Part 1: Chapter 4 Summary

Friday evening finally arrives, and the Morgans drive to the Langs' house. It is a large house with a big lawn, "ample and careless", in Sally's words. They are nervous and don't know what to expect, but they so want the Langs to like them. Sally is afraid that her dress isn't right and they're both afraid that they're too early, so they drive around the block until another car is there.

Larry knows the other three men in the party. They make up the younger faculty in the English department. He doesn't know any of the wives, though they all claim to have met him at the departmental reception. The other three couples, the Abbots, the Stones, and the Ehrlichs are friendly and impressive, but they do not hold a candle to Sid and Charity Lang. Charity is exotic and...