“- I'm afraid I've made a mistake. - What nature of mistake?”
Why it's great
A soft admission is met with a sharp challenge, and the exchange turns knife-like.
Register
Neutral
Use it yourself
I'm afraid I've made a mistake in the report.
00:00 / 02:29
00:00 / 02:29
Adela Withdraws the Accusation, Explained
A Passage to India · 1984
Chapter 16 of 19 · 2'29"
On the stand, Adela is asked to confirm that Aziz followed her into the cave. After a long pause she says the opposite: "Dr Aziz never followed me into the cave," then, "I withdraw everything." The trial's star witness dismantles the case she started, and the room cannot stay quiet.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:50–1:20
Adela Withdraws Everything on the Stand
29s
Adela Withdraws the Accusation, explained
What happens
Adela Quested takes the stand. McBryde presses her to confirm that Aziz followed her into the cave; she asks for a minute, then says she is not quite sure. When he tries to read her signed deposition, she changes her account: Aziz never followed her, and she withdraws everything. The judge confirms she is on oath, and Aziz is released.
What's really going on
The whole case comes down to one woman's certainty, and the moment she loses it the trial is over. McBryde keeps repeating the story back to her — 'the prisoner followed you' — as if repetition could make it true. Adela asks for a minute, then answers, 'I'm not quite sure,' and finally, 'Dr Aziz never followed me into the cave.' She is not defending Aziz so much as correcting herself; 'I'm afraid I've made a mistake' is an admission, not an argument. The judge's warning that she speaks 'on oath' cuts both ways: the same law that was used against Aziz now compels her honesty. When she says, 'I withdraw everything,' the charge collapses, and the verdict — released 'without one stain on his character' — is a verdict on the accusation, not on the man.
Key lines & what they mean
- “- I'm afraid I've made a mistake. - What nature of mistake?”
- Adela's first admission of error, and the prosecutor's demand to know exactly what she is retracting.
- “Dr Aziz never followed me into the cave.”
- The line that ends the case: her clearest statement that the central charge simply is not true.
- “I was speaking to the witness. And the public will be silent!”
- McBryde insists on controlling the room, trying to keep the questioning on the rails.
- “And remember - you speak on oath, Miss Quested.”
- The judge's reminder that her testimony is sworn, pressing her to be exact about what she says.
- “The prisoner is released without one stain on his character!”
- The court's verdict and its careful wording: not merely free, but with his reputation declared clean.
Theme
- Justice — The case collapses the moment the accuser admits she is not sure, and Aziz is released without a stain.
- Courage — Adela speaks against the story she herself set in motion, knowing the cost to her own standing.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level2/6
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“Dr Aziz never followed me into the cave.”
Why it's great
The plainest denial undoes the whole case in one quiet sentence.
Register
Neutral
Use it yourself
He never touched the money.
“I was speaking to the witness. And the public will be silent!”
Why it's great
One line states his role, the next silences the room, authority in two steps.
Register
Formal
Use it yourself
I was speaking to the manager, not to you.
“And remember - you speak on oath, Miss Quested.”
Why it's great
On oath quietly reminds her that her words now carry legal weight.
Register
Formal
Use it yourself
Remember, you speak on the record now.
“The prisoner is released without one stain on his character!”
Why it's great
The stain image restores his name and indicts everyone who doubted him.
Register
Formal
Use it yourself
She left without a stain on her reputation.
Up next · 17have a hunchThe scene: Adela's Echo Is GoneTakeaways
What you walk away with- Withdraw an accusation means formally take back a charge.
- On oath means you have sworn to tell the truth.
- On medical grounds gives a formal reason for stopping.
- The plainest denial ends the whole case.
People also search
Questions, then the linesWhy does Adela change her testimony?
She is no longer certain Aziz followed her into the cave. Pressed to confirm the story, she admits, 'I'm afraid I've made a mistake,' and withdraws the charge.
What does 'deposition' mean in this scene?
It is a formal written statement given under oath, used as evidence. McBryde tries to read Adela the deposition she signed, but she no longer stands by it.
What happens to Aziz after Adela withdraws?
The case against him collapses. The court releases him, and the verdict stresses that he is freed 'without one stain on his character.'
Why is Adela's statement so important?
She is the accuser and the only witness to the alleged assault. Without her testimony the prosecution has no case, so her change of heart ends the trial.
How does the courtroom react?
Noisily. People shout, the judge calls for order, and the news that 'Dr Aziz is free' is announced to the crowd.