Chapter 5 Summary

In the early morning of the next day, the doctor's wife wakes up and considers the situation. She realizes that no assistance will be forthcoming, and considers the thief's attitude of complete freedom. She feels that the blind are like dogs without names. They identify themselves only by smell. The thief groans and she moves to him and inspects his wound. In just a few hours, it has turned black and his bed is soaked in blood, his head feverish. The doctor's wife dreads becoming blind and wonders when it will happen.

Five more blind inmates arrive and fumble for beds. They had previously been in the other wing of the hospital but had been evicted upon losing their site. One of the new blind inmates announces herself as Number Five and it is discovered that she is the first man's wife. The...