Summary

In a letter to Agnès, Fabienne expresses surprise at her decision to write a new book. Jacques (Fabienne) tells Agnès that he is bored and dejected. Fabienne encourages him to enlist in the military. Agnès senses “an emergency” (287) in Fabienne’s letters; she admits that “I did not care much about what kind of future I had, as long as I was with Fabienne” (287). She resolves to end their game of writing books.

Mrs. Townsend radically revises Agnès’ writing, claiming to have only “smoothed out a few wrinkles” (291). Agnès asks to take a trip to France, but Mrs. Townsend denies her request. Agnès decides to “escape Woodsway and never return” (295). The next day, Agnès approaches Meaker in the garden and asks him to aid in her escape. She tells him that she is worried about Fabienne...