Chapter 9, The Cave of Swimmers Summary

The English patient tells Caravaggio the story of his love affair with Katharine. The English patient tells how Clifton agreed to sign on with the expedition and showed up at the base camp with his new wife, Katharine. The expedition was a time of self-discovery for Katharine. Katharine began to explore herself, to learn about her own desires. The English patient knew how deeply Clifton loved his wife, could see it, and kept his distance at first. However, Katharine was a voracious reader and requested to read his copy of Herodotus. That night, Katharine read a romantic tale from the book. The English patient fell in love with her that very night. The English patient attempted to hide his feelings from Katharine, attempting to be formal in her presence. However, Katharine felt the same and...