Accepted the Insult

I smarted under the insult, but as I had pocketed many such in the past I had become inured to them. I therefore decided to forget this latest one and take what course a dispassionate view of the case might suggest.

The insult hurt me, but I had endured many such insults before and had grown used to them. So I decided to forget this latest insult and act as a calm, impartial view of the situation suggested.

We had a letter from the Chief of the Asiatic Department to the effect, that as I had seen Mr. Chamberlain in Durban, it had been found necessary to omit my name from the deputation which was to wait on him.

We received a letter from the Chief of the Asiatic Department. It said that because I had seen Mr. Chamberlain in Durban, it had been found necessary to leave me out of the delegation that would meet him.

The letter was more than my co-workers could bear. They proposed to drop the idea of the deputation altogether. I pointed out to them the awkward situation of the community.

The letter was more than my co-workers could bear. They suggested abandoning the plan to send a delegation altogether. I pointed out the difficult position the community was in.

‘If you do not represent your case before Mr. Chamberlain,’ said I, ‘it will be presumed that you have no case at all. After all, the representation has to be made in writing and we have got it ready. It does not matter in the least whether I read it or some one else reads it. Mr. Chamberlain is not going to argue the matter with us. I am afraid we must swallow the insult.’

‘If you do not present your case to Mr. Chamberlain,’ I said, ‘people will assume you have no case at all. Besides, the case must be presented in writing, and we have it ready. It does not matter at all whether I read it or someone else does. Mr. Chamberlain is not going to argue the matter with us. I am afraid we must accept the insult.’

I had scarcely finished speaking, when Tyeb Sheth cried out, ‘Does not an insult to you amount to an insult to the community? How can we forget that you are our representative?’

I had barely finished speaking when Tyeb Sheth cried out, ‘Isn’t an insult to you also an insult to the community? How can we forget that you represent us?’

‘Too true,’ said I. ‘But even the community will have to pocket insults like these. Have we any alternative?’

‘That’s very true,’ I said. ‘But even the community will have to put up with insults like these. Do we have any choice?’

‘Come what may, why should we swallow a fresh insult? Nothing worse can possibly happen to us. Have we many rights to lose?’ asked Tyeb Sheth.

‘Whatever happens, why should we accept another insult? Nothing worse can possibly happen to us. Do we have many rights to lose?’ asked Tyeb Sheth.

I liked the spirited reply, but I also knew that the spirit was of no avail. I was fully conscious of the limitations of the community. I pacified my friends and advised them to have, in my place, Mr. George Godfrey, an Indian barrister.

I liked the spirited reply, but I knew that spirit alone would not help. I was fully aware of the community’s limitations. I calmed my friends and advised them to choose Mr. George Godfrey, an Indian barrister, in my place.

So Mr. Godfrey led the deputation. Mr. Chamberlain referred in his reply to my exclusion. ‘Rather than hear the same representative over and over again, is it not better to have some one new?’ he said, and tried to heal the wound.

So Mr. Godfrey led the delegation. In his reply, Mr. Chamberlain mentioned that I had been excluded. ‘Isn’t it better to hear someone new rather than the same representative over and over again?’ he said, trying to soothe the hurt.

But all this, far from ending the matter, only added to the work of the community and also to mine. We had to start afresh.

But all this did not end the matter. It only created more work for the community and for me. We had to start over.

‘It is at your instance that the community helped in the war, and you see the result now,’ were the words with which some people taunted me. But the taunt had no effect. ‘I do not regret my advice,’ said I. ‘I maintain that we did well in taking part in the war. In doing so we simply did our duty. We may not look forward to reaping the reward of our labours, but it is my firm conviction that all good action is bound to bear fruit in the end. Let us forget the past and think of the task before us.’ With which the rest agreed.

‘The community helped in the war at your urging, and now you see the result,’ some people taunted me. But their taunts had no effect. ‘I do not regret my advice,’ I said. ‘I still believe we were right to take part in the war. By doing so, we simply did our duty. We may not expect to be rewarded for our efforts. But I firmly believe that all good actions are bound to bear fruit in the end. Let us forget the past and think about the task before us.’ The others agreed.

I added: ‘To tell you the truth, the work for which you had called me is practically finished. But I believe I ought not to leave the Transvaal, so far as it is possible, even if you permit me to return home. Instead of carrying on my work from Natal, as before, I must now do so from here. I must no longer think of returning to India within a year, but must get enrolled in the Transvaal Supreme Court. I have confidence enough to deal with this new department. If we do not do this, the community will be hounded out of the country, besides being thoroughly robbed. Every day it will have fresh insults heaped upon it. The fact that Mr. Chamberlain refused to see me, and that the official insulted me, is nothing before the humiliation of the whole community. It will become impossible to put up with the veritable dog’s life that we shall be expected to lead.’

I added: ‘To tell you the truth, the work you called me here to do is nearly finished. But I believe I should stay in the Transvaal if possible, even if you allow me to return home. Instead of working from Natal as before, I must now work from here. I must no longer think of returning to India within a year. Instead, I must register with the Transvaal Supreme Court. I am confident that I can deal with this new department. If we do not do this, the community will be driven out of the country and thoroughly robbed. Every day, the community will face new insults. The fact that Mr. Chamberlain refused to see me and that the official insulted me is nothing compared with the humiliation of the whole community. It will become impossible to endure the truly miserable life we will be expected to lead.’

So I set the ball rolling, discussed things with Indians in Pretoria and Johannesburg, and ultimately decided to set up office in Johannesburg.

So I got things started and discussed them with Indians in Pretoria and Johannesburg. I eventually decided to open an office in Johannesburg.

It was indeed doubtful whether I would be enrolled in the Transvaal Supreme Court. But the Law Society did not oppose my application, and the Court allowed it. It was difficult for an Indian to secure rooms for office in a suitable locality. But I had come in fairly close contact with Mr. Ritch who was then one of the merchants there. Through the good offices of a house agent known to him, I succeeded in securing suitable rooms for my office in the legal quarters of the city, and I started on my professional work.

It was uncertain whether I would be admitted to practice in the Transvaal Supreme Court. But the Law Society did not oppose my application, and the Court approved it. It was difficult for an Indian to find office space in a suitable location. But I had become fairly close to Mr. Ritch, who was a merchant there at the time. With the help of a real estate agent he knew, I found suitable office space in the city’s legal district. There I began my professional work.