My Mother — Page 148
148 treat ment. I dispatched a telegram to him at Delhi that Mother wished he could come up. He arrived next morning. Seeing him enter her room she felt happy and sat up in bed. She greeted him affectionately and said with a smile, ‘If I recover this time I shall concede that you are an eminent physician. ’ He responded, ‘Allah will be gracious. You see I have answered your telegram immediately. ’ She rejoined, ‘I sent no telegram’; and looked at me curiously. I said, ‘You had wished he could be available and I sent the telegram. ’ He examined her carefully and determined that she must leave Simla immediately, as the height strained her heart. He pro- posed that he should take her to Delhi and keep her at his own house, as she would need constant attention and checking up, and his wife would take proper care of her. He reassured her that, by Allah’s grace, she should win back to normal health within a few days. Arrangements were made for their immediate departure for Delhi. My official duties demanded my presence in Simla, but the day being Sunday I arranged to travel down with them to Kalka, the railhead, and put them in the train for the night journey to Delhi. I could go to Delhi myself the following weekend. My wife insisted that she must go with Mother to look after her during the journey and in Delhi. Mother would not hear of it. Delhi would be very hot and little Amatul Hayy must not be exposed to the heat. Dr. Latif ’s wife was like a daughter to her and she was sure she would be well looked after. But Amatul Hayy’s mother was adamant. It was not to be thought of that Mother should be ill and she should not be at hand to serve and tend her. The journey from Simla to Kalka all downhill was performed