Summary

After Arthur is released from the hospital, he has dinner with Carlos. Carlos says that he is trying to put together an official collection of Robert Brownburn’s correspondence, and he asks if Arthur would be willing to donate his letters from Robert. Arthur refuses. They finish their dinner, and Carlos says farewell, as he will be heading back to San Francisco. The narrative then moves forward to Arthur’s arrival in Japan. His plane lands in Osaka, and he takes a bus to Kyoto. He checks in at a hotel, and the next day, the front desk has a message for him. Marian Brownburn had called to say that Robert had had a stroke. Arthur calls Marian immediately. She says that Robert had a “minor stroke” (236). Arthur asks about her broken hip, and she says that it turns out that it was...