Summary

Arturo takes a continued interest in Adam’s poetry and arranges to have his work translated into Spanish. He also arranges a poetry reading at his gallery with Adam’s poems given top billing despite the latter’s insistence that he does not wish to read his work. Nonetheless, owing to his minimal Spanish and Arturo’s minimal English, Adam is corralled into attending the reading.

At the gallery for the reading is María José, one of the emissaries from the foundation which has subsidized Adam’s residency in Madrid. Adam, who has been totally derelict in participating in any of the events arranged for foundation fellows in residence, is convinced that María José bears him ill will and that she is, without especial exertion, trying to expose his fraudulence and humiliate him. Indeed, Adam suspects that María José takes a...