Summary

Chapter 10 describes Xavier and Otto opening up Ava’s file, which contains a set of letters addressed to Ava and a document written by Ava herself. Each document includes its author’s recollections about Přemsyl.

The first document is Ava’s. Ava describes the development of her relationship with Allegra, through whom she meets Karel. Allegra is able to interact with Karel’s son, Přemsyl, but Ava simply cannot sense him; to Ava, Přemsyl does not exist. Ava recalls Přemsyl worrying that if people stopped thinking of him, he would disappear entirely, and therefore was especially concerned at nighttime while his father slept out of fear that his father would stop thinking of him. Because of this, Karel hires Ava to play music for Přemsyl at night while Karel sleeps. One night, Ava sees Chela, the mongoose, on P...