Book Two: And the Thing Became, Chapter 5-Chapter 6 Summary

On Santa Rosalia, Mary Hepburn will memorize many quotations from Mandarax. She will remember Willard Flemming with love and affection, taking their marriage seriously but disparaging her lover, the captain. Akiko, Hisako's daughter, will listen eagerly to Mary's stories about the mainland and about love.

Mary tells Akiko about Robert Wojciehowitz, head of the Ilium High English department. After Roy's death, Robert tries to date Mary, and she refuses. However, he persists and even shows up at her house, asking her to marry him. Mary retreats into the house, leaving Robert outside with her dog Donald. Robert is afraid of dogs, and Donald drives him into a tree. Mary finally rescues him, and Robert is overcome with self-loathing, similar to the captain's self-loathing after finding no land for five...