After staying in America for 25 years, Patricia Close returns to India on a trip with her husband, Dickson. They are staying on government campgrounds with Dr. Hume, a retired English doctor and old friend of Patricia’s late father. One night, Patricia grows anxious while waiting for her husband to return from hunting. Sultan, a hired servant, comments on the madness and danger of being in the jungles after dark. He speaks to her in Hindustani and recounts a story about wild elephants that trampled and killed a deaf man who was hunting in the nearby jungles. Although she dismisses it as gossip, Patricia is worried by his story. Hume calls out to her and asks her about her husband. He laughs at her nervousness for her husband, recalling a dangerous encounter they had in the jungle earlier that day. While hunting with Hume, Patricia had suddenly come face-to-face with a snarling tiger without even screaming. Hume chuckles at her reaction of surprise to the tiger rather than fear. Patricia claims that the tiger encounter is different from the current situation. The two set off into the jungle to look for Dickson. Hume talks about his life and migration from England to India to Africa. He calls himself an exile and compares life to a constant divorcement from persons and places. Patricia ponders if there is ever a true marriage. Patricia admits that she had a quarrel with Dickson earlier that morning, causing him to leave angrily. She talks about the constant cycle of quarrelling and waiting in her marriage. While walking, they come across dark form on the ground, and Patricia thinks it may be her husband. Hume approaches first and finds that it is a doe. Further in the forest, they come across a damaged tree and elephant droppings, revealing that the elephants from Sultan’s story have returned. Patricia keeps on expecting to find Dickson’s body and comes to an ambiguous realization about her marriage. Hume suggests they return to the campsite, and upon emerging from the jungle, they hear Dickson’s voice talking to Sultan. Patricia runs to the house, and Hume suspects that she made a discovery on their trip and wonders when she will act on it.