A Passage to India Page #9

in an lndian state out of British lndia.

- And you?

- I shall go to England for a long leave.

Will you and she be going back

on the same boat?

No. I couldn't possibly get away

before the end of next term.

Miss Quested is going

as soon as she can get a passage.

I see.

- Look...

- I'm looking.

Godbole tells me that Amritrao

is asking 20,000 rupees damages.

And costs.

I'd hate to see her getting

the worst of both worlds. It'll ruin her.

And me? Prison,

my private letters read out in court,

my wife's photograph taken to

the station to be fingered by McBryde,

all because a girl "fresh from England"

got too much sun.

I know.

And I know what you're going to ask next.

You're going to ask me to let her off

paying 20,000 rupees, right?

Then, if I agree,

the English will be able to say

"Here is an lndian that almost

behaved like a gentleman."

"But for the colour of his face,

we might even let him join the club."

ls that why you came here to see me?

Answer me.

In the end, you English

always stick together.

I want to have nothing more

to do with any of you.

Any of you!

You can go back to the college

and tell her to keep the money.

Tell her to use it to buy herself

a husband! Tell her...

(speaks Urdu)

(festive music )

(cheering)

Are you coming with me?

I don't think so.

(both speak Urdu)

This is a great honour, Professor.

- Anything wrong?

- No, no.

They arrive at the state guest house

this afternoon.

How long have you known

they were coming?

One month, possibly two.

- Why did you not tell me?

- One cannot tell anyone anything

unless they are ready to hear it.

And what does that mean?

Mr Fielding wrote you letters from

London and Bombay. You tore them up.

- I did.

- That is my point.

"My dear Aziz,

I have some news for you."

"I am going to marry

someone whom you know."

The end of a foolish experiment.

I have made a new life for myself

up here... away from the English.

I shall be going to

the guest house to greet them.

But my religious duties will be claiming

my full attention for the next three days.

He's come all this way to find you.

Can you not let bygones be bygones

and show them around?

I'm sorry, but I've had enough

of showing Miss Quested lndia.

Stop. Let's stop for a moment.

We must be getting on.

Houseboat, sahib.

Hello!

Aziz!

Well, here you are at last.

I've been looking for you everywhere.

Akbar! Jamila!

Your children?

Yes.

I suppose Godbole told you I was here.

The minister of education never tells

anyone anything unless he has to.

His only piece of information was that

the high school was destined not to be.

I was supposed to inspect it.

Anyhow, here I am.

I've been visiting schools

all over the country.

We called in at Chandrapore.

Your bungalow's been turned into a shop.

Turton's retired and

Callendar's been given the push.

And Hamidullah sends his salaams.

It was he who told me

you'd moved up here.

So I wrote, care of Godbole.

Why didn't you answer my letters?

You married my enemy,

stole my money.

Aziz, I'm going to surprise you.

- What do you mean?

- My wife is Mrs Moore's daughter.

- Stella?

- Stella.

Miss Quested introduced us.

What a blunder.

- Where is she?

- I left her at the guest house.

You'll meet her tomorrow.

She mustn't do too much just now.

She is carrying your child?

Yes.

So after all,

your name will not die out.

That's right.

Mrs Moore.

Mrs Moore!

"And Stella believes the evil

of the Marabar has been wiped out,

and so do I."

"Dear Miss Quested,

tonight is the Festival of Light,

and I am writing this

to ask You to forgive me."

"It has taken all this time for me

to appreciate Your courage."

"Because of You, I am happy here

with my children instead of in prison."

"And because of You,

I want to do kind actions all round."

"Richard and Stella left this morning."

Goodbye.

"I do not think I will ever see them again."

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