Rukumani returns home on the train after her last day of university for the long vacation. She encounters unpleasant interactions with a Chinese woman on the train who insults her. She is cheered by talking to her classmate Johnny Chew, but her father sees them together, making Rukumani anxious. At home, she finds it crowded with visiting relatives and endures gossip about her impending marriage. She is tired from the journey and dreading the long break before she can return to university.

1. EVERYTHING'S ARRANGED
8) A story written in the early to mid-1960s; published in Tenggara, no. 1, 1967, Rayrirath (Raybooks) Publications,
Kuala Lumpur, pp. 38-51, and in Twenty-two Malaysian Stories: An Anthology of Writing in English, selected and
edited by Lloyd Fernando, Heinemann Educational Books (Asia) Ltd., Singapore, 1968, pp. 185-205. Corrections of
some minor printing and other errors in the published versions have been incorporated here.
© Siew-Yue Killingley 1965; © Heinemann 1968, the author retaining the right to include the work in any
collection exclusively of her own works two years after 1968.
The last day of term was always dreary for Rukumani and Devanayagam. They had
to say goodbye many times over before going to their respective homes, his in Lipis
and hers in Ipoh. This being their last day together, they were also tempted to do
rather dangerous things, such as walking back to the Third College and sitting in the
very public lounge where fellow students who were remotely related to them and
Ceylonese parents who came to fetch their offspring home would see them. Going to
more secluded parts of the campus was even worse although it meant less chance of
being gazed at, for if they were seen by people who knew them and their families,
they would be accused of making love in quiet corners. It was better to sit in public
and take the risk of being seen by family friends, some of whom might just casually
mention to their respective families, 'Your son is a friend of Ruku's' or 'Your daughter
is getting some help in her work from Deva, it seems. Saw them in the Third RC
lounge', and leave it at that.
The long vacation stretched wearily before them both. Devanayagam thought of
coming back for the last two months or so to read in the library, but they both knew
that it was hopeless for Rukumani to do that. Like most people, her parents had the
idea that terms at the university were like school terms; also, that if she went back to
stay at the hostel, she would be open to all sorts of dangers and temptations, since
there would be no classes to attend and therefore no lecturers to keep an eye on her
chastity. At the same time they liked to pretend that Rukumani was 'too spiritual to
know anything about sex', and that topic was never mentioned at home. The time for
her marriage to be arranged would soon come and she would find out all about that
after she was married. Marriage was such a spiritual thing, really, that if sex were
brought into it, it would give her the wrong ideas, such as those of the Modern Girl.
Sitting in the lounge, watching the distracting and excited girls rushing by with
packed cases, longing to go home to some decent food, Rukumani asked
Devanayagam,
'This time you think you can write or not? can send to Amy's house, what. My
mother likes her mother. I can easily go there to get your letters. But I think better you
don't put my name outside. Can just put "Miss Amy Wong". She knows your writing
and won't open.'
'I think so can', replied Devanayagam, 'but helluva difficult, man. See ah, my
sisters, brothers all, running all over the house, and if I write they all ask if I'm

2. learning and want to look. Also ah, if I go to post letter, that clerk at the post office
can see me. He's a joker, so sure tell my father I send love letters. But still, try lah!'
Rukumani was a little piqued. It was all right for Deva to be put off writing to her
because he could go out to shows with his friends. Moreover, he had the tail-end of
the vacation to look forward to, when he could come back to the U and not have his
family on top of him. She would have to suffer all sorts of deprivations in Ipoh.
'Suppose you tell them you want to go for shows. Then can simply go somewhere
and just scribble a note to me. Don't think I'm so hard up ah, but since I suffer for you,
at least you should write to me when you're free.'
'Okay, okay lah! Not that I don't want ah, but very difficult. Also, if you know that I
love, then should be sufficient what; what for want to write the whole time?'
They both felt uncomfortable. Being surrounded by lots of people, they both said
things without being sufficiently careful not to hurt, and their mutual fear at their
daring clandestine affair could not but be obvious, although each considered it a
betrayal to reveal this fear to the other. In the end, they decided that it was time for
them to part for the vacation, both feeling depressed and irritated, envying the more
fortunate couples, especially the Chinese ones, who went about openly holding hands.
Rukumani had to get a taxi to the railway station to catch the afternoon train back to
Ipoh. Devanayagam was to get a taxi to the Ampang Street bus station to catch the
East Coast bus. They silently wished that they could go in one taxi, first dropping
Rukumani off and then letting Devanayagam go on to Ampang Street. Neither
mentioned it in case they were seen in town and that would be extremely dangerous,
since townspeople were certain to let their parents know if they were seen together,
whereas university people could sometimes be relied on to keep their mouths shut.
They remembered also Rukumani's uncle on her mother's side by marriage who was a
C.C. in some branch of the Malayan Railways, and although he had seen Rukumani
just once at Deepavali, he remembered her very well and always referred to her as 'his
niece at the U'. Fearing, therefore, to worsen the already tense situation between them,
they left each other to finish packing and left separately for home.
The train compartment was full of sleeping people, mainly women with babies.
There was a Chinese woman who had a veritable brood with her, and she was having
an argument with the ticket inspector, who said that her children could not all share
one ticket. Rukumani was too engrossed with her own problems to follow the
argument to its end, but after a while the inspector seemed to have given up arguing,
because he left with a shake of the head. Seeing that the woman seemed rather
harassed about her children, who were spilling all over two seats, Rukumani smiled at
her and edged nearer the window so that one of the children could come and share her
seat. To her great annoyance and some shame, the woman prevented one of her
children from leaving the overcrowded seat with a muttered 'Kiling mui'! After this
insult, Rukumani took no further notice of the woman and her litter, but reached for
her book bag on the shelf, took out Benham's Economics and read the chapter on

3. 'supply and demand' without any interest but with a comforting sense of being
learned, while the silly Chinese children stared, picked their noses and bullied one
another.
As they neared Kampar, someone passed Rukumani on the way to the lavatory and
exclaimed, 'I say! Diden know you also on this train. If not, sure I come and keep you
company, man. Train journey boring like hell.'
With pleasure, Rukumani recognized her class-mate Johnny Chew, who was
regarded with respect as the 'walking economics bible'. Not only did he know all the
impressive technical terms used by overpowering economists like Benham, Hanson,
and Keynes, he also remembered and often used in his essays economic terms coined
by the lecturers, thereby earning their respect and a reputation as a dedicated scholar.
He also had a knack of coining terms himself which had the proper ring of a technical
word, and this earned him greater fame in the department. Everyone betted that he
was 'sure going to get first class'. They chatted for a bit, Johnny sitting on the arm of
Rukumani's seat, to the disapproval of the Chinese woman with the brood. She passed
Rukumani some dirty looks when Johnny excused himself to go to the lavatory, and
when he came back again after that, the woman looked displeased and aggrieved. For
her part, Rukumani was a bit apprehensive that Devanayagam would hear about this
in case he misunderstood the circumstances or objected to her being so free with a
male fellow student. Still, she was so bored and fed up that she decided to risk
anyone's displeasure in order to shorten the journey.
'So after Finals what you intend to do?'
She asked the current question of the year.
'Oh, myself? Sure fail, man', came the classic answer in an unconvincing tone.
'Eh, don't joke, man. I think you sure become Assistant Lecturer in the department,
if not Lecturer.'
The flattered Johnny was led to reveal his real ambition to become a Sales
Representative in one of the big firms.
'Not to say what ah, to become a lecturer is all right. But think of it ah, now we give
them helluva headache; if myself become one, sure die, man. Sure, sure, got prestige
and all, but can't be boddered, man. Too much trouble. Better still become Executive.
Supply and demand what. Know that means know everything. Also ah, you know
what I can take if I get fed up? Can take that what you call Ford pills for Executive
Fatigue. Then also can easily save on big salary, can buy nice Jag and take girl friends
for drives. Can easily tackle and get a good wifie too, but that better not want too
soon, because why? Trapped lah! After, they want this want that, then worse headache
than marking essays, what you think?
It was not that Rukumani had heard this for the first time, since Johnny was always
saying these things over and over again. Today, she listened partly out of having the
rest of the journey empty in front of her, and partly because she could not help
envying Johnny his freedom. She dreaded the end of her university career as it meant

4. that the preparations for her wedding to whomever the family were at that moment
deciding for her would be intensified. Somehow, the journey was suddenly over and
they were still talking about this and that. With a shock, Rukumani realized that the
head which appeared at the window belonged to her father. Johnny was not perturbed.
'Hello, Uncle', he hailed most heartily, 'your daughter and myself were having a
most interesting talk.'
Two sorrowful eyes looked steadily at Rukumani for signs of shame.
'This is my father, Mr. Sambanthan. He's the C.C. in the Ipoh branch of the—.'
Rukumani mentioned some department that Johnny had never heard of. After a few
more exchanges, Johnny left for his home in Sweet Dreams Housing Estate while Mr.
Sambanthan led Rukumani to a taxi to take them to Lovely Housing Estate.
'Who that young chap?' Mr. Sambanthan asked, trying to keep the note of suspicion
out of his voice.
'I told you at the station, Pa. He's Johnny Chew, and he's in my class. He often
helps me with my work. He's very brilliant.'
Mr. Sambanthan felt a little relieved.
'You know where his father working?'
'Income tax.'
'Ahhh!'
The respectability of Johnny thus settled, they continued in silence to Lovely
Housing Estate.
Rukumani had a younger sister called Baby by the rest of the family as well as by
other people who were not in the family, but who knew them rather well. This Baby
was approaching her eighteenth year and was preparing to enter university the
following year, but the childhood name had stuck, to her embarassment. Besides this
sister, whose real name was Susheela, there was a younger brother of twelve called
Boy, although again, he too had another name, Nadarajah. Rukumani was not quite
sure she could trust Baby with her secret, but she knew for certain that if Boy knew
about it, her parents would be upon her in no time, as he enjoyed being their favourite
and indulged in unconcealed tale-bearing. In addition to her parents and brother and
sister, the tiny house in Lovely Housing Estate also housed her grandmother on her
father's side, who always held forth on the degeneracy of young girls nowadays. This
often included Rukumani's mother, who, indeed, could never hope to be a young girl
again except in the next incarnation, perhaps. Rukumani's mother, in order to shift
some of the blame from herself, sometimes tried to get her mother-in-law on her side
by lamenting loudly that the young generation of daughters was becoming too
modern, and shouted for either Baby or Rukumani to fetch her things which were
nearer her than them, just to test their obedience and to show her mother-in-law that
she had her girls in hand. In addition to the members of the household who were
permanently living in the house, there was a periphery of aunts on both sides, nieces,
and stray relatives from Sungkai Estate or Menglembu who sometimes came to stay,

5. especially around Deepavali, when the tiny house became even more noisy and over-
crowded, like the little poutry-run in the back garden. Babies whose parents had left
them behind in the house while they visited yet other relatives in Ipoh became the
charges of Baby or Rukumani, since their mother would often accompany the visiting
relatives on their calls.
It was way past nine o'clock by the time Rukumani and her father arrived home.
Some visitors were staying overnight, obviously, as Rukumani could see some half-
naked children sprawling on the concrete walk outside the house and eating some very
sticky rice sweet. Their parents were inside, talking in loud tones to Rukumani's
mother and grandmother. It was really the women who were doing most of the
talking, the men adding a grunt or two when their opinions were asked. Rukumani felt
that she was inevitably home when she heard the shrill mixture of voices which
sounded more as if they were quarrelling than conversing. When she had walked past
the gaping children with her luggage, Rukumani appeared at the door and greeted her
grandmother, mother and the visitors. She did not remember any of the visitors, but
since there were three women and one man, she just said 'uncle' once and 'auntie' three
times and wished she could have a little food and then go to bed. Her mother was in a
lively mood that night. Drawing her sari round her ample frame, she said to the
company, 'You remember Girlie, don't you? do you think she has changed?'
'Getting near marriageable age', remarked one of the women.
'Better you don't put ideas into young people's heads', advised the man, who was
probably the husband of the woman. 'When we were young, our mother never
mentioned the word "marriage" to any of my seven sisters until two days before they
were to be married. Everything fix first, then talk. If not, all the young people think of
is girl friends, boy friends, what for?'
'Ah', sighed the wife, 'but nowadays different. Especially when someone like Girlie,
so pretty, going to get university degree and all, better to fix everything while still
possible to control. Once they grow older, just try to control, and see.'
Here the company sighed, and there was a momentary silence as they remembered
this woman's young daughter whom she had loved so much that she had allowed her
to enter the university several years ago, even though she was a girl. This ungrateful
child, whom she had looked forward to comforting her old age with dutiful attention
and obedience, had proved a disgraceful and shameless hussy by rejecting a match
with a promising lawyer who was willing to accept a cheap dowry because of her
BSc, and had run away to marry a class-mate of hers who was a Chinese Arts
graduate. Not only did this prove her shamelessness, it certainly showed everyone
how stupid she was to offer herself to a mere BA. Everyone was too kind to voice
their thoughts, although those not involved secretly felt self-satisfied that no such
misdemeanour had occurred in their families. Rukumani was feeling too tired and too
disgusted at the reminder that she was 'Girlie' at home to notice much that was
happening. After some further comments on her looks and that she must be too proud

6. to know them now, the visitors collected their scattered children and left.
'Come and take some food', said Rukumani's mother after the visitors had left.
'You're a lucky girl. You know why Auntie come to see me? Never mind, take first,
talk afterwards.'
They sat down together in the kitchen. Boy was in bed, but when Baby, who had
been washing up in the kitchen, tried to join in, she was shooed away by her mother.
'Go, go, do your homework. How you think you can be like Akka and go to the
M.U. if you don't study? You think very easy to feed you all? Better not make me
show temper, I tell you.'
Rukumani was silent over dinner. The rest had eaten, and she did not really enjoy
the cold rice and curry, but ate it out of boredom. Then, through her half-sleepy mind,
her mother's chatter made some sense and she felt alarmed. She realized the
significance of the visit they had just received. By some tenuous relationship, she was
a very distant cousin of the man who had spoken to her, since his wife, the long-
suffering mother, was a sort of cousin of an aunt of her mother's. This man had a
relative whose son was at the moment in his final year at the university, and they had
come at the invitation of Rukumani's mother to see about the possibility of there being
a match between Rukumani and this young man. It was unusual for the representative
of the would-be groom to visit the family of the girl, but in this case, Rukumani's
mother proudly hinted, they were in a strong position since they were richer than the
other family, although this should not put Rukumani off, as her husband-to-be would
have a high income as soon as he graduated. 'At least Civil Service Super-scale'. She
also reminded Rukumani of her duty to her family in setting a good example to Baby,
and, when she was married, she was to be sure to coax her husband to live in Ipoh and
not in his home town, where his family would surely eat up all his income, grasping
wretches that they were. Rukumani did not want to believe that all this was really
going to happen, so she just kept quiet and went to bed. Baby, who had retired
somewhat earlier, was not asleep yet, and tried to tell Rukumani in whispers what had
been cooking at home during the last term when Rukumani had been away. Although
Rukumani wanted to keep her dignity as Elder Sister intact and not lose any authority
over Baby by descending to whispering secrets with her, this time the sense of danger
to her own arrangements made her swallow her pride a little and listen. What Baby
told her confirmed her fears as she realized that her parents, especially her mother,
had been making arrangements for a long time, and that this proposed match was no
mere whim of her mother's. She began to feel rather cross with Baby for confirming
her fears, and kept a resolute silence, refusing to comment and finally succeeding in
fooling Baby that she was asleep.
The vacation was long and dragging. Sometimes Rukumani went shopping with her
mother or with a visiting aunt. These trips gave her no pleasure now. It had not
thrilled her to be taken to John Little's, where there were gleaming modern glassware
in one department, ready-made dresses and high-heeled shoes in another, and so on

7. through countless high-class departments. Nobody in their house wore frocks or high-
heels. Anyway, the things at John Little's were too big for them, and the girls a bit
saucy whenever they did try on something for the thrill of it, for they always remarked
haughtily, 'Cannot fit, lah! All these European size. Better you go to Hugh Low Street
shops.'
This sort of thing always angered Rukumani's mother, and she would annoy the
shop-girls further by asking for something as unlikely as nylon stockings. Sometimes
she also let drop statements like, 'My daughter need this to go back to M.U. when long
vac over.'
This sometimes earned her some respect, but at other times did not create any stir.
The shopping trips usually took them to the Sari Emporium, where Rukumani's
mother and aunts fingered lengths of Senior Kashmir, rejecting saris made of Junior
Kashmir, no matter how pretty Rukumani thought they were. This was because they
said that Junior Kashmir could be recognized as something inferior from as far away
as twenty yards, whereas Senior Kashmir 'got class'. The shopkeepers, anxious to
please, hounded them on the pavement even before they entered the shop with
repetitions of 'hullo, yes?' Rukumani knew that all this shopping and shop-gazing
were leading up to the one thing she dreaded, and she lived in a state of apprehension
and boredom. She decided to write to the papers, and her letter appeared in the 'Auntie
Sally' column together with Auntie Sally's reply:
Dear Auntie Sally,
I am a girl of twenty-two and am in the final year at the university. I am madly in love with a boy who
lives far, far away. My parents do not know of my romance. They want me to marry someone whom I do
not know. At times I think of committing suicide but I am not sure how to kill myself. My boy friend has
not written to me yet and does not know of my sorrows. I fear I shall make him kill himself too if I kill
myself. Sometimes I think of becoming a nun, but I am not a Christian. Please give me some advices as I
do not know what to do.
Broken-hearted
Dear Broken-hearted,
Silly girl! Do not think I'm heartless. I am always willing and happy to help a deserving case. But look at
you! have you no sense of shame or gratitude? I do feel sorry for your poor parents who have suffered to
send you to the university, and this is your way of repaying them, with ingratitude, deceit, shameless
behaviour. You are too young to think of boy friends. The time for that will come after your studies. You
are lucky that your parents love you so much and are thinking of your welfare. Think of others less
fortunate than yourself. Count your blessings and accept your parents' choice of a husband for you. Mother
knows best! Your parents have your welfare at heart.
Love from
Auntie Sally
This reply appeared in the papers at the same time as a letter for Rukumani from
Devanayagam. Amy rang up and told Rukumani there was something for her.
Rukumani tore out the bit in the paper where her letter and Auntie Sally's reply had

8. appeared and flushed it down the lavatory bowl. Then, telling her mother that she was
going to Amy's to study, she took her copy of Benham's Economics and took the bus
to Greentown.
Amy was quite ecstatic when she saw Rukumani. She took her up to her room,
chased her younger sisters out of it, and locked the door. From under a chest-of-
drawers, she took out her copy of Benham's Economics and withdrew from it a letter.
Then she discreetly pretended to read her book while Rukumani read her letter.
Rukumani wanted to prolong the pleasure of anticipation by just looking at the
envelope for some time, but Amy became rather impatient with her, in spite of not
wanting to give the impression of intruding. Amy kept glancing up from
her Economics at the hesitant Rukumani and at last grunted, 'Open, man! What for
want to keep on staring-staring?'
Rukumani did at last open the envelope and took out her love-letter. 'Dearest
Darling Ruku', it began. Rukumani could feel a funny, not unplesant, sensation down
her spine. Devanayagam was never so ardent in speech as in letters. 'Dearest Darling
Ruku' was quite a change from his spoken 'eh, Ruku', or at the most, 'Dar' or 'D',
which were abbreviated endearments which they and other courting couples used in
their tender moments. She read on:
I wonder whether you are thinking of me as often as I am thinking of you, dear Ruku. This thought
occurs to me often, especially when the moon is full. It is a universal symbol of our love, the spiritual
moon. On the way to a show with my friends, I often think of you and I feel glad that you can be trusted not
to be like other girls who are too modern and like going for shows with boys. I know you are waiting
patiently for me.
There is something I must tell you. Please do not worry, for two reasons. First, let me tell you the news.
My parents have arranged a marriage for me with a distant cousin. They say she will give a big dowry and
that she is very beautiful. Moreover, she is going to get a B.A. and is very fair-skinned. Why you mustn't
worry, let me tell you first. I don't want to marry this girl because I love you. Secondly, if I am forced to
marry her, you will know that it was not my own wish and that spiritually we belong together. But do not
worry. After I leave the U, I shall be able to get a job and we can get married. I have hinted very strongly to
my mother, father and uncle that I may want to choose somebody myself, and this made them angry, so I'm
keeping quiet for a time. Please do not write to me or I shall get into trouble.
When I get to the hostel for the last two months of the vacation I will write again and then you can reply
my letter.
Ever your faithful
Deva
'What he say? Secret ah?' Inquired Amy.
'Nothing much lah.' Rukumani tried to look unconcerned, and after an hour or two's
gossip, returned home.
How the long vacation went past Rukumani was never quite sure. She was often
apprehensive, thought of writing to Auntie Sally again, started a few letters outlining
her desperation and tore them up, flushing the pieces down the plumbing. She was
tempted to write to Devanayagam but feared his displeasure if she got him into
trouble. Once or twice she tried to take Baby into her confidence, but that might mean

9. losing her authority as the elder sister. Boy proved a continual source of irritation as
he liked rummaging in her boxes, which she kept under the bed she shared with Baby,
and Rukumani was always in fear that Devanayagam's love-letter would one day be
exposed. Her mother and grandmother kept at her about her arranged marriage, and
whenever women relatives visited they were consulted, and in their turn gave advice.
The most popular saying supplied by these advisors was that nowadays girls were 'too
modern', and had better be married off as soon as possible before something happened
to them. This 'something' was never specified and remained nameless.
One day Rukumani had a visitor. Boy ran into the house as she was drying her long
hair and shouted, 'Ama! Akka's boy friend come.'
Rukuman's mother and grandmother were in the kitchen and both looked horrified.
'You keep quiet, Boy! You too young to know about such things. You go out and
play.' Rukumani's mother tried to quell him.
In the meantime, Rukumani had hurriedly dried her hair, coiled it into a temporary
bun, and went out in great fear—as well as anticipatory pleasure, expecting to see
Devanayagam. To her relief and disappointment, it was Johnny Chew.
'Hi, Ruku, you look cute like that', said Johnny. At the same time Rukumani's
mother came into the front room. She pretended not to have heard it. Rukumani
looked flustered and hastily introduced them. Then she composed herself and asked
Baby to go and fetch a drink for her friend. Her mother stayed a bit in the room,
examining Johnny's face until Johnny said, 'Don't let me disturb you, Auntie. Please
go and carry on. Ruku and myself can sit here and have a chit-chat. Haven't seen each
other for a long time, you know.'
Rukumani's mother left with as much dignity as she could muster. Baby came back
with a glass of pink syrup and milk which she presented to the cheeky Johnny, who
remarked in her presence, 'Cute little thing ah, your sis!' Baby squirmed with shyness,
satisfaction and dread, and shuffled out of the room. Fortunately, her mother was
already out of earshot.
'So, how you getting on? I feel helluva bored, man. This town is a real sleepy-
hollow. I'm going back to the U for some fun. Here too many eyes and mouths. Can't
even take my girl friends to pictures without gossipers talking.'
Rukumani had a feeling that Johnny had come to her hoping for a chance to talk
about Amy, but she still feared that his talk of girl friends might make her mother
think that they were indulging in improper conversation. She therefore brought up
problems about classwork and lectures so that, should her mother eavesdrop, she
would only hear harmless conversation going on. Johnny, however, was in a
dangerous mood, and would not be side-tracked.
'Eh, why you won't talk about your friend ah? You girls all stick together and frus
us. If you help me I also can help you with Deva, you know.'
Rukumani went quite cold with fear. She hurriedly told Johnny not to talk about
Devanayagam, and for once Johnny caught her mood of urgency and changed the

10. subject. When Rukumani found that Johnny was going back to the university in a
couple of days, she thought that he could give a letter from her to Devanayam. There
followed a whispered agreement between them that Johnny would come back for the
letter the next day, as that was easier than Rukumani's cooking up an excuse to leave
the house alone to go and post her letter. Rukumani, meanwhile, said some very
encouraging things about the state of Amy's affections for Johnny, and the latter,
usually quite full of self-confidence, went away feeling all the more satisfied with
himself.
As soon as Johnny had gone out of the front door, Rukumani's mother started.
'Young people nowadays have no shame. My mother would have sent me out of the
house if I had entertained a boy friend as freely as that. All that whispering. What will
the neighbours think? A Chinese boy coming to whisper with my daughter. Do the
Radakrishnans next door allow their daughters to run wild? Do you ever see a strange
boy visiting the daughters of Tharmaratnam? But my daughter different. She wants to
be modern and be seen with all sorts of men. Why do you want to make me suffer in
my old age? Can't you see that I'm trying to arrange a good, respectable marriage for
you? Show your gratitude. You're driving me to the grave!'
It was mainly Boy's fault, thought Rukumani. If he had not announced Johnny like
that, perhaps her mother would not have got the wrong idea. She half-regretted asking
Johnny to deliver her letter, because his reappearance the next day might cause further
complications. However, she was in such a state about Devanayagam that she was
almost glad that her mother suspected Johnny of being in love with her.
The next morning Johnny called. He stayed for some time because the front room
was not quite empty and Rukumani could not pass him the letter, which she had
written in the dead of night with many sighs and tears. Even as she sat making
conversation, she thought of possible amendments to her letter, but decided that there
was no time or opportunity for that. In a fortunate moment when the front room was
empty, the letter did change hands and after more hearty conversation, Johnny left.
After some time Rukumani's mother came out from the kitchen. 'Your father will
know how shameless you are. Passing love-letters to boy friends.'
Rukumani panicked. They knew about Devanayagam.
'We have been Ceylonese Tamils for a long time. Do you think you can spoil our
blood now?'
Saved! They thought it was Johnny. A reprieve, if an awkward one. The sight of a
self-satisfied little figure peeping round the door convinced her that Boy had
somehow seen her passing the letter to Johnny. She managed to force him to receive
her look of pure hate although he tried to avoid looking at her. That evening there was
a showdown when her father came home from the office. Both her mother and
grandmother had ignored her for the whole day, and Rukumani rejected the friendly
advances of Baby, who could not help concealing her relief that it was not she who
was under fire. As for Boy, he was treated with lavish affection by the grown-ups,

11. who more or less regarded him as the defender of the honour of their house. He did
not dare come within two feet of Rukumani but enjoyed his exalted position at a safe
distance from her.
Mr. Sambanthan was silent at first when his wife told him of their daughter's guilt.
Then he refused to eat and started to cry. He accused his wife of not teaching her
daughter morals. She offered to commit suicide. Boy cried and begged her not to kill
herself. Baby shivered with fear in case they started on her as a preventive measure.
Mr. Sambanthan's mother, who was silent for a long time, suddenly announced that
she would either leave the house and beg, or kill herself if the family were disgraced
by Rukumani. At this, Rukumani's mother, not to be outdone, offered afresh to kill
herself either by hanging herself or by swallowing poison. As an afterthought, she
said she could starve herself after the fashion of Gandhi. Rukumani, after denying that
there was anything between Johnny and herself, kept quiet and looked sullenly at the
ground. Sometimes she cried tears of vexation, at the same time feeling triumphant
that they had not discovered that she was really in love with Devanayagam. When
everyone was exhausted with tears and death-threats, it was time for bed. Rukumani
heard her parents quarrelling in their room. She heard snatches of conversation and
gathered that they were going to make firmer arrangements for her wedding.
When Johnny arrived at the First College, he saw Devanayagam lying on one of the
multi-coloured plastic string chairs in front of the dining room.
'Eh, Deva, stop dreaming of your girl friend, man. I visited her in Ipoh lah, but don't
be jealous ah, because why? Here is a letter for you.'
Johnny threw Rukumani's letter towards the startled Devanayagam, and several
young men who were sitting around in their flip-flops tried to catch it. After a minor
skirmish, Devanayagam retrieved the letter and retired to his room to read it.
'Dearest Deva', Rukumani believed that one way of making a man respect you was
to be a shade less ardent than he, and this was her answer to Devanayagam's 'Dearest
Darling'.
I think of you very often but maybe you have forgotten me. I received your letter about your proposed
marriage. If you agree to that I cannot do anything to prevent it and I hope you will be very happy. But I
shall never forget you and hope that spiritually we shall remain close like brother and sister. I too have
some sad news to tell. My parents want me to marry a distant relation whom I have never met. I think he is
going to be a B.A. but they don't mention his name. I have great troubles here and wish you could save me.
Why is it that we have to be separated and bear such terrible burdens?
Your ever-loving
Ruku
Devanayagam was quite touched by Rukumani's devotion. He felt a little guilty
himself. His own objections at home had created such scenes of domestic strife that he
had persuaded himself into thinking that it would be heroic to 'give up his true love
for the sake of the family'. Therefore, before going away he had told his parents, 'All
right, all right lah! Stop bothering me and leave me in peace to study and I'll marry

12. this girl,whoever she is.'
This he had not communicated to his true love, and his conscience was beginning to
make him feel uncomfortable. As he lay on his bed, he felt as if he wanted to be free
of all commitments, but at the same time felt too weak either to break off with
Rukumani or to disobey his family. The dowry had all been settled between the
families, and although he had said to his parents that he did not want to hear anything
about it, his mother managed to let him know that he was getting $80,000 as well as a
house and a plot of land, in spite of the fact that his bride would be a BA by the time
they got married.
The Sambanthans were desperate. If they allowed Rukumani to return to the
university for her final term, they were sure that she would do something shameful
with that Chinese boy. Already gossips were spreading rumours, and if these rumours
reached the ears of the bridegroom's family, they might withdraw their offer, and it
would be impossible to marry Rukumani off. On the other hand, if they refused to
allow her to finish her degree at the university, their hopes of their daughter becoming
a BA would be dashed. Worst of all, the bridegroom's family would demand more
dowry if she did not become a BA. Further quarrels ensued between various members
of the family, and aunts and uncles came and proffered advice. It was the aunts more
than the uncles who had a great deal to say. The uncles usually shook their heads at
Rukumani for causing all this pain, and said that such things never happened when
they were young. The aunts were more dramatic. They wept often and talked about
the death of maidenly modesty and family honour. By this time their husbands had
settled down in a little corner to argue about politics in Malaya and India. The aunts
cooked meals in-between their bouts of crying, and the person who enjoyed these
visits most was Boy, because the aunts petted and over-fed him. He was safe from all
accusation of misdemeanour because he was considered too young to know about
marriage. Baby, on the contrary, trembled lest she should be included, and she was
sometimes the object of a warning such as 'Let all young girls beware and not be
fooled into betraying their family name.'
Then the decision was taken. There would be no final term for Rukumani. It was
decided that the increase of $20,000 in dowry was worth the risk of family disgrace.
When negotiations with the other family were concluded, this was announced to her.
Rukumani felt that the time had come for her to disclose her secret. She did so and
named Devanayagam as her lover. She thought that the family would relent when they
found out that her lover was a Ceylon Tamil after all. To her great surprise, further
imprecations were heaped upon her head.
'How dare you choose somebody for yourself? Now you have gone and undone all
our work', wept her mother. 'This Devanayagam was the one we had arranged for you.
Now that you have been so brazen and shameless as to have spoilt yourself with him,
do not expect us to let you marry him. In my youth, we never looked at a man until we
were married.'

13. 'Ama, I never did anything wrong with him', protested Rukumani.
'Don't try and tell me shameful things', cried her mother.
Chaos again. The family had to meet delegations from the other side, who were
equally shocked that their son had had a secret lover all the time. There were more
exclamations about the shameless deception of the modern generation.
Devanayagam's father wrote him a very stern letter:
My Son,
You have this day filled our family with great shame. Your mother and I are heart-broken to hear that
you were having an affair with the person whose name I won't mention. This is a judgment of God! She
was the one we had chosen for you but fortunately we found out she was unworthy of our house and name.
We wanted a bride for you who would earn more respect for our family, but she has been led by her great
shame to confess that you were going together at the U. Did you think you would fool us by pretending that
you did not know that it was Mr. Sambanthan's daughter who was to marry you? No wonder you were so
obedient.
Let me tell you this. Learn hard at the U and after this let it be a lesson to you that you should leave
everything concerning marriage to your elders and betters. You are far too young to think of such matters
yourself.
Your mothers and sisters are ill with grief.
Your grieving parent,
Pa