Untouchable

Colonel Hutchinson, chief of the local Salvation Army, sees Bakha. He approaches and puts a hand on his shoulder, saying, "Tum udas" (123), which means "you are sad." Bakha feels honored that the Englishman has spoken to him in Hindustani. Hutchinson is a Christian and tries to explain that he does not view himself as one of the upper castes. He invites Bakha to attend church with him so that he can see that there are places where he will be treated as an equal. As they walk, Hutchinson sings Christian hymns. Bakha asks him to explain the concept of Jesus to him, but does not understand what the man means when he says, "He died that we might be forgiven" (127). He is further confused when Hutchinson says that his God is not the God of the white men, but of everyone. Soon Bakha is bored by the singing and confusing answers. His patience ends when Hutchinson tells him that they are all born sinners, because Bakha does not believe that he was born with sin.

On the steps of the church, Hutchinson's wife begins to shout at her husband, berating him for bringing a "blackie" (132) to church.