February Summary and Analysis

The overriding feature of the Mayles' first February in the Lubyron is the snow. The couple relishes in the quiet of the valley during the day, taking walks and enjoying large lunches, and drinking hearty wines to keep warm. At night, however, the cold seeps through the stone floors of their old home, and they decide some form of heating will have to be installed.

Enter Monsieur Menicucci, yet again. In this chapter, the reader gets a more descriptive view of the plumber, who plays the clarinet and has other cultural eccentricities to share. He invites Peter to his house to view his wide array of heating devices (oil, gas, electric, and more), and to meet Madame Menicucci. It is during this visit that Peter gets to know more about this philosopher-plumber, dressed for frigid temperatures and full of information about...