Summary

The narration details the cleaning and decoration of Deven’s college prior to an important meeting of the administration to plan the budget. There are descriptions of the formalities associated with setting up the food and drink tables, and with who is allowed to speak with whom. There are glimpses of tentative conversations that become comfortable, and of an overall watchfulness as faculty, including Deven, waits to mingle with persons of more authority.

Deven’s anxiety at possibly being spoken to by the Principal of the college is eased when he finds himself in conversation with the friendly Abid Siddiqui, who is the head of the Urdu department at the college. The narration discusses the history of the department, how it started small and remained small, and how it struggled to attract students as the influence and valuing of the language continued to erode...