Summary

Edward’s health worsens, and Dr. Bennett says that it will likely not be long before Edward dies. Dr. Bennett seems oddly perturbed, perhaps due in part to Edward’s repeated use of jokes to communicate. William goes into Edward’s room again. When Edward starts to tell jokes, William asks him to stop telling jokes and stories. Edward says that even if he tells stories that are not always true, the stories and their morals are still valuable. William becomes desperate to extract any piece of truth about his father. However, the only seemingly truthful thing that Edward says is that Ashland was a very small town. Edward also seems completely serious when he says that he know he will not die until at least the next day. He then seems as if he is going to say other truthful things about his...