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Summary
Aziz along with his children paid a visit to the Head of the shrine of a Moslem saint. The children were polite and enjoyed their visit to old fort. They asked a group of prisoners at the fort as to which one of them was going to be freed that day in accordance with the old custom. One of the prisoners was pardoned as the chief God was taken from the palace. One of the guards asked Aziz about the Rajah's health. Aziz replied that the king was improving. As a matter of fact the king was dead but his death was being kept as a secret to avoid uneasiness among the people and to keep the spirit of the festival alive.
Aziz and his children saw Fielding and his brother-in-law enter the shrine. They were attacked by bees and Aziz had to help them. Fielding and Aziz talked in an unfriendly manner. Aziz called Fielding's brother-in-law Mr. Quested. Fielding knew the reason why Aziz was hostile to him. He informed Aziz that he had not married Adela. He had married Mrs. Moore’s daughter Stella and that his brother-in-law was Ralph Moore.
Fielding had become sterner and older but he tried to recapture the old intimacy with Aziz, but Aziz cold shouldered him and did not want to revive the old friendship. When Fielding talked of Ronny, Aziz flared up with rage and declared that he was not concerned with whom Fielding had married and that he did not want to promote any kind of relationship with any Englishman or woman. Back home, he felt happy that he had heard the good name of Mrs. Moore. When he remembered that Ralph and Stella were her children, he started feeling uneasy for not being kind to Stella and Ralph.
Critical Analysis
This chapter is indicative of the saying that East is East and West is West and the twain shall never meet.