a struggle between English- men and Indians, between the forces of good and the forces of evil. There was no question on which side he, Henry Winton, would fight.
Eddie Trevor, the brilliant hockey forward, had grabbed the ball and come thunder.ng down with it, dodging all opposition, and penetrated right into the ring, and the scramble near the goal-post was going to be a crucial one for both sides. Eddie Trevor had suddenly become an ally, a cause to uphold and to fight for.
Even before he had arrived, Eddie Trevor had polluted the clean, hill-top air of Silent Hill. thought Henry. He had certainly not wanted him to come, neither had his labourers; it was Sir Jeffrey who wanted him to come. Sir Jeffrey and almost certainly Ruby Miranda.
And Henry's thoughts were suddenly deflected into a new channel. There was no mistaking Sudden's warning. Sudden had told him in so many words that he did not approve of his intimacy with Ruby Miranda; that he must cry a halt or face the prospect of Sudden's displeasure.
That too was something Eddie Trevor seemed to have con- taminated: his new-found, delicately balanced relationship with Ruby Miranda. It was almost certain that it was Trevor's father who had spoken to Sudden Dart about his growing infatuation with Ruby. The thin line that separates fun from serious involve ment': that had been Sudden's way of expressing it. Sudden, who had never objected to any of his planters getting his fun wherever he could find it, could not possibly have known how close Henry had been drawing to crossing the thin line unless someone had told him. That someone could only be John Trevor whose son had always been desperately in love with Rrby and who was 'jay' of any man who spoke to her.
But as things stood Sudden's warning would have been almost superfluous. The thought of a man like Eddie Trevor looking upon him as a rival, as another man compering for Ruby Miranda'st favours, had brought on a surge of nausea. That was a revolting position. No one should point a finger at him as the rival of a raw, half-caste youth: a man he had so recently equated with a daily- wage coolie.
The emotional revulsion stirred up within him had curdled his infatuation for Ruby Miranda. The fact that it had created some sort of equality between himself and Eddie Trevor was something his pride could not forgive. He would never feel the same about Ruby Miranda again.
Walking back to his bungalow that evening. Henry passed the football ground. No one was playing football; but some two or three hundred labourers had gathered in one corner of the field and were sitting tightly packed, all facing a makeshift platform in the centre of the field. They were listening raptly to a speech by Jugal Kishore.
It is high time we turned our faces away from the conquerors." Henry heard Jugal Kishore exhorting them. And as though in obedience to his command, not one of the coolies turned to look at Henry as he skirted the field. For all the interest they took, he might have been one of the Silent Hill street-cleaners or lamp- lighters, and not their manager. The insult cut deeper into his mind than any words of direct abuse would have done.
"If only we stand shoulder to shoulder, Jugal Kishore was saying in a voice charged with passion, those who hold us in slavery will have to quit. WE SHALL MAKE THEM QUIT!
At the same time, Henry could not help feeling relieved that only about a quarter of his labourers had turned up to listen to Jugal Kishore. With this comforting thought, he quickened his pace. He knew, that he had to take action before this thing got out of hand; but that moment had not yet come. There was little he could do until the next morning; only then would he know whether the strike was actually going to materialize. In the meantime, he had sent for police help from Tinapur, and he had also sent a full report of the situation to head office. That had been the most difficult part; to send a report to Sudden that his labourers had threatened to strike. Sudden could never be brought to understand how Indian coolies could think in terms of dictating to a British manager. But Henry had steeled himself to the task, knowing that not to have sent a report to Sudden would have been unforgivable.
There was no drawing back now; things were at last coming to a head. This was a crisis if ever there was one, a time of testing. He was aware that the strike might well end his career as a planter: and yet, now that it had come, it was the sort of challenge he almost welcomed. Everything depended on him, the man on the spot. When you came to think of it, it was not unlike the sort of situations that had confronted some of the earliest Englishmen in the country. They had all risen to their tasks, and the best among them had risen high above them, coolly thinking out their plans and then going ahead and taking all the risks with a proper dis- dain for caution-Stringer Lawrence, Gordon, Popham, Lake, Campbell, and those others had met their individual challenges head-on, and between them they had built up the world's greatest Empire. It almost needed a crisis to bring out the best in a man.
Striding up the red laterite road leading to his bungalow in the crisply cold January evening, Henry experienced a new sense of exhilaration, even a faint kinship with the figures of history; this is what a soldier must feel on the eve of a battle, he said to himself.
It was by the shecrest chance that he happened to look in the direction of the schoolhouse, a little higher up on the slope of the hill on his left, and noticed the red painted motor-cycle standing near the wicket gate of Ruby Miranda's cottage, glinting im- pudently in the last rays of the sun.
So Eddie Trevor had arrived.
