We boarded a train in India for a long day-and-night journey, my wife Merran and I.

I can no longer remember from where or to where we were travelling.  Four or five years running we travelled in India in their cooler season.  However, after some uncomfortable earlier journeys we were now splurging: First class, luxury sleeper. It was still cheap compared to European prices.

We were surprised to find there was no dining coach on the train.  However, a waiter came and presented a menu and took our orders. This must have been telephoned ahead because two or three stations later our meal was brought on board.  The same waiter came, folded down the table in our compartment, spreads out a tablecloth and laid out knives and forks.

We shared our compartment with one Indian traveller. We greeted each other cheerfully and after a tasty meal were ready to settle down for the night. I had earlier noticed a curious sound but assumed it came from outside. After a while, however, it became obvious the noise originated in our own compartment.

Merran sat up: “What’s that noise?” she asked.

Our fellow-traveller grinned and said “Chicken.”

“What chicken?”

He pointed to the space beneath my bed and pulled out a basket with a large hen in it.

Merran was now on the warpath. “This is a compartment for people, not for chickens.”

He shrugged his shoulder and smiled innocently.

“With this chicken we won’t get a moment’s sleep.  Get it out of here – do you hear me? Now!”

Merran had read a lot about India and the British rule and knew that what had done much to ruin relations between the British rulers and the Indian people had been the arrogant behaviour of English women – the memsahibs as they liked to be called.  They gave themselves airs as if they were royalty. So she had always been very polite and friendly, unlike those memsahibs. But seeing us robbed of our sleep after a hot and tiring day she shouted at him just as they might have done.

He smiled politely and shrugged.

“Now!” she shouted “or I’ll call the conductor and have you and your noisy chicken off the train.”

The man mumbled and apology, took the basket with the chicken and went. We never saw him again.

“Wait for it,” I said. “Now someone will bring a rhinoceros into the compartment.

But they did not. We got a good night’s sleep.

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