Ostentation

Here's an Excerpt from the book:

‘Where’re you going at this witching hour?’ growled Sheela as she got up.

‘You know Jagannath?’ whispered Rohit. ‘His wife is about to....’

‘We purchased the car to do this sort of thing?’ she broke in. ‘Go and tell him the car has already broken down.’

‘Do you know what’ll happen? She might die if I did not take her to hospital.’

‘Let her. Suppose we don’t have the car – what will he do then?’

‘God will send a chariot to take her back or to hospital. Mind you, one’s moral fibre is more valuable than one’s wealth; to be of service to others is the soul of humanity, but to lend a hand is to obey God without question.’

‘Keep your moral lessons to yourself,’ she muttered, ‘and go back to bed. I am going to turn him down myself. You know, if you don’t slave your conscience, such things will happen every next day.’

‘Housewives that are kept confined have very limited space in their minds and therefore are often selfish and snobs, have irritating habit and lack normal etiquette,’ he mused.

‘Perhaps you people do not know how the world works,’ she continued. ‘Some laugh, some cheer and some cry because a single note cannot make the music sweet. God wants every sort of things to happen on the earth. He loves saints and also thieves; He loves war and also peace; He loves wrong and also right; He loves day and also night. Everything has its adversary but they help each other establish their identity and a clash between them gives birth to a new thing. The world was not beautiful if not varied.’

‘You mean religious teachings are useless things?‘ asked Rohit.

‘I mean everything is useful if it serves our purpose.’ Sheela rejoined.

‘So it’s silly to render assistance out of sympathy.’

‘Yes, it’s for God to help the needy.’

‘But God helps a person by inspiring someone else to come to their assistance.’

‘Anyway, if you’re so touched, you may go; but this will be your first and last chance of helping someone around midnight....’