Summary

Joana has a sudden, incredibly detailed memory of descending a long staircase into a ball. She then realizes that she has been distracted and is going to get a book for Otávio from a bookshelf as he studies Civil Law. She hands him the book and then sits down in a chair and watches him study, a process that involves, for Otávio, a lot of nervous tics and manic energy. Joana begins to think and then suddenly has the thought that she will eventually leave Otávio, and the thought startles her. Suddenly, Otávio is done with his book, and asks Joana to come over and snuggle with him. As Joana does this, she begins to think "'Put it off, just put it off’” (101) instead of resolutely deciding to leave Otávio.

One day...