Summary

In 1657, an unnamed female narrator travels down the English Channel, describing the ship’s surroundings and its motion on the water. The rabbi sits before the railing and her brother refuses to speak to her. She sees England on the horizon, creating “a sickening hope, like a gall in her stomach” (61).

Helen’s narrative in Chapter 7 describes the last day of examining the papers, before Sotheby’s would come to assess the manuscripts in the afternoon. Earlier that morning, she had phoned Jonathan Martin, the head of the history department, to check on his progress in purchasing the documents. For once, his ability to “silk his way around the system” might work in her favour (63). He comments on the discovery of the documents being “an extraordinary find to conclude a career with” (63). She notes regret behind his words, “that the one to make...