The head constable started looking at his feet. The subinspector let his temper cool. He had to face Hukum Chand, who relied on him and did not expect to be let down. After some thought, the subinspector peered through the wire gauze door.

‘Have I permission to enter?’

‘Come in. Come in, Inspector Sahib,’ Hukum Chand replied. ‘Do not wait on formalities.’

The subinspector went in, and saluted.

‘Well, what have you been doing?’ asked the magistrate. He was rubbing cream on his freshly shaven chin. In a tumbler on the dressing table a flat white tablet danced about the bottom, sending up a stream of bubbles.

‘Sir, we have made two arrests this morning. One is Jugga budmash. He was out of his house on the night of the dacoity. We are bound to get some information out of him. The other is the stranger whose presence had been reported by the headman and you ordered him to be arrested.’

Hukum Chand stopped rubbing his chin. He detected the attempt to pass off the second arrest onto him.

‘Who is he?’

The inspector shouted to the head constable outside.

‘What is the name of the fellow you arrested at the Sikh temple?’

‘Iqbal.’

‘Iqbal what?’ questioned the magistrate loudly.

‘I will just find out, sir.’ The head constable ran across to the servants’ quarters before the magistrate could let fly at him. Hukum Chand felt his temper rising. He took a sip out of his glass. The subinspector shuffled uneasily. The head constable came back a few minutes later and coughed to announce his return.

‘Sir,’ he coughed again. ‘Sir, he can read and write. He is educated.’

The magistrate turned to the door angrily.

‘Has he a father and mother, a faith, or not? Educated!’

‘Sir,’ faltered the head constable, ‘he refuses to tell us his father’s name and says he has no religion. He says he will speak to you himself.’

‘Go and find out,’ roared the magistrate. ‘Whip him on his buttocks till he talks. Go . . . no, wait, the Subinspector Sahib will handle this.’

Hukum Chand was in a rage. He gulped down the fizzing water in the tumbler and mopped his head with the shaving towel. A belch relieved him of his mounting wrath.

‘Nice fellows, you and your policemen! You go and arrest people without finding out their names, parentage or caste. You make me sign blank warrants of arrest. Some day you will arrest the Governor and say Hukum Chand ordered you to do so. You will have me dismissed.’

‘Cherisher of the poor, I will go and look into this. This man came to Mano Majra yesterday. I will find out his antecedents and business.’

‘Well, then, go and find out, and do not just stand and stare,’ barked Hukum Chand. He was not in the habit of losing his temper or of being rude. After the subinspector had left, he examined his tongue in the mirror and put another tablet of seltzer in the tumbler.