pression and embodiment of this popular protest. His rise to office is therefore an encouraging phenomenon.”
“Yes,” Gandhi interpolated, “and a discouraging one too, for I wonder whether Cripps has the qualities of a great statesman. It is very discouraging to us that the man who was a friend of Jawaharlal’s and had been interested in India should have made himself the bearer of this mission.”
Apparently something went through Gandhi’s mind—probably that my hour with him was drawing to a close—for he said, apropos of nothing, “Lord Sankey once told me to take care of myself, and I said to him, ‘Do you think I would have reached this green old age if I hadn’t taken care of myself?’ This is one of my faults.”
“I thought you were perfect,” I said with a smile.
He said, laughing, “No, I am very imperfect. Before you are gone you will have discovered a hundred of my faults, and if you don’t I will help you to see them.” He looked down at the large nickel watch which hung by a chain from the waistline of his loincloth, and said to me, “Now, I have given you an hour.”
I got up, bowed, and left. During the hour, a Moslem woman without teeth had come in once to change the moistened cloth on his chest. He him self had several times taken the kerchief from his
