“Can you read what it says?”
After Professor Lovell and Robin arrived in London, they departed from the customs department and squeezed themselves into a tiny carriage. Professor Lovell saw a silver coin on the floor and asked Robin to read what was written on it. Robin struggled to read, but he managed to pronounce “spes.” At this point, Professor Lovell decided that Robin would be a linguistic student, and his primary role would be working in Babel in the future. Professor Lovell kept his promise when he employed a private tutor to teach Robin linguistics and later enrolled him in the Oxford translators.
“You can’t disappoint Mrs. Piper; she’s been in the kitchen all afternoon. At least push your food around on your plate for a bit.”
The quote shows Professor Lovell's concern about the well-being of Robin. After rescuing Robin from Canton, where he is about to die, he is keen to ensure the boy eats his meals regularly. Mrs. Piper has also been a pillar starting from the day of rescue. She has ensured the meals for Robin are balanced to ensure his speedy recovery. The quote also shows the humanity of Professor Lovell and Mrs. Piper because they are determined to help Robin recover fully.
"Whenever the English see me, they try to determine what kind of story they know me from. Either I'm a dirty thieving lascar or a servant in some nobob's house. And I realized in Yorkshire that it is easier if they think I'm a Mughal Prince."
Ramy's statement reflects the level of racism in England during the 1830s. Rami is an Indian immigrant living in England. However, the English men treat him with contempt and suspicion. For instance, they see him as a dirty guy working as a maid, and others assume that he is a thief. The quote shows the evils of racism and how foreigners were treated in England in the 18th century.
