Aziz suddenly notices an Englishwoman in the mosque and
yells at her angrily, for she is trespassing in a holy place for
Muslims. The woman is humble, however, and explains that she removed
her shoes upon entering and that she realizes that God is present
in the mosque. Aziz is impressed. The woman introduces herself as
Mrs. Moore. She is visiting her son, Ronny Heaslop, the city magistrate.
Aziz and Mrs. Moore discover that they each have two sons
and a daughter. Aziz senses Mrs. Moore’s friendly sympathy toward him—a
sense confirmed when Mrs. Moore speaks candidly of her distaste
for Mrs. Callendar, the major’s wife. Because Mrs. Moore is intuitively
able to sense whom she likes and does not like, Aziz pronounces
her an Oriental. Aziz escorts her to the door of the whites-only
club.
Summary: Chapter III
Inside the club, Mrs. Moore joins her traveling companion,
a young Englishwoman named Adela Quested. They sit in the billiard
room in order to avoid the performance of the play Cousin
Kate that is taking place in the next room. Mrs.
Moore has escorted Adela from England at Ronny’s request; Adela
and Ronny are presumably to become engaged. Mr. Turton, the collector
of Chandrapore, enters and speaks highly of Ronny as the type of
young man he likes.
The play lets out, and the billiard room begins to fill.
Adela expresses her desire to see the “real India”—she wants something more
than the stereotypical elephant ride most visitors get. Cyril Fielding,
the principal of the local government college, passes through the
room and suggests that Adela go see some Indians if she wants to
see the “real India.” The club ladies, however, are aghast at such
a suggestion, and they inform Adela that Indians are creepy and
untrustworthy. Nonetheless, Mr. Turton, eager to please Adela, promises
to round up some Indians for a “Bridge Party” so Adela can meet
some of them.
On the way home, Mrs. Moore points out the mosque to Ronny and
Adela and speaks of the nice young man she met there. Ronny assumes
from Mrs. Moore’s tone that she is referring to an Englishman, and
he becomes angry when he realizes she is speaking of an Indian.
Back at the bungalow, after Adela goes to bed, Ronny quizzes his
mother about her encounter. Using phrases he has picked up from
his superiors, Ronny interprets each detail of Mrs. Moore’s encounter
as scheming on Aziz’s part.
Ronny declares his intention to report Aziz to Major Callendar, but
Mrs. Moore dissuades him. In turn, Ronny convinces his mother not
to tell Adela about Dr. Aziz. Ronny worries that Adela will become
too preoccupied with whether or not the English treat the Indians
fairly. They finish talking, and Mrs. Moore goes to her bedroom.
She notices a small wasp asleep on her coat hook, and croons to
it kindly.
