A Passage to India: Part 2, Chapter 26 Summary & Analysis

Fielding wakes up to find that he and Adela are still alone at the college. Adela wants to talk with him, but he is reluctant, and reminds her that he “belongs to the other side.” He only becomes interested when she mentions the echo she keeps hearing in her head. Fielding suggests that maybe the echo contributed to a hallucination of the incident in the Marabar Cave.

Adela meekly accepts this possibility, and Fielding lists the options for what actually happened in the cave: Aziz did assault Adela (what the English think), Adela maliciously made up the charge against Aziz (what the Indians think), or else Adela somehow hallucinated the whole thing—which is what Fielding believes. Adela agrees that she had been feeling strange ever since hearing Godbole’s song at the tea party. Fielding likes her more when he recognizes how honest and humble she is being.

Fielding explains that he thinks Adela’s hallucination was dispelled in court by re-visualizing the incident—that McBryde’s questioning somehow “exorcised” her. This brings up the subject of ghosts, which Fielding sharply says he doesn’t believe in. Adela says that Mrs. Moore does, and she respects Mrs. Moore very much. Fielding apologizes, and also apologizes for being rude to Ronny. He says that he is trying to “resist the supernatural” as he gets older. Adela says that she too doesn’t believe in anything spiritual or supernatural.

Adela asks Fielding what Aziz has said about her. Fielding answers awkwardly, remembering how bitterly Aziz has spoken of Adela, especially her ugliness. Aziz was especially offended to be accused of a woman without beauty, as “sexually, he was a snob.” Fielding cannot relate to this worldview of materialistic beauty, and it always created a barrier between him and Aziz when they discussed the matter. Fielding changes the subject by mentioning the fourth possibility of what happened in the cave: that the guide or some other stranger attacked Adela.

Hamidullah arrives, overhearing the last part of their discussion. He is displeased to see Fielding and Adela together, and he speaks only to Fielding, refusing to even look at Adela. Adela tries to apologize and explain her conduct, but Hamidullah fears she is “setting another trap.” He describes how much suffering and ruin she has brought to Aziz, and he asks if the guide will be the next one to suffer. Hamidullah tells Fielding to come to the Nawab Bahadur’s house for the celebration.

Adela plans to go to the Dak Bungalow, a poor lodging place, but Fielding invites her to stay at the college while he is away. Both Hamidullah and Fielding fear that Adela might be attacked wherever she stays, but Fielding doesn’t mind taking responsibility for her safety. He feels a “natural sympathy for the downtrodden,” and so now finds himself taking Adela’s side. Hamidullah wants to be rid of Adela, however, for her cold manner displeases him—if she had shown great emotion and kindness in her repentance, he would have forgiven her, but her “cold justice and honesty” feels false to him. None of the other Indians will forgive her either, because of this cultural divide.

Adela decides that she will try and return to the Turtons, but if they won’t take her in she will go to the Dak Bungalow. She is determined to be as little of a nuisance as possible. Hamidullah is relieved to see that Ronny has arrived outside, disguising himself in a lower-class carriage. Ronny doesn’t want to come inside, so Fielding goes out to meet him.

When Fielding returns to fetch Adela, he says that Mrs. Moore has died at sea on the voyage to England. Hamidullah says that this is Ronny’s punishment for shipping away Mrs. Moore, who loved India and Aziz. Fielding protests but not forcefully, as he recognizes that there will soon be an “Esmiss Esmoor legend at Chandrapore.” Both men are sad about the death, but they have no energy for outbursts of grief, as neither knew Mrs. Moore well.

Hamidullah and Fielding agree not to break the news to Aziz until the next day, so as not to ruin the celebration for him. Adela then comes back inside, much to Hamidullah’s dismay. She is very upset about Mrs. Moore’s death, and calls her “my best friend.” She says that she cannot stand to be alone with Ronny right now, and asks Fielding if she can in fact stay at the college. Fielding agrees, but asks that she bring Ronny inside.

Ronny comes in with Adela, looking awkward. Hamidullah is rude to him, questioning him about Mrs. Moore’s death, though Fielding is very polite. Ronny and Fielding decide on the details of Adela’s lodgings, and then Fielding leaves with Hamidullah, hours late for the Nawab Bahadur’s party. Amritrao rides with them, and on the way Hamidullah asks him how much Adela should be fined as compensation. Amritrao says twenty thousand rupees. Fielding is horrified by the amount, as now Adela might lose all her money and probably her fiancé as well.