Section 7: France 1916, Part 2, pages 186-230 Summary

When Stephen tells Weir he is taking him to the village on Thursday night for a farewell treat, Weir is filled with anxiety because he suspects Stephen is taking him to a prostitute since he is a virgin. On night patrol, Stephen's body tenses with hatred as he listens to sounds of German housekeeping. Returning to their side of the line, he treats Byrne to a drink as Jack sits nearby, praying for his son, John. The next day, Jack receives a letter from Margaret but decides to wait to open it until he returns from underground for the day because it is better to die ignorant if the news is bad. At 8 p.m., Stephen collects Weir and takes him to a farmhouse outside of the village where he buys him a prostitute. When...