Free A Division Of The Spoils (Raj Quartet 4) by Paul Scott

escort to remain in the room but to retire to the door. So far he did not seem to have looked at the prisoner but when he spoke to the MPS the man looked at him with close attention and took no notice when the two policemen moved. The Punjab officer (again so far as Perron could tell, having his eyes more or less dutifully fixed on the prisoner) still did not look up. After a while, perhaps as long as ten seconds, the prisoner glanced at Perron’s officer who was uselessly busy with pencil, note-book and the folder of papers, but almost immediately had his attention taken again by something the Punjab major was doing.
    Perron glanced down. One-handed, the major had taken out a tin of cigarettes and a lighter. He opened the tin, selected a cigarette, lit it, closed the tin and then with the good handreached across to the left arm which hung straight, grasped the wrist of the gloved artificial hand, raised it and placed it on the table. Having taken a draw on the cigarette he inserted it between two of the gloved fingers and left it there: an erect white tube with smoke curling from the tip.
    As Perron switched his glance back to the prisoner he caught the burly MP’S eye. The MP winked.
    ‘Tumara nam kya hai?’ the Punjab officer asked suddenly in a low voice. The prisoner put his head on one side as a man might who recognized a language but could not identify it beyond doubt.
What is your name
?
    Without waiting longer for an answer the officer continued; again in Urdu –
    It says in this paper that your name is Karim Muzzafir Khan. Havildar Karim Muzzafir Khan, 1st Pankot Rifles, captured in North Africa with the other survivors of his battalion. With his comrades. With his leaders. Colonel Sahib himself also being captured. Is this so? It says so in this paper. You recognize the emblem on the paper? Does the Sircar make mistakes?
    The man seemed bewildered. He looked at Perron, as if for help. Perron stared at the bridge of the man’s nose. The man looked down again at the officer.
    Well?
    Yes, Sahib.
    Yes, Sahib? Yes? What is the meaning of this answer?
    Karim Muzzafir Khan, Sahib.
    Karim Muzzafir Khan, Havildar, 1st Pankot Rifles?
    Yes, Sahib.
    Karim Muzzafir Khan, Havildar? Captured with his battalion in North Africa?
    Sahib.
    Karim Muzzafir Khan, Havildar. Son of the late Subedar Muzzafir Khan Bahadur, also of the 1st Pankot Rifles?
    Sahib.
    Subedar Muzzafir Khan Bahadur? VC ?
    Perron was aware of his own officer looking up, alerted.
    Well?
    Sahib.
    The Punjab officer removed the smoking cigarette, drew onit, tapped the ash into a tray, slowly exhaled and replaced it between the rigid gloved fingers. He turned a page of the file. The prisoner’s head was lowered. He was staring at the cigarette and the artificial hand as though they exerted for him the special fascination of an object or arrangement of objects which, properly interpreted, might help him to understand precisely what it was that was happening to him. Perhaps this was what the Punjab officer intended. He continued to study the new page in the file. He was in no hurry. Perron kept glancing at the cigarette. If left to burn right down would the artificial fingers react? Unexpectedly the officer removed his cap and sat back. The prisoner stared at the scarred face, then looked away at the other officer’s busy pencil and then at Perron and after a moment shut his eyes.
    Are you fatigued?
    The prisoner opened his eyes.
    Sahib.
    You are not getting good sleep?
    No answer.
    Why? Why are you not getting good sleep?
    No answer.
    Something troubles you? What? What will happen? This troubles you? What will happen to you? What will happen to your wife and children? You have a wife and children?
    The man nodded.
    What they will say? That this is a matter of great shame? Is that what troubles you? What your wife and children will say? What the people in your village will say to your wife and children? Is that what you are thinking? That your wife will not hold