Part 3, Chapter 4 Summary

Sabina is at a gathering of fellow ymigrys and listens to their talk about the Russian invasion and their arguments against the communists. She asks why they aren't in Prague fighting, if they are so enraged. The chief speaker berates Sabina, saying that her painting did nothing to stop communism. Kundera then discusses how people assess others not by what they do as people, but by their political beliefs. Sabina further infuriates the 'distinguished ymigry,' when she tells him that he resembles Communist President Novotny. Sabina realizes that she is being unreasonable to the ymigry's and thinks to herself that she is doing so, because she lives to betray. While she empathizes with her fellow compatriots, she felt obliged to "break ranks" with them and confront them. She thinks to herself that she cannot go on with this way of...