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AN ASTROLOGER'S DAY, and other, , stories

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Most of these stories were fast published in the Hindu of, Madras. I am grateful to its Editor for permission to, reprint, , them in, , this volume., , THIS BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED Of 1947, , IS PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN, FOR ETRB AND SPOTTISWOODE (PUBLISHERS) LTD., 15 BEDFORD STREET, STRAND, LONDON, W.C.I, AT THE CHAPEL RIVER PRESS,, , AtfPOVER, HANTS.

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3, , THE DOCTOR'S WORD, came, , PEOPLE, last legs., , to, , Dr., , him when, , Raman, , the patient was on his, ", often burst out,, , ", , Why, , couldn't you have come a day earlier ?, The reason, was obvious visiting fee twenty-five rupees, and more, than that people liked to shirk the fact that the time, had come to call in Dr. Raman ; for them there was, something ominous in the very association. As a result, when the big man came on the scene it was always a, quick decision one way or another. There was no, scope or time for any kind of wavering or whitewashing., Long years of practice of this kind had bred in the, doctor a certain curt truthfulness ; for that very reason, his opinion was valued ; he was not a mere doctor, expressing an opinion but a judge pronouncing a, The patient's life hung on his words. This, never unduly worried Dr. Raman. He never believed, that agreeable words ever saved lives. He did not, think it was any of his business to provide unnecessary, dope when as a matter of course Nature would teU, them the truth in a few hours. However, when he, glimpsed the faintest sign of hope, he rolled up his, it might be hours, sleeve and stepped into the arena, or days, but he never withdrew till he wrested the, prize from Tama's hands., Today, standing over a bed, the doctor felt that he, himself needed someone to tell him soothing lies. He, mopped his brow with his kerchief and sat down in, verdict., , :

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THE DOCTOR'S WORD, , i8, , the chair beside the bed., , On, , the bed lay his dearest, , Gopal. They had known each, other for forty years now, starting with their Kindergarten days. They could not, of course, meet as much, as they wanted, each being wrapped in his own family, and profession. Occasionally, on a Sunday, Gopal, would walk into the consulting room, and wait, patiently in a corner till the doctor was free. And, then they would dine together, see a picture, and talk, , friend in the world, , of each other's, , :, , life, , and, , activities., , It, , untouched, , friendship standing over,, times, circumstances, and activities., , was a, , classic, , by changing, , In his busy round of work, Dr. Raman had not, noticed that Gopal had not called in for over three, , He, , months now., , just, , remembered, , it, , when he saw, , GopaPs son sitting on a bench in the consulting hall,, one crowded morning. Dr. Raman could not talk to, him for over an hour. When he got up and was about, to pass on to the operation room, he called up the, , ", ", young man and asked, What brings you here, sir ?, ", The youth was nervous and shy., Mother sent, , me here.", ", ", , What can, Father, , It, , is, , I, , iU, , do, , for, , you, , ?, , ", , ...", , was an operation day and he was not, , three in the afternoon., , He, , free, , till, , rushed off straight from, , the clinic to his friend's house, in Lawley Extension., Gopal lay in bed as if in sleep. " The doctor stood, over him and asked Gopal's wife,, How long has he, , been in bed, ", ", ", , A, , ?, , ", , month and a, , Who, , half, doctor.", , ", , attending him ?, doctor in the next street. He comes, in three days and gives him medicine.", , A, , is, , down once

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THE DOCTOR'S WORD, ", , What, ", , him., , is, , his, , He had never heard of, don't know, but I wish he had, , name ?, , Someone, , I, , 19, , ", , had the goodness to tell me about it. Why, why,, ", couldn't you have sent me word earlier ?, ", We thought you would be busy and did not wish, to trouble you unnecessarily.", They were apologetic, and miserable. There was hardly any time to be lost., He took off his coat and opened his bag. He took out, an injection tube, the needle sizzled over the stove., The sick man's wife whimpered in a corner and, essayed to ask questions., ", Please don't ask questions," snapped the doctor., He looked at the children who were watching the, sterilizer,, , and, , ", , said,, , Send them, , all, , away somewhere,, , except the eldest.", , He, , shot in the drug, sat back in his chair, and, gazed on the patient's face for over an hour. The, The doctor's face, patient still remained motionless., , gleamed with perspiration, and his eyelids drooped, with fatigue. The sick man's wife stood in a corner, ", and watched silently. She asked timidly,, Doctor,, " ", shall I make some coffee for you ?, No," he, replied, although he felt famished, having missed his, ", midday meal. He got up and said, I will be back, in a few minutes., Don't disturb him on any account.", He picked up his bag and went to his car. In a, quarter of an hour he was back, followed by an assistant, and a nurse. The doctor told the lady of the house,, ", I have to perform an operation.", ", ", , ", , she asked faintly., Will you leave your, you, to, the next house and, over, and, here, to, son, go, help us,, ", ?, I, till, call, you, stay there, The lady felt giddy and sank down on the floor,, , Why, why, I will tell, , ?, , Why ?, all, , that soon.

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THE DOCTOR'S WORD, , ao, , unable to bear the strain. The nurse attended to her, and led her out., At about eight in the evening the patient opened his, eyes, , and, , stirred slightly in bed., , The, , assistant, , was, , ", exclaimed enthusiastically,, Sir, he, overjoyed., will pull through.", The doctor looked at him coldly, and whispered " I would give anything to see him, .", through but, but the heart, ", The pulse has improved, Sir.", ", ", Don't trust it., Well, well," replied the doctor., It is only a false flash-up, very common in these, cases.", He ruminated for a while and added, " If, , He, , :, , ., , ., , the pulse will keep up till eight in the morning, it will, go on for the next forty years, but I doubt very, much if we shall see anything of it at all after two, tonight.", He sent, , away the assistant and sat beside the patient., At about eleven the patient opened his eyes and, smiled at his friend. He showed a slight improvement,, he was able to take in a little food. A great feeling, of relief and joy went through the household. They, swarmed around the doctor and poured out their, , He sat in his seat beside the bed, gazing, gratitude., at, the, sternly, patient's face, hardly showing any signs, of hearing what they were saying to him. The sick, ", , man's wife asked, " Is he now out of danger ?, ", Give, Without turning his head the doctor said,, and, a, minutes, brandy every forty, glucose, couple, just, of spoons will do." The lady went away to the kitchen., She felt restless. She felt she must know the truth, whatever it was. Why was the great man so evasive ?, The suspense was unbearable. Perhaps he could not, speak so near the patient's bed. She beckoned to him, from the kitchen doorway. The doctor rose and went, ;

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THE DOCTOR'S WORD, over., , he, , ?, , ", , She asked,, , The, , ", , What about him now ?, , doctor bit his, ", , lips, , and, , 21, , How, , is, , replied, looking at, , Don't get excited., Unless you must, now.", ask, don't, Her eyes opened, it,, wide in terror. She clasped her hands together and, , the floor,, , know about, , ", , implored, ", , :, , Tell, , me, , would rather not, round and went back, I, , the truth.", talk to, , The, , doctor replied,, He turned, , you now.", , A, , to his chair., terrible wailing, shot through the still house ; the patient stirred and, looked about in bewilderment. The doctor got up, again, went over to the kitchen door, drew it in, securely and shut off the wail., , When the doctor resumed his seat the patient asked, ", in the faintest whisper possible,, Is that someone, ", ", ?, The, doctor, Don't, exert your*, advised,, crying, self., You mustn't talk." He felt the pulse. It was, already agitated by the exertion. The patient asked,, ", I going ?, Don't hide it from me." The doctor, made a deprecating noise and sat back in his chair., He had never faced a situation like this. It was not, in his nature to whitewash. People attached great, value to his word because of that. He stole a look at, the other. The patient motioned a finger to draw, him nearer and whispered, " I must know how long I, am going to last. I must sign the will. It is all ready., Ask my wife for the despatch box. You must sign as, , Am, , a witness.", ", ", , Oh, , ", , You are exerting, the doctor exclaimed., be, You, must, too, much., He felt, quieter.", yourself, ", How fine it would be,", idiotic to be repeating it., ", to drop the whole business and run, he reflected,, !, , without answering anybody any, away somewhere, ", The, question, patient clutched the doctor's wrist, ", with his weak fingers and said,, Ramu, it is my good, !

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M, , THE DOCTOR'S WORD, , fortune that you are here at this moment. I can trust, your word. I can't leave my property unsettled., That will mean endless misery for my wife and children., , You know, , all, , about Subbiah and his gang., , Let, , me, , Tell me. ., .", sign before it is too late., ", the, doctor., He walked, Yes, presently," replied, off to his car, sat in the back seat and reflected., He, ., , If the will was to, Midnight., must be done within the next two hours,, or never. He could not be responsible for a mess, there ; he knew too well the family affairs and about, those wolves, Subbiah and his gang, But what, could he do ? If he asked him to sign the Will, it, would virtually mean a death sentence and destroy the, thousandth part of a chance that the patient had of, He got down from the car and went in., survival., He resumed his seat in the chair. The patient was, The doctor said to himstaring at him appealingly., ", save, If, can, his, word, life, he shall not die., self,, my, The will be damned." He called, " Gopal, listen.", This was the first time he was going to do a piece of, acting before a patient, simulate a feeling, and conceal, He stooped over the patient and said, his judgment., ", Don't worry about the, with deliberate emphasis,, will now., You are going to live. Your heart is, , looked at his watch., , be signed,, , it, , ., , absolutely sound.", face as he heard it., , you, true, , say so ?, ., , ., , If, , it, , ., , A new glow suffused, He, , ., , the patient's, ", , asked in a tone of relief,, , comes from your, , lips, , it, , Do, , must be, , .", , ", doctor said,, You are improving, Qjuite right., in, second., must not exert, You, every, Sleep, peace., must, You, on, account., yourself, any, sleep very soundly., The patient looked at, I will sec you in the morning.", , The, , him, , gratefully for, , a moment and then dosed, , his eyes.

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THE DOCTOR'S WORD, The doctor picked up, , his, , 23, , bag and went out shutting, , the door softly behind him., , On, , his, , hospital,, , way home he stopped, , for, , called out his assistant,, , a, , moment, , and, , ", said,, , at his, , That, , Lawley Extension case. You might expect the collapse, any second now. Go there with a tube of ... in, hand, and give, , it, , in case the struggle, , is, , too hard at, , the end., , Hurry up/', Next morning he was back at Lawley Extension at, From his car he made a dash for the sick bed., ten., The patient was awake and looked very well. The, , The doctor put, assistant reported satisfactory pulse., his tube at his heart, listened for a while, and told the, ", , man's wife, Don't look so unhappy, lady. Your, husband will live to be ninety." When they were, going back to the hospital, the assistant sitting beside, him in the car asked, " Is he going to live, sir ? ", ", I will bet on it., He will live to be ninety. He, has turned the corner. How he has survived this, attack will be a puzzle to me all my life," replied, sick, , the doctor.