Chapter 43 Summary

"Begin Again"

The narrative now returns to the baby snatching committed by Mary at the Safeway store. In this chapter, the confession of Mary as provided to Tom as they drive back to the scene of the abduction is contrasted with Tom's evidence as given in court after Mary was charged with the offence.

When Tom, Mary and the abducted child return to the store, Tom describes the crowd of people in the vicinity. It becomes apparent that the mother, very distraught, is a young girl, not much older that Mary at the time of the 1943 abortion. She appears to Tom to be "hoping for a miracle," and the baby is in fact returned to her by Tom as Mary faints.

Chapter 43 Analysis

Mary is denied her equivalent of the Immaculate Conception by Tom's intervention, and insistence that the baby is returned.