Only Ravana and I remained. Tears welled up in his eyes.

“Guruji, is this really fair of you?” he asked plaintively.

“Oh, you fool! There’s nothing unfair in this. It’s only affection and fondness for you that’s behind it. Not just me, but all these people who have come here—however much affection they have for me, they have just as much for you too. So, don’t take it to heart,” I comforted him.

He hugged me, overcome with tears of joy, unable to speak, pressed my hands together in a namaste, and left without another word.

No sooner had he stepped outside than the lady of the house and her daughters came dashing into my room.

“What’s the matter, sir? What’s going on? You must tell us! We’ve been sitting here holding our breath since earlier,” they demanded.

“All right then, sit down,” I said, and set before them the remaining cakes and biscuits, along with a dish I had prepared myself, warning them not to be shy and to help themselves. Then, at leisure, I explained to them in detail the customs of our country, the natural tendencies of our women, the commotion our people make over such matters, and so on. They listened to all this in astonishment, giggling as they left.

At the doorway, the youngest girl turned back, looked at me, and laughed.

“What is it? Are you suspicious about something too?” I asked.

Without replying, she dashed off to their room.

As for victories and defeats in the war, not only is it hard to decide whose side fortune will favor, but even to guess seems impossible for anyone. Many have begun to suspect that, whoever wins, it may not necessarily be the English. In many theaters of war, the English have had to face unexpected and disastrous outcomes. In the Turkish regions, they had to endure a defeat even more crushing than the naval disaster that befell them earlier in Scotland. Because of this, Winston Churchill, who was then the First Lord of the Admiralty,

Barrister Parvateesam

...and so he had to retire from his post. There were numerous criticisms that the entire conduct of the war strategy was unsatisfactory, and as a result, even the Prime Minister, a man named Asquith, had to step down from his position. I believe it was around this time that the political parties had to go to elections. Until then, Lloyd George, who was in Asquith’s own party, began an enormous campaign against him. Never before had such campaigns been seen. I had not even read about anything like it. But witnessing it firsthand today felt like a great enlightenment.

Eager to hear Lloyd George speak, I went with some friends to the nearby city of Glasgow. Compared to the meeting I had attended in Edinburgh for Asquith, this was even more grand. Instead of being held in a hall, this meeting was organized in a vast open ground. People had gathered in countless numbers—so many that it was impossible to estimate. Within a few minutes of our arrival, the meeting began. The chairman spoke for a few minutes and then invited Mr. Lloyd George to deliver his speech.

Judging by the size of the local people, one must say he was a bit short in stature. Behind his white mustache, a gentle smile was always visible. As soon as he stood up, the entire gathering fell silent. The silence was so profound that you could have heard a pin drop. His speech flowed like a mighty river. His words thundered like a lion’s roar, reaching far and wide.

In the middle of his speech, while describing the circumstances of the day and the aspirations of the people, he said, “Distant India is demanding Home Rule. I, too, am saying that Wales should have Home Rule.” Up to that point, the audience had been listening in complete silence. Suddenly, from among the listeners, a man stood up and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Home Rule for Hell!” The shout was so loud it shook the entire assembly.

With that, chaos erupted in the meeting. Many voices could be heard shouting, “Throw out this rowdy! This scoundrel! This wretch! This agent of the enemy! This drunkard! Throw him out!” The cries of thousands rang out. Many feared that the meeting might have to be called off then and there. Everyone stood up. Even the chairman was unable to calm the crowd.

At that moment, Lloyd George said, “Ladies and gentlemen! Just a moment—”

Have patience. Why are you all getting so agitated? What is so wrong in what that great man said? Why are you so angry and upset? To me, it all seems quite reasonable. Turning to the mischief-maker, I said, “Sir! What you have said is certainly worth considering. As for the rest, let’s discuss it later.” As I was about to resume my speech, the entire audience burst into laughter so hearty that it seemed their stomachs would split, and even the sky itself trembled with their mirth and thunderous applause. For another half hour, my lecture continued without any further interruptions. As for the mischief-maker, he simply vanished—who knows what became of him. I doubt I’ll ever witness such a meeting again in my life. No matter how great an orator may be, when he is interrupted mid-flow, how many can respond so calmly, so gracefully, striking back at the troublemaker without letting him feel the sting? Only the rarest can manage such a feat. As I walked home, I kept thinking about his witty retort, and thus I returned to Edinburgh.

In the end, in the elections, Asquith—renowned throughout England as a peerless leader—was defeated, and Lloyd George took his place. Such are the strange turns of fate.

The war, day by day, was taking on a monstrous, terrifying form, shaking the entire world. The battles on land were dreadful enough, but those raging in the seas and skies were even