Passage to India Chapter XXIV

Mrs. Moore leaves and Adela stays w/the Turtons - on the morning of the trial she prays, which she hadnt done in a while. Turtons ask her if she's ready and she has a sip of brandy. She complains of an echo in her ear.

They arrive at the courthouse. Few Indian students are protesting in front.

Mrs. Turton makes some nasty remarks about how the Indians should be quashed (rejected as illegal by the law) Mr. Turton ignores her and thinks to himself that women make running India difficult

Because of conflict of interest, Ronny cant preside over the trial, so his assistant, Mr. Das, an Indian, will preside

Ronny thinks the switch is a good thing - they know the verdict's guilty so they may as well have an Indian break the bad news. Mrs. Turton makes another comment about how weak the men are being and how the Indians should be "spat" upon

Adela notices the punkah wallah [ironic] Mr McBryde opens the case for prosection. Makes a point about how the Orientals are attracted to whites but no the other way around.

Adela is moved to the raised platform bc she feels unwell and then the Anglo-Indians follow. Mahmoud Ali and Amritrao protest at that so Mr. Das orders everyone but her back off. 

Adela takes the stand and suddenly sees the past events take place before her eyes. Mr. McBryde asks Adela whether Aziz followed her into the cave and she hesistates. She denies he followed her. The whole courtroom is thrown into chaos. Das declares that Aziz is free.

Fielding cheers and Mrs. Turton yells at Adela  

Mrs. Moore is mentioned and everyone in the courtroom begins chanting "Mrs Moore" which sounds like "Esmiss Esmoor" - Amritrao apologizes for Mahmoud Ali's behavior as he left in indignation.

Weather - as the trial brings emotions to fever pitch, the heat descends upon the city

British officials turn out in force to convict Aziz - they hope this will give them a tigher grip upon the Indians. Indians show an unusual spirit of rebellion - there are strikes. In the midst of the political struggle, Adela, who is the source of it all is nearly forgotten.

Mrs. Moore lends the spiritual impetus (force) that changes the complexion of the trial. Adela's echo becomes worse as the trial approaches but when she thinks of Mrs. Moore and the natives she suddenly remembers the day in detail in a vision.   

Unexpected exoneration - women who have clasped Adela to them lash out at her in uncontrollable fury. (Forster sometimes tempers his criticism of the English officials w/mercy - that of their wives, almost never.)

The handsome pukkah wallah is apparently a symbol of god's disregard of man. Men come, create a furor, and go, and he continues to fan the air. 

Before: 

Ronny uses his influence to get his mother back to England. "As soon as she landed in India, it seemed to her good, and when she saw the water flowing through the mosque tank, or the Ganges, or the moon caught in the shawl of night w/all the other stars, it seemed a beautiful goal and an easy one" 

After:

Celebrations outside the court. Adela bumps into Fielding and even though she tries to ignore him, he's worried about her wandering off alone in the streets. He skips Aziz's procession and takes her to his office.