THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

II. 3. Bankim Chandra Chatterji85Macaulay, hard working official, whose brains were tied togetherwith red tape. The diligent mediocrity of this man was goadedto extra hours by flickering visions of a Lieutenant-Governorship,but Bankim, having no such high incentive, was carefulto close his work at the strict office-hour. For this Macaulay tookhim severely to task. “It is natural enough,” replied Bankim,forgetting unfortunately that he was talking to a piece of redtape, “it is natural enough for you to work hard. You are ofthe ruling caste and may rise, who knows? to be Lieutenant-Governor. But why should I be subservient to your example?Here is the bourne and goal of my promotion. Beyond it whatprospect have I? No, I have no idea of sweating myself to deathover extraordinary work.” When independence and red tape comeinto collision, it is usually independence that gets tripped up.Bankim was sent back in a hurry to Magistrate's work, thistime at Alipur. But his ill-luck followed him. He was shipwreckedagain in a collision with Anglo-Indianism. Walking in Eden Gardenhe chanced across Munro, the Presidency Commissioner, afarouche bureaucrat with the manners of an Englishman andthe temper of a badly-educated hyena. Bankim examined thequeer curiosity, as one might any queer curiosity, with a certainlazy interest, but no signal of respect. He was unaware atthis time that to Salaam any stray European you may meet isthe highest privilege of a Hindu and the whole duty of a DeputyMagistrate. But he was soon to receive instruction: for HisHyenaship was off in a rage to the Government and by a littleprivate roaring easily got Bankim transferred to Jahajpur in Orissa.Bankim was considerably taken aback and not a little angry.“Have I then committed some grave fault?” he enquired of theChief Secretary, “or is it that the Government has found out anew way to pay its old debts? Resolve me, for I am in doubt.”The gibe told. He had hardly set foot in Orissa, when he wasgazetted back to Hugly. After a lapse of time — Munro, I believe,had in the meantime been struck by his own astonishinglikeness to the founder of Christianity and was away to spreadthe light of the Gospel among the heathen — after a lapse oftime Bankim was allowed to come back to Alipur. But this wasthe last stage of that thankless drudgery in which he had wasted so