While in Bombay, I began, on the one hand, my study of Indian law and, on
the other, my experiments in dietetics in which Virchand Gandhi, a friend, joined me. My brother, for his part, was trying his best to
get me briefs.
The study of Indian law was a tedious business. The Civil Procedure Code I
could in no way get on with. Not so however, with the Evidence Act.
Virchand Gandhi was reading for the solicitor's examination and
would tell me all sorts of stories about barristers and vakils. 'Sir
Pherozeshah's ability,' he would say, 'lies in his profound
knowledge of law. He has the Evidence Act by heart and knows all the
cases on the thirty-second section. Badruddin Tyabji's wonderful
power of argument inspires the judges with awe.'
The stories of stalwarts such as these would unnerve me.
'It is not unusual', he would add, 'for a barrister to vegetate for five or
seven years. That's why I have signed the articles for solicitorship.
You should count yourself lucky if you can paddle your own canoe in
three years' time.'
Expenses were mounting up every month. To have a barrister's board outside
the house, whilst still preparing for the barrister's profession
inside, was a thing to which I could not reconcile myself. Hence I
could not give undivided attention to my studies. I developed some
liking for the Evidence Act and read Mayne's Hindu Law with deep
interest, but I had not the courage to conduct a case. I was
helpless beyond words, even as the bride come fresh to her
father-in- law's house!
About
this time, I took up the case of one Mamibai. It was a 'small
cause.' 'You will have to pay some commission to the tout,' I was
told. I emphatically declined.
'But even
that great criminal lawyer Mr. So-and-So, who makes three to four
thousand a month, pays commission!'
'I do not
need to emulate him,' I rejoined. 'I should be content with Rs. 300
a month. Father did not get more.'
'But
those days are gone. Expenses in Bombay have gone up frightfully.
You must be business-like.'
I was
adamant. I gave no commission, but got Mamibai's case all the same.
It was an easy case. I charged Rs. 30 for my fees. The case was not
likely to last longer than a day.......
This was
my début in the Small Causes Court. I appeared for the defendant and had thus to
cross-examine the plaintiff's witnesses. I stood up, but my heart
sank into my boots. My head was reeling and I felt as though the
whole court was doing likewise. I could think of no question to ask.
The judge must have laughed, and the vakils no doubt enjoyed the
spectacle. But I was past seeing anything. I sat down and told the
agent that I could not conduct the case, that he had better engage
Patel and have the fee back from me. Mr. Patel was duly engaged for
Rs. 51. To him, of course, the case was child's play.
I hastened from the Court, not knowing whether my client won or lost
her case, but I was ashamed of myself, and decided not to take up
any more cases until I had courage enough to conduct them. Indeed I
did not go to Court again until I went to South Africa. There was no
virtue in my decision. I had simply made a virtue of necessity.
There would be no one so foolish as to entrust his case to me, only
to lose it!
But there was another case in store for me at Bombay. It was a memorial
to be drafted. A poor Mussalman's land was confiscated in Porbandar.
He approached me as the worthy son of a worthy father. His case
appeared to be weak, but I consented to draft a memorial for him,
the cost of printing to be borne by him. I drafted it and read it
out to friends. They approved of it, and that to some extent made me
feel confident that I was qualified enough to draft a memorial, as
indeed I really was.
My business could flourish if I drafted memorials without any fees. But
that would being no grist to the mill. So I thought I might take up
a teacher's job. My knowledge of English was good enough, and I
should have loved to teach English to Matriculation boys in some
school. In this way I could have met part at least of the expenses.
I came across an advertisement in the papers: 'Wanted, an English
teacher to teach one hour daily. Salary Rs 75.' The advertisement
was from a famous high school. I applied for the post and was called
for an interview. I went there in high spirits, but when the
principal found that I was not a graduate, he regretfully refused
me.
'But I have passed the London Matriculation with Latin as my second
language.'
'True but we want a graduate.'
There was
no help for it. I wrung my hands in despair. My brother also felt
much worried. We both came to the conclusion that it was no use
spending more time in Bombay. I should settle in Rajkot where my
brother, himself a petty pleader, could give me some work in the
shape of drafting applications and memorials. And then as there was
already a household at Rajkot, the breaking up of the one at Bombay
meant a considerable saving. I liked the suggestion. My little
establishment was thus closed after a stay of six months in Bombay.
I used to attend High Court daily whilst in Bombay, but I cannot say that I
learnt anything there. I had not sufficient knowledge to learn much.
Often I could not follow the cases and dozed off. There were others
also who kept me company in this, and thus lightened my load of
shame. After a time, I even lost the sense of shame, as I learnt to
think that it was fashionable to doze in the High Court.
If the present generation has also its briefless barristers like me in
Bombay, I would commend them a little practical precept about
living. Although I lived in Girgaum I hardly ever took a carriage or
a tram-car. I had made it a rule to walk to the High Court. It took
me quite forty-five minutes, and of course I invariably returned
home on foot. I had inured myself to the heat of the sun. This walk
to and from the Court saved a fair amount of money, and when many of
my friends in Bombay used to fall ill, I do not remember having once
had an illness. Even when I began to earn money, I kept up the
practice of walking to and from the office, and I am still reaping
the benefits of that practice.