Chapter 9 Summary

Tom lets three days go by before he appears on the beach at noon. Dickie is alone, saying Marge must be writing. He asks where Tom has been, and Tom replies he has been sick, telling the truth for once. Tom has been too weak to leave the room, although he has crawled around the floor following the patch of sun from the window, so he will not be so white. Any other energy Tom could summon up has been spent studying conversational Italian from a book he bought in the hotel lobby.

Tom invites Dickie and Marge for a drink at the hotel, using the pretext of Dickie's socks and robe. Dickie declines lunch, saying the maid has cooked something. He is very pleased with the bathrobe, as Tom knew he would be. Again, Tom confides that Mr. Greenleaf is very concerned...