Chapter 2 Summary

Maturin makes his call upon Villiers; his travel is introspective and full of self-critical observations and dread. At her apartments he discovers the worst—she is not there to receive him and furthermore she has suspiciously fled in company of Mr. Johnson, her one-time (and apparently once again) American lover. Villiers has left a letter which Maturin stuffs in his pocket. She has also left a considerable stack of bills which Maturin mechanically pays off. Later, Maturin reads the letter and discovers Villiers has fled due to impending charges of arrest for vague reasons. She intends to return to America. Maturin's brooding is interrupted by a call to attend on the Admiralty.

At the Admiralty Maturin is greeted by one Admiral Sievewright who makes bumbling accusations claiming that Villiers is some type of spy and that Maturin must necessarily be implicated in...