A Passage to India

On the morning of the trial, Adela is at the Turtons’ home saying her morning prayers, having rediscovered a need for spirituality in her anxiety over the trial. Though she stays in their house, Adela is not close with the Turtons. With Mrs. Moore gone, she is only close to Ronny, who is determined to keep their engagement despite her situation, “for the more she suffered the more highly he valued her” (235). Still, the echo in Adela’s ears has returned.

As they drive to the trial, Adela reflects that she can behave however she feels like since the case is all but decided already. When they meet with Ronny at the courthouse, his thoughts align with this expectation of Das’s verdict: “Conviction was inevitable; so better let an Indian pronounce it” (239).

The case is called and the English move into the courtroom. Due to the heat, Callendar requests that Adela sit on the platform for better air. Yet when the request is granted by Das, the entire English party follows her. As the trial proceeds, Adela begins to doubt whether Aziz is guilty. Amritrao interrupts the proceedings to complain that only Adela was given permission to sit on the platform; the English must descend.

The defense calls for Mrs. Moore and criticizes Ronny for sending his mother back to England when she could have helped free Aziz. Frustrated with his attempt to draw Mrs. Moore into the defense, Mahmoud Ali resigns his involvement with the trial and leaves; as he does so, crowds of Indians outside the courthouse take up a chant in Mrs. Moore’s name: “Esmiss Esmoor.”

It is Adela’s turn to testify. Though she rehearsed her lines with McBryde earlier, she is confused by the connection her mind draws between what happened in the caves and her engagement with Ronny. As she speaks, she follows visions of the day in her head and is not altogether lucid in the courtroom. When McBryde asks her directly if Aziz followed her into the cave, Adela replies that she is not sure. Then, when pressed, she admits to her mistake: “Dr. Aziz never followed me into the cave” (255). The courtroom is shocked. Callendar immediately calls for an end to the trial on medical grounds as the English stand and overpower Das’s authority. Adela withdraws her accusations of Aziz fully and in front of the entire court; Aziz is exonerated. 

Outside the courthouse, Adela is carried along in the Indian crowd as they celebrate and finds herself near Fielding. Fielding is worried about an impending riot and insists that Adela use his carriage. However, the horses are gone. Some of Fielding’s students are nearby celebrating and offer to pull the carriage themselves, taking Adela and Fielding to Government College. Fielding’s sense of chivalry frustrates him, as “he would be obliged to die in [Adela’s] defense” (260) if a riot were to occur. He would prefer to be celebrating with his friends. They arrive at the College and take refuge in Fielding’s office.

Aziz likewise rides in a carriage with his supporters but misses Fielding. Mahmoud Ali wants to instigate a riot and general violence against the English; they go to the Minto Hospital, where the Nawab Bahadur’s grandson is being kept and believed to be suffering English torture. Dr. Panna Lal’s quick release of the boy dispels the need for a riot.

The Nawab Bahadur decides to give up his English title, resume his born name of Mr. Zulfiqar, and retire to a country home. Though the natives of Chandrapore celebrate, the heat of the day begins to thicken. Soon, the emotions of both English and Indian are “stupefied, and before long most of the Chandrapore combatants were asleep” (264).