Dr. Aziz is visiting the Malabar Caves with Adela and a guide. While exploring the caves, Adela is struck by the sudden realization that she and her fiancee Ronny don't actually love each other. Yet she's reluctant to break off their engagement as it would cause too much trouble to too many people. She tries not to brood on the matter, choosing instead to ask Aziz a thoughtless, insensitive question: whether he has more than one wife. Aziz is deeply offended by the very suggestion as it implies that he's somehow primitive or culturally inferior.
To cool off, he enters another cave and damns the English. Blissfully unaware that she's offended Aziz, Adela also retreats to another cave, hoping to forget all about her forthcoming wedding to Ronny. She subsequently disappears for a short time, a time that will have great significance later on in the story. When Aziz can't find her, he goes out of his mind with worry, only to find that Adela is safe and well at the bottom of the hill.
However, Aziz's relief is short-lived, as Adela will soon accuse him of sexually assaulting her during their brief time together in the caves. Whatever did or didn't happen between them, there can be no doubt that Adela's offensive question made Aziz less favorably disposed toward the British, a sentiment that will only grow in intensity once he's been arrested and charged with attempted rape.
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