Summary

In Chapter Eight, a meter reader comes to Leiris’s apartment to conduct a routine check of the electrical system. The author expected this visit, but had forgotten about following Hélène’s death. Although he remains for only a few minutes, Leiris resents the man for reminding him that life continues, even without Hélène. Previously, he had been able to convince himself that the world had stopped because of his wife’s death. Time and events, Leiris states, are controlled by Melvil, whom the author refers to as “the conductor of the symphony of our days” (59). He has been entirely consumed by maintaining Melvil’s routine and catering to his needs. This meter reader, Leiris claims, is a “false note” in the family’s symphony, interrupting their carefully scripted lives (59).

In Chapter Nine, Leiris describes...