My Mother — Page 74
74 conducted the prosecution case like a gentleman. ’ One of them who had been released on bail came to the railway station to bid me a personal farewell. From Delhi I went to Lahore to meet Sir Fazal-i-Husain who was to be entertained next day at lunch by his friends and admir- ers. I asked him if he had any instructions for me. He said, ‘I can- not look over your shoulder all the time. You must swim or sink on your own. ’ I had been, by the pure mercy and grace of Allah, suddenly elevated to the highest office of state without any previous expe- rience of public administration. My only resource was to seek guidance through prayer. On my arrival in Simla, I found that there was a cabinet meeting in the afternoon in which the draft Defence Des patch to be submitted to the Secretary of State for India in connection with the proposed Constitutional Reforms was to come under consideration. Defence was a subject of which I knew nothing. There was no one from whom it was open to me to seek advice. I began the study of the Desptach and as I pro- ceeded I found it was a well-drawn-up document which I could follow without much difficulty. At four places I felt it could be slightly improved, and these I ticked on the margin. In the meeting, the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Philip Chetwode, was assisted by his very competent Chief of Staff, General Wigram. In my turn I presented my sug gestions at the places I had marked. Each time I noticed General Wigram smile and nod appreciatively. He leaned forward and whispered to Sir Philip who signified acceptance. I came out of the meeting feel- ing that, by Allah’s grace, I had been enabled to pass my first test. In addition, as it turned out, I had won the firm friendship and