Summary

Chapter 7 begins shortly after where Chapter 6 left off, with MacIan and Turnbull lounging in the countryside. The two decide to go into a nearby village, Grassley-in-the-Hole to get some food and drink. As they discuss this, they begin to realize that they have more in common than they once realized, discovering that neither of the two believes in the mysticism or power of nature. In order to determine exactly where it is they differ on this subject, they decide to go the village public house, the Valencourt Arms.

During their discussion, Turnbull reveals that he does not believe there is such a thing as nature that is separate from man, which MacIan in turn takes to mean that nothing exists at all, for if the natural cannot exist then neither can the supernatural. They reach an impasse in their argument...