Summary

In Chapter 42, it’s the day after the Book Ball and Herman is sitting in M’s living room. M has suffered a severe concussion, and is not allowed any kind of stimulae. In spite of that, Herman has brought over some eight millimeter films to show M. He asks M’s wife if now is a good time, and she replies, “’He’s so excited...There’s no talking him out of it now’” (343).

Herman describes how, after the Book Ball, M had refused to go to the emergency room. Although he was passing in and out of consciousness, Herman had taken him home in a taxi. On the way up in the elevator, M had vomited on Herman’s shoes and then wondered aloud how Landzaat “found out that you two were spending Christmas vacation in that cottage” (345). Herman, caught off...