Part 5, Chapters 5-6 Summary

Tomas works as a general practitioner at a country clinic. It is busy and unrewarding. He is visited by a man from the Ministry, who charms and flatters Tomas into a conversation about the 'Oedipus' letter. Tomas confides that his original letter was cut by the paper. The man from the Ministry interrogates Tomas further as to who edited the letter. Tomas describes the editor in exact opposition to his real physical traits. The man from the Ministry seems to know someone, however, that fits that description. Tomas goes along with it. The man from the Ministry tells Tomas that he will see what he can do about getting Tomas back into the hospital to work.

Two weeks later, the man from the Ministry visits Tomas, and they talk in Tomas's office. The man from the Ministry offers Tomas...