A Passage to India Chapter 18

Mr. McBryde detains Aziz until someone posts bail. McBryde is not surprised by Aziz's downfall, believing that the climate of India affects the inhabitants. McBryde believes the extreme heat makes it impossible for Indians to behave normally. He says, "They are not to blame, they have not a dog's chance--we should be like them if we settled here." Chapter 18, pg. 184

Topic Tracking: Earth 5

Fielding visits McBryde to ask him what the exact charges are against Aziz. He tells Fielding that Aziz followed Adela into a cave and made insulting remarks. She then threw her field glasses at him, explaining why Aziz had them in his possession. He asks McBryde what else Adela said and McBryde mentions that Adela heard echoes in the caves. Fielding asks if the echoes disturbed her, believing that she suffered from hallucinations and that Aziz was innocent. He contends that if Aziz were really guilty, he probably would not have placed Adela's glasses in his pocket. McBryde tries to explain to Fielding that Indians operate with a different psychology that is very different to the English, contending from "experience" that Indians fall from grace fast and develop into bad adults. He takes out a box of evidence ransacked from Aziz's bungalow and shows Fielding a letter that Aziz received from his friend who owns a brothel. McBryde also removes a picture of Aziz's wife from the evidence he collected, believing he kept pictures of women in his possession. Fielding explains that the woman was Aziz's wife.