Summary

Pointer prepared his things to leave. While he was packing "Nicola knocked on his door" (271). She was not wearing any makeup. She said that Suve "was at the dive center" confronting them about the man-o'-war incident (271). She said she wanted to see Pointer before he left. He asked how she was feeling. She said she was doing much better, "though the sting still burned" (271). She examined his suitcase and said she bet he would "be glad to get home" (271).

Pointer thought of "the empty Somerset cottage" and shook his head (271). He could see himself going back and returning to his old life. He would be alone again, listening to the radio, looking at the garden, working on "those endless unfinished crosswords" (271). The stillness and emptiness of his life foreshadowed his coming demise. He could see himself locked in a retirement home, gradually losing...