My Mother — Page 152
152 enquiringly at him. He said to me in English: ‘She is cleverer than me. She sent for me and told me her pulse had gone. Her heart is in bad shape, but I have not told her this. I am preparing an injec- tion, Let us hope it may help. ’ He gave her the injection and put his fingers on her pulse. After a few minutes he told her that the pulse was normal. She felt it herself and said, ‘It is not normal. It has come back but it is weak. ’ Latif telephoned to the civil surgeon to come over. Those who had gone for lunch came back, followed at a short interval by Shaikh Ijaz Ahmad and Ch. Bashir Ahmad. Mother spoke to us gently and serenely. She said: ‘We have all to face this hour. Separation from one’s parents is painful. I am, however, content with Allah’s will. I am going to Him well pleased. I wish to take leave of all of you. I wish you to make no fuss, now or after I am gone. ’ Then she whispered something into her daughter’s ear who whispered back to her. Then, turn by turn, she said goodbye to everyone with prayers, her sons, her daughters-in-law, Bashir Ahmad, his wife Ahmadah Begum, Ijaz Ahmad, Dr. Latif, his wife Ameenah Begum to whom she presented her garland of gold Ashrafis, Ghulam Nabi eldest son of her deceased sister, Aziz Ahmad middle son of her only brother and Chaudhri Fazal Dad who had been my faithful clerk during the years that I had prac- tised at the Bar. Then she sent for Amatul Hayy and kissed her good bye. Then she asked for Syed Abdul Karim, the chauffeur, and thanked him. Ghulam Nabi was much distressed. She com- forted him and said to me, ‘If he should ever be at fault, recall this moment and overlook his default. ’