"Look at the hands of the mighty generals deploying their forces on the battlefield." "We do not know if these hands have ever held real weapons." "But this is not a real battle where blood is shed and the fate of empires is decided." "Mr. Meer and Mr. Mirza are only playing at warfare." "Their armies are pieces of ivory." "Their battlefield. ; a piece of cloth." "THE CHESS PLAYERS" "Mr. Mirza has given check." "This is the White King, which is open to attack by the Red Minister." "Mr. Meer, save your King." "For if the King is lost, the game is lost." "Poor Maqbool." "How often will he have to attend to those hookahs?" "For there will be many more battles fought on that piece of cloth today." "It has been like this since the friends discovered this noble game." "You may ask, "Have they no work to do?"" "Of course not.!" "Whoever heard of the landed gentry working?" "These are noblemen of the capital of Oudh. ;" "Lucknow." "After the passing of the great Moguls in Delhi," "Lucknow became India's bastion of Moslem culture." "Not all their games had the elegance of pigeons or kite-flying." "That notable culture had its cruel side, too." "This is the throne of King Wajid, who ruled over Oudh." "But the king had other interests, too." "Nevertheless, there were times when King Wajid sat on the throne." "Lfhe was not overfond of ruling, he was certainly proud ofhis crown." "Only five years ago, in 1851, he had sent it to London to be displayed at The Great Exhibition." "But listen to what an Englishman in India had to say about it." "The head of the Kingdom of Oudh to be eaten like a cherry?" "Alas, words penned by the Governor-General of India," "Lord Dalhousie." "But perhaps Lord Dalhousie was inordinately fond of cherries." "How many he had eaten in ten years. ;" "Punjab, Burma, Nagpur, Satara, Jhansi." "The only one left is the cherry of Oudh, whose friendship with Britain goes back half a century to the reign of Nawab Shuja." "Shuja had been unwise enough to pit his forces against the British." "No wonder he was defeated." "But the British did not dethrone him." "All they did was to make him sign a treaty pledging eternal friendship and five million rupees compensation." "Ever since, the Nawabs of Oudh have maintained this friendship." "When British campaigns needed money, the Nawabs opened their coffers." "And whenever British wrath had been aroused by evidence of Nawab misrule..." "OUDH" "Nawab Ghaziuddin's generosity so gratified the British that they gave him the title ofking." "It was Ghaziuddin who fashioned the crown which King Wajid sent to London." "Poor Wajid, if only you knew the mind of the Resident of Lucknow whose name was General Outram." "Maqbool, bring the hookahs." "Where did you find this piece of calligraphy?" "You won't believe I found it in a junk shop, for 50 rupees." " Do you like it?" " It's very good." "No wonder." "It's the work of Shamsuddin." "When you come to my house next, I'll show you an even better one." "My wife likes it so much, she's hung it in the bedroom." "I must remind you of an unbreakable rule of chess." "Which rule?" "If you touch a piece, you must move it." "But I always " "You don't." "Last time you touched a Knight, hesitated, then moved a Pawn." "And on another occasion " "I'm sorry, Mirza." "I'll be more careful." "Well, make your move." "Soldier, advance!" "Advance." "Mr. Nandlal is here." "My goodness." "Show him in." "Welcome!" "Hello there." "We haven't seen you for ages." "We were just talking about you." "I hope I'm not disturbing you." "Not at all." "We're honored." " Have a seat." " Thank you." "I see you're about to start a game." "Well..." "Then I'd better go." "No, it's no trouble." "This is our fourth game of the day." "Do sit down, please." "The game of kings, the king of games." "I'm proud it was invented by an Indian." "Really?" " I thought it came from Persia." " No, it originated in India." "Then it traveled to Europe." "Nandlal, you are clever indeed." "I see you're playing the Indian way." "What other way?" "The British way." "Don't say the Company's taken over chess, too." "I learned British chess from Mr. Collins when I taught him Farsi." "How does their game differ from ours?" "There's little difference." "The piece we call the Minister is called the Queen in the British game." "And the Queens are placed facing each other." "And the Pawn can move two squares in its first move." "When a Pawn reaches the eighth rank, it can be exchanged for a Queen." "I must say, the British are clever." "But why change the rules?" "It's a faster game." "So they find our game too slow?" "Like our transport." "Now we're to have railway trains and the telegraph." "The telegraph is here already, and I don't like it." "Bad news travels faster." "Bad news?" "Haven't you heard?" "We hear nothing when we play." "You can't laugh it off, Mr. Meer." "I hear the East India Company plans to take over Oudh." "Really?" "I came to tell you." "You may have learned British chess, but you don't understand their moves." "All these campaigns in Nepal, the Punjab, Afghanistan." "Where do you think the Company gets the money to fight them?" "From the King of Oudh, of course." "How?" "It's very simple." "Tell the king he's ruling badly." "Pay up, or the Company will take over." "The king pays up, the Company hears the jingle of gold, and everything returns to normal once again." "So you think the Company needs money again?" "Of course." "Do you think the railway and the telegraph cost nothing?" "You may be right." "But I don't trust Lord Dalhousie." "I hear that British forces have reached Kanpur." "Really?" "What if war should break out?" "Mr. Meer, just take down that sword, will you?" "That one." "Sword?" "Show it to Mr. Nandlal." "Draw it from its scabbard." "Do you know whose sword that was?" "No." "You tell him, Meer." "This sword belonged to Mirza's great-grandfather." "Our great-grandfathers were officers in King Burhan-ul-Mulk's army." "They were so formidable, they struck terror into the enemy." "In recognition of their valor, the king granted them estates which we are living off to this day." "So you see whose blood flows in our veins." "Whatever happens, the British can't stop us playing chess." "We're talking of war, and he thinks only of chess." "Don't worry, Mr. Meer." "We may have invented the game, but it's the British who have taken it up." "And made the Pawn move two squares." " Well, I must take my leave." " So soon?" "I feel like an intruder." "Mr. Collins wouldn't answer the door to any callers when we played." "Well, now." "Then Mr. Collins should not only have studied our languages, but our manners, too." "Yes, indeed." "Good-bye." "While the descendants of Burhan-ul-Mulk's officers fought bloodlessly, another game was being played elsewhere." "In Calcutta, Lord Dalhousie was preparing an important dispatch." "It was sent by special courier." "Calcutta is 600 miles from Lucknow." "The horsemen covered the distance in seven days." "On the evening of 31 January, 1856, the dispatch reached General Outram." "Finished already?" "You know I'm a light eater." "Line it up properly, will you?" "The master wants you." "You should be more careful." "Check." "The mistress wishes to see you, sir." "The mistress wishes to see you." " What for?" " She didn't say, sir." "The master says he's coming." " When?" " He didn't say." " Hiria." " Yes?" "Tell him I have a headache." "He must come at once." "Why didn't you tell me?" "I could have rubbed sandalwood paste on your brow." "Just do as you're told." "The mistress has a headache." "She wants to see you at once." "You'd better look in." "Say I'm coming." "All right." "They don't say a word when you spend the night with a whore, but when you stay at home and play a clean game, they pester you." "Why not go?" "It will take me some time to get out of this trap, anyway." "Headache, my foot." "Tell her I thought the food was delicious." " Don't play around with the pieces." " You know I'd never do such a thing." " Hiria says you have a headache." " As if you cared." "What?" "As if you had the slightest sympathy." "But I " "Even if I were dying, you wouldn't give me a drop of water." "How can you say such a thing?" "I left the game because you called." "That stupid game." "Stupid game?" "Why, it is the king of games." "It was invented in India and now the world plays it." "Then the world is stupid." "Ever since I started to play chess, my power of thinking has grown a hundredfold." "But you never think of me." "Of course I do." "I came rushing as soon as Hiria told me." "It was far better when you spent your nights with that singing woman." "At least I knew you wouldn't be coming home." "But now, even when you're home, we don't see each other." "You just sit hunched over that stupid bit of cloth and jiggle around those stupid ivory pieces." "And I sit praying to God that you will finish early and come to bed." "But the wretched game goes on and on, and I go crazy sitting and waiting." "I order Hiria to tell me stories to keep me awake, but she keeps telling the same stories over and over again." "And you're always playing with your stupid friend." "Dear, don't run down my friend because you're angry with me." "He sits there and doesn't know what game his wife is playing at home." "Now, don't spread gossip." "Gossip?" "All Lucknow knows that his wife is carrying on with another man." "Only you and your friend don't know." "If you have a headache " "Who says I do?" "I don't." "Then why did you send for me?" "Well, I'll go, then." "Please don't go just yet." "What are you looking at?" "Your eyes." "My eyes?" "They're red from staring at those stupid pieces." "Really?" "I won't let you go back tonight." "Yes, but..." "Meer is waiting." "Please forget chess tonight." "What are you doing?" "It's so chilly." "Don't be angry, darling." "Don't be so glum." " The thing is " " You don't love me." "I do love you, believe me." "I'll prove it tomorrow." "My mind was elsewhere, with Meer waiting and the game half finished." "You only care for that game." "Tomorrow I'll finish early and dine with you." "I'll show you how much I love you." "All right?" "Yes, madam." "Come and tell me a story." "I must stay awake all night." "A bad headache?" "Very bad." "She was flailing her arms about." "I feared she would have a fit." "Check." "Next morning, General Outram had a meeting with the Prime Minister of Oudh." "This will come to His Majesty as a bolt from the blue." "In his worst nightmares, he could not have dreamt of this from the Company." "I cannot imagine what agonies he will suffer when he hears of this." "Yes, I know about the report." "Colonel Sleeman made his inspection against His Majesty's wishes." "Yet we bore the expense of his tour, for all his 1,100 people." "Tents, elephants, provisions, we gave him everything." "That he gave a bad report is our misfortune." "If he had inspected the Company's Bengal " "Ungrateful knaves.!" "The house is burgled, yet none of you stirs out ofbed." "I'll have you all sent to prison." "I treat you well, and this is how you show your gratitude." "No excuses!" "Hello." "Hello." "Don't stand there." "Keep on searching!" "Why all the excitement?" "Some rascal made off with my chessmen." "My God." "It's my fault." "I should have kept them in the safe." "They steal the clothes off your back these days." "What do we do now?" "I haven't got a set of my own." "Why don't we go and buy a new set?" "Don't you know that shops are closed on Fridays?" "And to think that I'd worked out such a beautiful new strategy." "The entire day is ruined." "However, as the poet says..." "Mirza, that old lawyer of ours." "Mr. Imtiaz Hussain?" "Remember the southeast corner of his drawing room?" "The southeast corner?" "Indeed I do!" "Please be seated." "I'll inform the master." "Considering all he's chiselled out of me in legal fees..." "What about me, too?" "He shouldn't refuse to lend it to us for a day." "I should hope not." "Good morning, Chuttan Mia." " Is your father in?" " Yes, he is." "He's resting." "Father is in bed." "Unconscious." "We've sent for the doctor." "Please make yourselves comfortable." "He was all right in the morning." "Allah willing, he'll recover soon." "God willing." "Let us pray for his speedy recovery." "If you will excuse me." "Certainly." "Don't let us detain you." "Soldier, advance!" "Father has regained consciousness." "Come, he'll be happy to see you." "Are you sure he's conscious?" "Yes, he was just talking to me." "Father," "Mr. Meer and Mr. Mirza have come to pay their respects." "God rest his soul." "O Krishna, I'm so weary" "So weary" "O Krishna, I'm so weary" "So weary" "Yet I will not renounce you" "Yet I will not renounce you" "O Krishna, I'm so weary" "Well?" "Come now, that is enough." "The Resident must have been singing ghazals to you." "Nothing but poetry and music should bring tears to a man's eyes." "What is the matter?" "Your Majesty... you shall no longer wear the crown." "Double or quits!" "Bet on Sohrab!" "Bet on Rustum!" " Tell me, which is which?" " Sohrab has the black face." "One rupee on Rustum." "Why waste good money?" "Betting is not for us." "Place your bets and win big!" "Come on!" "Let's go." "By order of His Majesty the King of Oudh, the public is warned that there will be severe punishment for anyone spreading rumors that the Company is taking over our realm." "The Company forces are not marching on Lucknow." "They are passing en route to Nepal." "What is it that makes people spread rumors?" "If anyone even mentions a take-over," "I'll pull his tongue out." "What a glorious day, yet we have to spend it in idleness." "For every problem, there is a solution." "One must know where to seek it." "Let's go home." "There." "Yes, sir." "Bring the hookahs." "I take my hat off to you, Mirza." "The Pawns are no problem." "Neither are the King and the Minister." "But you have to be careful with the Bishops, the Knights and the Rooks." "Let me see." "Tomato is Bishop, lime is Knight, chili is Rook." " Is the master back?" " Yes, madam." "Is he alone?" "No, madam." "Mr. Meer is with him." "They're not playing chess, are they?" "They are, madam, with nuts, spices and vegetables." "Who knows what magic there is in that game?" "Hold on." "That's a Knight." "Lime is Knight, tomato is Bishop." "Who fired that salvo?" "Maqbool." "If you don't mind, from tomorrow we'll play in your house." "You know you are always welcome." "Give those to the mistress with my compliments." "You have deceived me." "All of you." "I loved you more than my own kin." "I put my trust in you." "I gave you all powers." "What have you done, except line your own pockets?" "Colonel Sleeman had warned me against you." "I paid no heed to him." "Now I know he was right." "And he was right about you, too, Prime Minister." "About me?" "Yes, about you." "What sin have I committed, sire?" "You dare to ask me that?" "Why did you not throw this paper in the Resident's face?" "Should you not have asked what right the Company had to break the treaty?" "The Company may assume administration, but it has no right to depose the king." "It is all my fault." "I should never have sat on the throne." "But I was young and I loved the crown." "I loved the throne, the robe and the jewels." "I loved the pomp and the glitter." "In the beginning," "I behaved like a true king." "For a time, at least." " Did I not, Prime Minister?" " You did, Your Majesty." " Remember my army, Dewan Sahib?" " How can I forget, Your Majesty?" "The daily parades... and the names I gave my cavalry regiments." "And my army of women, pretty girls in pretty uniforms on pretty horses." "What a picture they made when they trotted by." "But Mr. Resident would have none of it." "Mr. Richmond it was." "He said, "Why bother with an army?" "Our British forces are guarding your borders." "You yourself are paying for them." "So why bother?"" ""Very well, Mr. Richmond." "Your word is law." "I shall not bother."" "But what will I do?" "I am asking you." "If a king stops bothering about his realm, what is left for him to do?" "I found the answer." "Mr. Richmond never told me." "No one told me." "I found it myself." "Do you remember that song of mine?" "Which song, Your Majesty?" "Restless and troubled" "I passed the sleepless night" "My love has departed To what land I know not" "I remember, sire." "Do you know when I composed it and where?" "No, sire." "Here." "On this throne, in full court." "I shall never forget the moment." "A man stood while his petition was read out." "Suddenly, the clerk's voice seemed to fade away." "It no longer reached my ears." "But in its place..." "Who could have seen this" "My eyes are thirsting" "For the sight" "Of my love" "Yet they are veiled" "Since your horses" "Departed through my gates" "I've lost the sense of everything" "Restless and troubled" "I passed the sleepless night" "My love has departed To what land I know not" "Well done." "That was the answer I found." "No, Prime Minister, I was never meant to rule." "If my people had come to me and said," ""Your Majesty, leave the throne." "We do not want you." "You are making us suffer."" "I would have cast away my crown then and there." "But they did not say so." "Do you know why?" "Because I have never hidden my true self from them." "I was not afraid to show how I was." "And they loved me, in spite of that." "Even after ten years, I can see love in their eyes." "They love my songs." "They sing them." "Go and ask the Resident:" "How many kings of England have written songs?" "Ask if Queen Victoria has composed songs which her people sing." "The Company is sending troops." "Why?" "Because the Company fears my people may rise against it." "It knows that my people are strong." "Some of the Company's best soldiers are from Oudh." "Is it not strange, Prime Minister, that my "poor, oppressed people"" "should make the best soldiers in the Company's army?" "Half of Oudh has already gone to you, Company." "Now you want the other half and the throne, too." "You are breaking one more treaty in asking for it." "If my people are misruled, why have they not fled to a realm you own?" "Why do they not cross the frontier to ask you to save them from my misrule?" "Prime Minister, please go and tell the Honorable Resident... my throne is not theirs for the asking." "If they want it... they will have to fight for it." "Rafique." "This is an even better place than mine." "So quiet." "Just right for chess." "The pleasure is all mine." "Bring the hookahs." "And tell the mistress there are two for dinner." "You must show me the calligraphy your wife likes so much." "All in good time." "The master is home, madam." "Mr. Mirza is with him." "He will dine with the master." "Very well." "Have you made up with your wife?" "She seemed rather agitated yesterday." "What a problem." "Soldier, advance." "My dear Mr. Meer, wives are always problems." "Don't you agree?" "Some wives are problems." "No problems here, though." "Disaster!" "He's at home." " He's playing in the drawing room." " Playing?" " Chess." " Chess?" "He's with his friend." "He's never played here before." "I'm so worried." "So uncle's playing chess." "Suppose something should happen?" "Don't worry." "A man with his eyes on the chessboard is lost to the world." "That's just what he always says." "I don't wish to boast... but I'm the luckiest man in the world." "Look everywhere, you won't find as sweet and reasonable a wife as mine." "I haven't a single complaint to make." "She even takes an interest in chess." " No." " Yes." "One day I explained the game to her, and she appreciated its fascination." "Now she even insists on my leaving early so as not to keep you waiting." "Extraordinary." "And when I return home in the small hours... she rubs balm on my brow and I am soon asleep." "That is luck indeed." "Where are you going?" " I'll fetch that calligraphy." " My respects to your wife." "Don't play about with those pieces while I'm away." "Don't come out." "It's not safe yet." "What's going on?" "He's hiding." "That I can see." "But why?" "They're after him." "Who?" "What have you done, Aqil?" "Was there a fight?" "My goodness." "Say something." "What happened?" "Nothing." "Who's " "Who's after him?" "The army." "The army is after me." "But what army?" "Ours." "The king's army." "Really?" "War's about to break out." "The troops have already reached Kanpur." "The army needs men and they're rounding up people to fight." "Just grabbing them off the street." "You know, too?" "Aqil just told me." "Officers came to our house." "He sneaked out of the back door." "I hope they didn't see you sneak out." "I'm not sure, Uncle." "They were on horseback." "I heard them, too." "When?" "Just before you came." "Clip-clop!" "But... why hide under the bed?" "You can't be seen from the street." "He lost his head." "He's like a child." "Feel how his heart is racing." "You'd better give him some hot milk." "Don't worry, my dear fellow." "You're perfectly safe here." "They're calling at houses, rounding up people to fight for the king." "You know you can be arrested for spreading such rumors." "Rumors?" "Aqil saw it with his own eyes." "He's my nephew." "He's just told me what's going on." "He was hiding under the bed." "Poor boy, he's quite shaken." "His heart is racing." "The king's soldiers haven't been paid for months." "They must have refused to fight." "We must do something about it." "You mean you want to fight?" "Me?" "What a notion!" "Let's get back to our game." "How can I play when I know we're not safe here?" "Should we go back to my house?" "Out of the question." "What then?" "Well, I " "It's them!" "What " "What are you doing?" "For God's sake, don't go out on the balcony!" "They'll see him." "They don't seem to be looking for anybody." "I tell you, there's nothing to worry about." "Why are you looking at me like that?" "What are you laughing at?" "I'm laughing at my friend, descendant of Burhan-ul-Mulk's brave cavalry officer." "Pull yourself together and listen to me." "All right." "We'll run away from here." "Run away?" "And leave that behind?" "No, we take it." "We'll play, but not here and not in your house, either." "Where, then?" "This is what we'll do." "In a village across the river, there's a ruined old mosque." "A quiet place, with not a soul around." "The quietest, safest place imaginable." "You've seen the place?" "With my own eyes." "We'll leave at the crack of dawn and get back when it's dark." "Nobody will recognize us." "We'll take a mat and a couple of hookahs." "What about food?" "We can buy our lunch from a shop, kebabs and chapatis." "What about weapons?" "We must carry weapons." "A man who goes out unarmed in these troubled times never returns home." "All right, we'll carry pistols." "Mr. Resident, how can I ask someone to sign a treaty which I myself do not understand?" "Wajid Ali Shah was enthroned with the full consent of the Company." "If he proved to be a bad ruler, why did the Company not do something about it?" "Why did it not guide him, to correct the administration?" "Why this sudden, drastic step after ten years?" "Has my son ever defied the Company, or made trouble for it?" "Mr. Resident." "Have you forgotten how you were received by our people when you first came here a year ago?" "Have you ever known such warmth and hospitality as here?" "Tell the Governor-General that we do not want money." "We want justice." "If the queen's servant cannot give us justice, we shall go to the queen herself and ask for it." "Mr. Resident had an audience of the Queen Mother today." "The Queen Mother has told him that she herself will go to England... to seek justice from Queen Victoria." "Our barons have also sent word." "They await Your Majesty's order to raise an army of 100,000 men and 1,000 pieces of artillery to oppose the Company's forces." "When I leave my beloved Lucknow" "I do not know" "I do not know how I shall bear the pain of parting" "When I leave my beloved Lucknow" "East India Company, you can take away my crown... but you cannot take away my dignity." "The Company has offered me a handsome allowance." "As a citizen of Lucknow, if not as its king," "I must show my gratitude." "Inform the Honorable Resident... that I shall be pleased to receive him tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning." "But before he comes, dismount all guns" "and disarm all the soldiers... and instruct my people" "to offer no resistance when Lucknow is entered... by the Company's troops." "Where is your mosque?" "I can see it clearly in my mind's eye." "Even the tamarind tree right behind it." "Perhaps the British troops... have razed it to the ground." "God forbid!" "Shall we ask that boy?" "Listen, boy." "Come here." "There used to be an old mosque here, a ruined mosque." "There's a mosque about two miles away." " An old mosque?" " No, built only the other day." "Perhaps you saw the mosque in a dream." "Say something." "I'm terribly sorry, Mirza." "That mosque was in Kanpur." "I saw it as a child." "One can't always be right, you know." "As in the couplet:" "I have spent this time in unawareness, and now..." "To hell with your couplet!" "Where do we play now, in that field of mustard?" "You can come to my house, sir." " Who else is there?" " Nobody." "They've all run away." " Run away?" " To Sitapur." "The British are coming, sir." "What if they shoot people down?" "Yet you've stayed?" "I want to see them come." "Aren't you afraid?" "I like their red coats." "They're coming today, sir, down that road over there." "What if war should break out?" "How do we get back?" " Do you want to go back now?" " Not at all." " Then you'll stay and play?" " Certainly." "Very well." "Let's go to your house." " What's your name?" " Kalloo, sir." "We don't need that." "We have a mat." " You're playing, sir?" " Yes." "Chess." " Can you prepare a hookah?" " Yes, sir." "Go on, then." "Everything's here." " You'll give me baksheesh?" " Of course." "Can you get us something to eat?" " Now, sir?" " No, when we're hungry." "I'll run to town and get anything you want." " Excellent." " Take this." "Are you going to fight the British?" "Why not?" "We're not afraid of them." "Are we?" "I can bare my head for you, but I cannot sign that treaty." "You're sure?" "You can take it back." "It's all right." "As you wish." "I'm afraid you'll lose this time." "No wonder, these mosquitoes are draining my blood." "They don't seem to bite me." "They're choosy." "They only go for pure blood." "Check." "Where the hell is that boy?" "You sent him to fetch the food." "Can you manage that yourself?" "God knows where he's put the tobacco." "It's well past noon and still no sign of food." "How helpless we are without servants." "As the verse goes, a very interesting verse," ""Passion alone will not take you anywhere, neither to the sea, the woods, the land or the air."" "You're in high spirits today." "I feel wonderful." "Indeed." "The general is about to win the battle." "My strategy has paid off." "What an ideal spot this is." "No officers to harass us, and the British can come and go for all we care." "You must have slept well, thanks to the balm your wife rubs on your brow." "That's true of every night." "I wonder where Aqil places himself while your wife does her massage?" "Under the bed, I suppose." "What do you imply?" "Your move." "It's a dirty trick to put me off my game, just because you're losing." "Who's losing?" "I've moved, now it's your turn." "You've beaten me often and I've never lost my temper." "Your move." "One doesn't expect this from a gentleman." "Does a gentleman let his wife carry on with any man that comes her way?" " You've no right to talk like that." " Why not?" "You forget that your ancestors were nothing but grass-cutters." "And what about your ancestors?" "Slaving away in the kitchens of" "But, Meer, you " "Have you lost your senses?" "You must be insane." "Throw away that stupid gun." "When I'm really angry, I can kill." "Pull the trigger, then." "But what I've told you is the truth." "A lie." "I swear it's true." "I don't believe you." "You'll find out for yourself one day." "Then you'll regret it." "You're saying this to upset me, so I lose the game." "That's a vile thing to say, Meer." "Do you think I could ever be so mean?" "It's you who cheated in the past, but I never said a word." "The British are coming!" "I've brought the food, sir." "The food, sir." "There was such a crowd in the market." "Everybody shouting and running one way and another." "That's why it took me so long, sir." "Put it on the mat." " Here's the change, sir." " Keep it." "Our king has given up, sir." "The British have become our rulers." "There was no fighting, sir." "No guns went off." "You're right, Kalloo." "No fighting, no bloodshed." "King Wajid has made sure of that." "Three days from today, on 5th February, 1856, the kingdom of Oudh will be in British hands." "Wajid Ali Shah will leave his beloved city... for all time." "And Lord Dalhousie will have eaten his cherry." "The food is getting cold." "I see you've been standing under a tree." "Even the crows despise me." "The British take over Oudh, while we hide in a village and fight over petty things." "We couldn't have done much even if we'd stayed in town." "If we can't cope with our wives, how can we cope with the British army?" "Yes, you're right." "So why worry?" "I'm not worrying about that." "What are you worrying about?" "About who to play chess with." "Here is one person, Meer." "And there is some food." "We can eat and play at the same time." "When it's dark, we can go home." "We need darkness to hide our faces." "Come, let's have a fast game." "A fast game?" "Yes, a fast game." "Fast, like a railway train." "Move over, Minister." "Make way for Queen Victoria!"