Beloved Chapter 23

Beloved explains more coherently, that it was for Sethe she was reaching, but couldn't touch. She thinks she lost Sethe three times before she found her at 124 -- once in clouds of gun smoke, once to the sea, and once under the bridge. These are memories of slave experiences beyond what Beloved has endured. They seem to be memories of other slaves. Beloved tells Sethe that she came from the other side (death) because of Sethe. She tells of a whiteman who was in the house she was in and he hurt her. Beloved keeps mentioning an iron circle around Sethe's neck, a round basket, and diamond earrings.

Denver tells Beloved that they played together by the creek before Sethe killed her and that Beloved came to her when she needed company. She warns Beloved not to love Sethe too much and tells her that their daddy is coming for them.