Summary

The narrator initially thought he was dead. When he realized the rifle did not fire, he took the rifle from Hanny, but did not punish him and began reading him a story. Hanny fell asleep and the narrator went to the stairs to look at photographs of the taxidermist and his wife posing in front of stuffed animals. The narrator stated that the taxidermist went insane following the death of his wife and was sent to a hospital near Preston. The narrator then overheard Mrs. Belderboss entering confession with Father Bernard. He hid in a broom closet to hear their conversation more clearly.

Mrs. Belderboss said that Mr. Belderboss had not been sleeping lately, instead getting up and walking to some unknown location. Father Bernard asked if the death of his brother had been bothering Mr. Belderboss, and Mrs. Belderboss said she did not...