Summary

Chapter Six is titled “Figures of the Captive Graces,” and is narrated in the first-person voice of Polly Elizabeth. She describes how she and Placide received a substantial settlement from Mauser, both a lump sum and regular payments, to move out of the house and accept that the marriage had ended. Polly Elizabeth comments that the practice of “Karezza” gave Mauser grounds for the marriage to be annulled, adding that Placide had been engaged in the same practice with her painting instructor for some time, and that she did not really care that the marriage had ended. Polly Elizabeth also comments on how she felt increasingly useless as Placide became more and more engaged in society, finding more and more people to paint. Her little dog, Diablo, even seems to have little use for her. Finally, she describes using the house’s cook...