{"id":50,"date":"2013-07-13T01:25:34","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:25:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=50"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:25:34","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:25:34","slug":"67-at-the-societys-chambers-vol-03-the-harmony-of-virtue-volume-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/03-the-harmony-of-virtue-volume-03\/67-at-the-societys-chambers-vol-03-the-harmony-of-virtue-volume-03","title":{"rendered":"-67_At the Society’s Chambers.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n


\n\t\tAt the Society’s Chambers<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

       
\n\t\tProfessor <\/i> : Gentlemen, I believe we are here in full strength.
\nIt is gratifying to find so much enthusiasm still abroad for the
\ndispassionate acquisition of knowledge. I trust it is not a short-lived fervour; I trust we shall not soon have to declare our
\nsociety extinct from constitutional inability to form a quorum.<\/p>\n

Jurist <\/i> : I believe this is a society for the discussion of all
\nthings discussable and the discovery <\/b> of all things discoverable. Am I
\nright in my supposition?<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : Your definition is rather wide, but it may pass.
\nWhat then?<\/p>\n

Jurist <\/i> : In that case I suggest that the first subject we should
\ndiscuss is whether this society should come into existence at all
\nand should not rather adjourn its birth sine die<\/i>.<\/p>\n

             
\nA silence<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : Gentlemen, I think we should not be damped.
\nEven this should not damp us. I believe it is nothing worse than
\nthe Indian spirit of scepticism \u2014 not malaria, not inertia, not
\neven spiritual cramp. Courage, let us not shirk even this dangerous inquiry.<\/p>\n


\nJurist <\/i> : Let me explain. My suggestion is dictated not by the
\nspirit of academical doubt, but by the more mundane love of
\nsafety. Have you reflected, Professor, that there are other
\ndangers abroad besides the chance of automatic dissolution ? Is
\nit not conceivable that we may be dissolved as an association
\nfor unlawful objects or arrested as a gang of dacoits?<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : Good Heavens! My dear sir! And yet \u2014 I don’t
\nknow. As a member of a society pledged to regard truth from all
\npossible directions, I cannot rule it out as an impossibility. But
\nif we have none but unobjectionable members \u2014<\/p>\n


\nJurist <\/i> : Pardon me, Professor. How do you know who is an
\nunobjectionable member or who is objectionable? As a Professor you are
\nacquainted with hundreds of students. It is possible
\none of them might stray in here of an evening. He might be<\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 468<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

arrested. He might turn approver. And what would his statement be ? Why,
\nthat Prof. So-and-So was leader of a gang of
\npolitical dacoits, that the Society met at such a number in
\nHarrison Road, that they were accustomed to arrange their nefarious enterprises
\nthere under cover of intellectual conversation
\nand that you were the receiver of the booty. And then there
\nwould be the Andamans where you would probably get more
\nphysical exercise in one week than you have done in all your life,
\nProfessor. There are other joys, Professor, the whipping triangle,
\nhandcuffs, laphsy<\/i>.\u00b9 Is it worth while?<\/p>\n


\nThe Professor gazes in horrified silence at the Jurist, then with a flash of
\nhope <\/i> : He might recant.<\/p>\n

Jurist <\/i> : That is only an off chance. I would not rely on it.
\nYou see he would be laying himself open to an unanswerable
\naccusation of perjury, while, if he persisted in his story, he would
\nbe perfectly safe.<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : But surely some corroboration, some documentary evidence
\n\u2014<\/p>\n


\nJurist <\/i> : Certainly; why not? He would point out your house; it would be proved that it was your house. He would identify
\nthese rooms, it would be proved that we all met here. Then,
\nProfessor, do you never use the word kāj<\/i> in your letters? Do you
\nscrupulously avoid any reference to bibāha<\/i>?<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : It is quite possible I may use both.<\/p>\n

\nJurist <\/i> : And yet you say, where is the documentary evidence ?
\nOne such letter coinciding with your absence from Calcutta!
\nThe Andamans, Professor, the Andamans!<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : I will scrupulously avoid both in future.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\tJurist <\/i> : There are other words in the Bengali language. In
\nany case, if you escaped any special charge, you would be sure to be rearrested
\non the general charge of conspiracy?<\/p>\n

\nProfessor <\/i> (exasperated<\/i>) <\/i> : Proofs, sir, the proofs!<\/p>\n

\nJurist <\/i> : Quite easy. We shall merely have to prove association. Have you
\nno student who may be either mixed up or liable
\nto be suspected of being mixed up in a dacoity or a conspiracy ?<\/p>\n

\nProfessor <\/i> : Association for a criminal object, sir!<\/p>\n

\nJurist <\/i> : That could be assumed from the closeness of your<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\u00b9A broth served to prisoners in varied
\nforms.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 469<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

intimacy. The burden of proving your association innocent
\nwould then fall upon you. I challenge you to prove your association even with
\nme innocent. All you can prove is that your
\nother acquaintances did not know its criminal object.<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : I shall keep a diary of all my words and actions.\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tJurist <\/i> : It could easily be shown that it was kept with an eye
\nto this contingency. Do not do it, Professor. You might put in
\nthings unknown to you which would be damning evidence against
\nyou in the hands of a skilful lawyer. If many names of suspects
\noccurred in it, it would be itself the basis of his case and the key-stone of his theory.<\/p>\n

                          
\nThe Professor collapses<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n


\nJurist <\/i> : In any case you would have a year or more in hājut<\/i>.
\n<\/i>Do you know what hājut<\/i> is like, Professor? There would be
\nlaphsy<\/i> there too; there would be the joys of solitary confinement; you would have to sit for hours on your haunches, to which you
\nare not accustomed; there would be parades of various kinds; warders with boots to whom you are supposed, I believe, to
\nsalaam; daily physical researches on yourself in a nude condition. To the last
\nrapture I do not object; but you, Professor, are constitutionally modest.<\/p>\n

                                                              
\nA silence<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

\nJurist <\/i> : Gentlemen, allow me again. I seem to have disconcerted and
\nappalled this nascent society. It was far from my intention. The case I have
\nput is an extreme and highly hypothetical
\none. My object is to put you on your mettle and induce you to
\nadopt all reasonable precautions.<\/p>\n

The Practical Man <\/b><\/i>
\n: <\/b>We can be careful to exclude
\ndetectives.<\/p>\n


\nJurist <\/i> : My dear sir! The very way to invite suspicion. The
\npolice would first learn the existence of a society. On inquiry
\nthey would find out that special care was taken to exclude detectives. We would
\nhave only ourselves to thank for the house-search and arrests that would follow.<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> (reviving<\/i>) : I would recommend paying a member
\nof <\/b> C.I.D. to attend our meetings.<\/p>\n


\nThe Extremist <\/i> (scornfully<\/i>) : Why only one, Professor? Why
\nnot the whole damned department?<\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 470<\/font><\/p>\n

\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : My dear Biren, pray take care of your words.
\nThey are highly irregular and seditious and may bring about your
\nforfeiture under the Press Act. No, not all. There is such a thing
\nas moderation. Besides, your proposal is as extravagant as your
\nexpressions. Do you realise that it would amount to subsidising
\none third of the literate population of India
\n?<\/p>\n


\nJurist <\/i> : Such an extraordinary procedure would attract suspicion. It
\nmight be thought you were a particularly adroit, ingenious and hardened
\nconspirator using this apparent frankness
\nto cover up your nefarious secret operations. What are the declared objects of
\nthe Society?<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : Self-improvement \u2014<\/p>\n


\nJurist <\/i> : <\/i> A very dangerous term. Pray drop it.<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : The discovery of truth \u2014<\/p>\n


\nScientist <\/i> : I object. Truth is a highly explosive substance.
\nI am not sure that the police would not be justified in carrying it
\naway as an incriminatory document along with the Gita and
\nSeeley’s Expansion of <\/i>England<\/i>.<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : And discussion and question on all questionable
\nthings, subjects or persons.<\/p>\n


\nExtremist <\/i> (unpleasantly<\/i>) : Take care! That is obviously an
\ninnuendo, reference, allusion or metaphor intended or calculated
\nto bring the Government into contempt or hatred.<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> (innocently<\/i>) : <\/i> Good Lord, so it is! (in despair<\/i>)
\n<\/i>We’ll have to give it up.<\/p>\n


\nJurist <\/i> : Why not add a second object, to present and offer
\naddresses of loyalty and depute congratulatory deputations to
\nhigh officials on every occasion possible or impossible ? That, I
\nthink, would cure everything.<\/p>\n


\nHe sits back triumphantly and invites admiration<\/i>. Applause<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Professor
\n<\/b><\/i>
\n:<\/b> A very attractive proposal. Dear me, this
\nis very
\nattractive.<\/p>\n


\nExtremist <\/i> (wrathfully<\/i>) : There is such a thing as truth and
\nself-respect.<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> (warmly<\/i>) : Truth ? Are we not loyal ? Do you dare
\nto say we are Anarchists?<\/p>\n


\nExtremist <\/i> : I decline membership.<\/p>\n


\nProfessor <\/i> : Well, Biren, well! Perhaps you had better. But<\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 471<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nyou can drop in and have a cup of tea whenever we meet. What
\ndo you say? I think I too should have made my mark as a political leader!<\/p>\n

\nHe beams seraphically on the society<\/i><\/b>, which breaks up with
\nshouts of Rule<\/i><\/b>, Britannia!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 472<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the Society’s Chambers           Professor : Gentlemen, I believe we are here in full strength. It is gratifying to find so much enthusiasm…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-03-the-harmony-of-virtue-volume-03","wpcat-4-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}