Chapter 3, Mansour Bahy Summary

Mansour is bitter that his brother, a distinguished police officer, arranges for him to live in the Miramar Pension. He comes from Cairo, works for the Alexandria Broadcasting Service, and has no plans to marry. Mariana is friendly but inquisitive and beautiful Zohra should be in university rather than running errands for her. Filled with melancholy, he watches Zohra make the bed and tries to be sociable. She is simple and self-assured, probably driven by sex, but unphased, surrounded by dangerous men.

While at coffee on Ramleh Square, Mansour sees for the first time in two years his old friend Fawzi. They banter about Mansour's having left the Party until it grows uncomfortable, while Mansour thinks longingly about Fawzi's wife, Doreya. At breakfast Mansour meets a weird assortment of guests whom he thinks will be good for his introversion...