She made Baba promise that if he went to America, he would come and visit her home in Canada.
During this last night, Kitty, May, Delia, Margaret, Kim, Minta, Quentin and Purdom stayed with Baba until one in the morning. They wept most of the time in Baba's presence. Baba looked so beautiful and they were so sorrowful at his departure. Addressing the mandali, their hearts sobbed, "You are taking our Beloved away! Don't be cruel! Don't take him with you. Let him stay here with us." After records of Paul Robeson's songs were played, Baba dismissed the group.
Shortly afterward, Baba called Kitty back to his room and spelled out on the board, "Which is greater, my love for you or your love for me?"
Kitty hesitated and then said that his love for her was greater. Baba smiled approvingly.
An hour later, little Jenny complained of a painfully throbbing knee. Kitty went upstairs and told Baba, and he came down to see her. The child had mentioned it to Kitty the day before.
Turning to Kitty, Baba asked, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Kitty explained that she thought a Master did not have time for such matters.
Baba replied, "In the future, always tell me of anything that goes wrong."
At 9:30 on Saturday morning, 3 October 1931, Baba started for Istanbul, accompanied by Aga Ali, Chanji, Rustom and Meredith — leaving his dear ones in tears as melodies to sing his Song. Margaret Starr (who had been sent for the previous day from East Challacombe) and Delia accompanied them as far as Dover. Baba boarded the luxurious Simplon Orient Express train in Calais, after taking the ferry across the English Channel, and arrived in Milan, Italy the next day.1 The group was met by Enid, who brought fruit, biscuits, cheese and cakes for them to eat before proceeding. The train reached Istanbul at noon on the 6th of October, via Venice, Trieste, Belgrade and Sofia.
From the train station, the group took a taxi to the Hotel Continental where they were to stay. That day happened to be a national holiday in Turkey and a long military parade was making its way through the crowded streets of Istanbul. Baba's taxi slowly reached the hotel behind the procession. As in London, a crowd unknowingly greeted the Master's arrival with a festive event. Baba was back in the East and did not wear a hat, allowing his long hair to be exposed which caught people's attention. "None of the Turks knew that the Emperor was among them," Age observed, "though those who saw him were wonderstruck by his beautiful countenance."
Footnotes
- 1.Baba shared his compartment with Ali; Chanji and Meredith were in another compartment; and Rustom in a third.