The Brindian Company at War
THE war came to the tea district, but slow ly, almost apologetically. 2. though reluctant to disturb the serenity of the hills, making itself felt only in odd pun pricks such as the shortage of sugar and the rise in the price of gm and the disappearance from the market of Gillette blades. There was, of course, no doubt u. anyone's mind that it was everybody wat that they would all be exorably dragged into it sooner or later. At the same time, everyone was tate- ful to behave as though it was almost umehned to hustle the process The mood of the moment was sharply outlined ma personal letter sent by Sudden Dart to all his managers
The Brandian Tea Company expects all its mangers to stand by their jobs and do their duty in this hour of the Empire's need Managers in turn, will pass on this stratton to the officials and tools on their gardens It is ms hem co viction that estry one of the Brindhan Tea Company's servants will stand shoulder to shoulder beund the Company's war effort
Life went on just as hefur There were no abrupt changes, no sudden readjustment of standards not even the semotest contact with death or destruction ther was hunting and fishing and golf at Chinnar, and the Chunar Week was gomg to be bigger and better than ve Sudden had decided to hold the Week in the middle of November so that some of his spetsa guests could attend.
At the begining of the was the home government introduced Lonstription for all men herw cen eight.en and forts on Men horn in the United Kingdom, wherever they might be, could be called up for military service. Henry who was well with the upper age limit prescribed, knew that he might be called up very soon, and he was eager to serve At the same time he hoped for a respite of a few wecky so that Jean would have time to settle down at Silent Hill The war was going to be a long war, and everyone was going to get a chance of having a whack at the Germans. In the meantime, their was such a thing as a man's private longing for a held-over honey- moon to make you want to put off your getting into the wai and go on living in the seclusion of Assam as long as possible And there was also a man's loyalty to a company such as the Bundian Fea Company.
But the one thing the wat seemed to have done was to upset all shipping schedules. He had expected Jean to reach India in early October, but she had not yet tuned up although it was now the middle of the month. The sooner she came, the longer they would be together The thought of being together in the newly painted. e-furnished house on the hill was almost unbearably delicious. He wasted for her with a longing that was close to physical pain.
Once again. life at Silent Hill was just as it had always been and Im no parts ular reason Henry's thoughts went hitting back to that day, a year ago, when he had fired a shot at a kal pheasant and had nearly hit Jugal Khoie mere Gaun That's night. Gaun was her name, the fact that he had almost forgotten it was indicative of his pact of rand
They had both gone, Jugal Kishore and Gu Jugal Kishore he was told had heu electd so the Legalitive Assembly by an over whelming majority His name appeared in the paper, now and then usually n tonnest on with some room activity but his speeches no longer seened to be charged with then old vinlente Anyway, he taw vid the whole of Assam as hus held of artavitus and not merely a tiny corner estate like Silent Hill He had gon away to live in the capital and so han the woman he called his Everytime was pist as he had hoped it would be when Jean came to live at Silent Hill, orderly, peaceful and witne
Peral and stem except for the sight of the blinal sed moto cycle flashing up and down the hill roads at great speed except for the maddening rear at the amputated exha ist esciberatung in the hills a dozen rius during the day and night except for the mid night strams of concertima musit soming from the most unexpected with an excersive zest-and always, always, playing to in imagiainers of the estate: Fddie Trevor, increasingly more cocky, more sure et hanselt, going through life like a hockey sentre forward,
Mary gallery What did you think of Fddie Trevor, Sudden's find" Heniy asked Cockburn on Cockburn's last evening at Silent Hill.
Cockburn remained silent for some time, as though he were thinking out his answer. I found him a keen enough worker, but personally I doubt if you are going to be able to take to him....
"You're quite right, I can't beat him,' said Henry.
What do you object to in him, most?
Tverything, I suppose. The brashness, for one thing, the ten- dency either to cheek you or to how tow Then there's his attitude to the unfortunate coolies.
You'll have to go on curbing that Otherwise you'll be having trouble on your hands again The coarseness! My God' The coarseness I've never come across anyone who knows so many foul words m so many languages Yes he's very good at lignages agreed Cockburn Speaks all the hill dialects, and then Bengali Assamese, Hinds.
But why do you think he does it?"
You can't complain about his work, sarl Cockburn
"No. he keen, terribly keen but perhaps humptious is the word. He's forever doing the sort of thing that a man would do only for a dare I hear he went up the rockface of Wallarh's Folly
from the south That's the sort of crazy thing he always up to
As though as though he's forever trying to prove himself Cockburn laughed, his gentle almost tured laugh And yet have you noticed how he typifies the sort of man whom women and irresistible"
I can't say I have What can anyone see a man like Trevor, the bounder type said Her..y. but remembering, at the same nime, that Ruby Miranda too hid spoken of his fascination for
Women. 'You'd be surprised It must be the hapless, earthy smicerity, the naiveté. And then there is that mobile ate, half vid, but ready to smile... I don't know. It's something, well, something instinctive It's sather like the way men often fall for a particular kind of woman. You can't call them beautiful by any stretch of imagina tion, and yet they provoke the most uncontrollable longings in men who hardly know them. It's the same with some men I should think. women just can t resist them
'You mean coolie women..."
'I mean all women.' 'But what's he been up to? Has he been running round with any of the coolie women here?' Henry asked angrily.
'From what I can see, it seems to be the other way round, they don't seem able to leave him alone. You know how quite shameless- ly demonstrative some of the Khavies can be....
"They must be crazy. They can have him for all I case, and he can keep his hill women, so long as he doesn't... well, so long as the husbands don't come complaining to me
I don't think there's any danger of that,' said Cockburn. "He's smooth; Trevor is what they call a smooth operator"
I just can't bear him just detest the type
I can understand that perfectly, but then I must say I find st casy enough to get on with almost anyone in India I can only sympathize with you.' Then Cockburn added, "But why don't you try and get rid of him?
Get rid of him? Don't you know he's a sort of blue eyed boy of Sudden's and I expert he trades on it rather heavily It's not going to be easy to get rid of him. I opposed his coming here in the beginning, but Sudden wunldn t play up, Don't be a babe in arms, surely that should make it all the easier to get rid of him
Will you kindly explam please asked Hemy
Cockburn hal begin to chuckle softly once again Fry ecom mending him, my dear fellow For special promotion It's always worth a try and who knows. Sudden might jump at it 'Sort of try to kick him upstairs, you mean?"
"You've got it What does it matter to you where he goes, so long as he goes away from here? Start praising him in you weekly reports and recommend him for accelerated advancement, you might even make a personal request to Sudden You ve 1 lot of pull with the old boy
"That's certainly an idea worth trying. Henry said cautiously if an opportunity should present itself The opportunity, as it happened, came almost ready made.
On 16 October, Sudden called a meeting of his managers. Every- one went, looking forward to a long Friday-to Monday weekend at the company's expense. On Saturday morning, as they all sat against the wall in Sudden's elegant rosewood-panelled office, Henry happened to notice that there were only twenty-six managers present. Barnet had not turned up. This was an important meeting, and he found himself wondering why Barnet had not come.
I called this meeting,' said Sudden, addressing his managers, "to discuss with you our war measures. I shall get down to that pre- sently. But before that I should like to take up a more... er, more urgent matter that I am suddenly confronted with. Sudden paused to light his cigar before he continued, 'I'm afraid Barnet has let me down... let us all down. He's resigned and gone away to join the Navy."
I think many of us will have to be going sooner than we think, those who are liable for conscription,' put in Williamson, one of the senior managers. And many others would like to join up, even though they may not be liable to conscription
I'm quite aware of that, Mr. Williamson,' said Sudden, glower- ing at him. I have no doubt that every one of us here wants to join up. But we can't all afford to be selfish and irresponsible about it. We cannot let the company down.
When can we expect that those of us who are liable to conscrip tion will be called up, sir?' asked Henry. Never, I hope. Things are pretty quiet just now.' said Sudden. "I don't doubt the BEF will be in Berlin within six months at the most.... I wouldn't be too sure of that, sir, said young Macdonald. According to the Chicago Tribune survey, it may take years. We have no planes, it seems, and we have a frightening shortage of precision instruments. The Germans have been preparing for years!
'Macdonald, you can take word that the Hun will be knocked out sooner than the Americans nagine.' answered Sudden, as though speaking from a secret knowledge of military plans. 'Chap at the War Office was telling Jock Maci in that we have as many as eight thousand bombers ready. Apart from that. I should like to warn you that we mustn't give expression to such thoughts as you have just expressed, Macdonald. They're pure defeatism. If the Indians hear us say such things, how can you expect them to have faith in our victory our quick victory?" I'm sorry sir." said Macdonald, very red in the face.
'Anyway, when can we expert to be released from our obligations to the company so that those of us who are above conscription age can volunteer?" asked Williamson.
'We shall have to wait until I am able to get a policy decision from the London office. I am trying to get all of us, the planters, to be declared essential service; even the younger ones."
'Planters essential to the war effort? Williamson voiced the general feeling.
"If you only knew the importance tea assumes in a British war, with the British Tommy, as ever, doing the bulk of the fighting... God bless him--you wouldn't entertain any such doubt, William- son. Tea has always been a major weapon of a British war,' Sudden explained. That being so, how am I to keep twenty-seven gardens in full production if all of you want to go off and play at soldiers and ailors with the Indians waiting to create hell's own trouble at mistlightest opportunity? I don't think many of you have had the monttune of witnessing a strike such as I saw at Silent Hill nine
Sus ago. That's what we shall have happening everywhere. exp we dden paused and drew on his cigar, looking at them ctantly, giving them a chance to come out with whatever they e thinking, but no one seemed to have anything to say.
There's conscription of all British subjects, of course. Sudden Jent on. Unless we can get our work declared essential service. I'm afraid those of you who are with the prescribed age limits will just have to go as soon as your call up comes. But I certainly disapprove of Barnet's desertion. That's what I call it, desertion showing a total lack of loyalty to Brindian in general and to me in particular.
But you don't really think they'll go and declare planters essen- tial, sir?' asked Macdonald.
"They will, if the War Office has any sense. And in that case 1 can bring down the law on the heads of people like Barnet. I should like to warn all of you here and now that anyone who leaves here unless conscripted goes at his own risk. His job will not be held open for him until he returns."
Sudden paused to let that sink in, running lus eyes round the room. Then he said, 'In the meantime, the first thing I have to do is to find a suitable replacement for Barnet Anyone any of you can suggest?"
I would have suggested Trevor's name, sir, said Henry, it was only after the words were out of his mouth that he realized what he had said "if it weren't for the fact that he has hardly been with us a year," he added.
Sudklen pulled at his cigar for a while before he spoke. "Eddie Trevor? D'you think he'll be up to it? How will the damned cooles take him? I don't want them staging demonstrations.
"They eat out of his hands, now, sir. Just adore him,' said Henry. hoping that Sudden wouldn't think he sounded too eager. He gave a quick glance at Cockburn and was rewarded with an approving nod.
I'm sure Captain Cockburn will bear me out, sir, Henry went on. 'He's seen much more of Trevor than I have, of course."
'I think he would do very well. Sudden,' said Cockburn.
Well, that may be the answer. Thank you, Henry, Sudden said, nodding his head and looking very pleased with himself. There will be a few complications, about his coming here--wanting to use the Club and all that. But I'm sure all that can be sorted out with a little...er, a little finesse.
'I don't think that should prove very difficult,' Henry assured him. 'He's a very sensible young man."
"Good. And he's not affected by this conscription, not being from the home country. It'll certainly be a hell of a jump for him from stockman to manager. You will have to make a full report on him, Henry, recommending his name for special promotion. Only then can I push forward the papers to London. I wouldn't say anything to Trevor just yet; the board at home will have to confirm the appointment. So a lot depends on the way we push the thing from this end... Dammit, this is the first time we shall be recominending a... you know, someone who isn't a pucca sahib for a manager-
ship. But of course they'll u: 'erstand. There's a war on, dammit!" 'I think he'll do very well,' said Henry, and looked at Cockburn again and lifted his hand sufficiently to show him that he was keep- ing his fingers crossed.
You send in a recommendation then, Henry,' said Sudilen. 'And I will push it on to the directors at home. Now let us get down to the main business. The war, as you know gentlemen, is creeping up on us; making things more and more difficult here. I hear that Scotch whisky has gone up to a hundred and fifty rupees the case in Calcutta, and no doubt it will go up much more. Our life, so far away from everywhere, has always been a life of hardship, of sacrifice; and we must... er... must face up to these new afflictions with fortitude; in the full knowledge that even though we are so far away from the battlefields, we are playing a vital role in the war effort of the Empire. At the same time, we must take steps not to be... caught with our pants down by growing shortages of these ... er, little comforts and consolations our English way of life de- mands. What I propose to do is to set up a separate fund, beginning with fifty thousand rupees, so that we can buy up whatever stocks we can lay our hands on of White Horse and Haig whisky and cartridges for our shoots here and Frank Cooper's marmalade...
It was the practical approach to the situation, of course; and yet Henry could not help feelmg a little guilty within himself. It was no doubt important to lay in stocks of English-made goods and defeat the profiteering of the Calcutta Marwaries, but it was not easy to connect this with the war effort.
A committee was immediately set up to administer the new fund and to make large-scale purchases of Scotch whisky and Gordon's gin and English biscuits and tinned asparagus and Kiwi boot polish. and Greys and Markovitch cigarettes and Crosse and Blackwell and Frank Cooper's marmalade, and all those other little things which, according to a list prepared by the purchasing committee, could bring comfort to the life of an Englishman in exile. It was also de cided to send one of the committee members to Calcutta to round up these stocks from the wholesalers, and to replenish them from time to time.
Almost characteristically, it was Eddie Trevor, careering madly about on his noisy red motor-cycle, who brought the war into Silent Hill. Trevor asked to see Henry at his bungalow a couple of days after Henry's return from the meeting at Chinnar, and although Henry had been irritated at the thought of being dis turbed outside office hours, he had agreed to see him.
Henry wondered what Trevor could be wanting to see him about. Had he already learned that he had been recommended for a post as manager? Or way there something else on his mind?--and the thought went Bashing through his brain: did he want to speak to him about Ruby Miranda?
But it was neither his promotion nor Ruby Miranda. What Trevor wanted to talk about was the war.
It seemed that he had already applied for a commission in the army and had been called up for an interview at the Eastern Com- mand headquarters at Naini Tal. Eddie was quite excited about it. He wanted a week's leave. The war will be over and done with in a jiffy,' he said to Henry.
'I don't want to be left out."
Henry was annoyed that Trevor should have applied to join the army without first seeking his permission.
'I can't very well not give you the leave,' he said to Trevor. 'but it is quite certain that head office will take a dim view of your send- ing off an application without giving any intimation to the company. Dammit! there is such a thing as loyalty to one's em- player! I don't know what policy they are going to adopt towards those of you who do not come under the conscription laws and yet want to join up I think it is only fau to warn you though, that it looks as though Sudden the Resident Director is determined not to keep their jobs open" Trevor's reply had shaken Henry.
Who cares? I'm quite prepared to give up my job I know I'll make a couple of hundred chips anywhere but when will I get another chance to fight in a damn war?
'I wonder if you would still be so eager to join up," said Heary. if I were to tell you that you would not he giving up a two- hundred a mouth job but a seven hundred a month job, that you were going to be appointed manager of the lower Tista estate, m place of Mr. Barnet."
That was the first time Henry had seen Trevor quite overcome by emotion and, oddly enough, it had the effect of making him look humble, and perhaps for that reason, even likable as though the harsh varnish of artificiality had cracked and fallen off, bringing out the inner man, a sincere and somewhat shy youth. Was that what Cockburn had been talking about when he spoke of his fas- tination for women' Henry wondered
"What's that? Manager Oh no Mr. Winton!
'That's what I said I have recommended you, and the Resident Director has accepted my recommendation."
'Manager Oh any I don't know how I can ever thank you enough. Mr. Winton,' said Trevor, his face radiant his eyes shining with gratitude I had never hoped to become a manager in all my lifel
There you are, then, und Hemy, feeling considerably mollified. "There's really no hurry about joining up, is there? Later on it is quite likely that the company will have to permit some of us who are young enough to go into the forces. And then they will jolly well have to hold open our jobs for us until we get back...."
Eddie Trevor shook his head. 'No, sir; that makes no difference. I want to go, and I want to go soon. Whether I am a manager, for which, again, thank you very much, or even something bigger than a manager, I don't want to stop here, not when there is a war on not even if I were the Governor of Assam!"
Eddie Trevor had gone back to his usual form. The softness had gone out of him. But Henry could not make up his mind whether it was still the sincere, natural youth talking to him from a genuine keenness to get into the fighting, or the player-to-the-gallery once again trying to prove himself. And because he could not be sure. he found himself detesting Trevor all the more.
'But I am warning you, he told Trevor sharply, this oppor tunity may never come again. They will not be holding your job for you here, and at the end of the war there will be a flood of ex- soldiers and sailors from home, waiting to come here. Then it will be quite out of the question to take on a... take on an Anglo- Indian as one of the company managers. Now's your chance "The hell I care,' bellowed Eddie Trevor "Thank you very much for your recommendation, Mr. Winton. I shall always remember your kindness. But I want to join up--and I want to go soon." But what makes you so sure you will get a commission, Henry said in irritation, 'when they want people who have matriculated? What happens if you're not accepted?"
Eddie Trevor had looked almost hurt. Why, Mr. Winton," he answered very coldly, 'in that case I go and join the ranks. A chap doesn't have to have a commission to get into the war, dammit."
