Part 2, Chapter 16 Summary

April comes still, quiet and warm, with early blooming of the indigenous flowers. The smell of the flowers enchants Pearce to no end. Merivel has entered the medical, surgical part of mental health treatment. Every day, a bloodletting takes place, usually performed on the cephalic vein in the temple area of the head, in the neck or on the arm of the patient. Although Merivel is not sure, insanity is considered a liquid thing that must be drained from the body. This seems a barbaric and cruel way to excise fluids to Merivel, and he thinks, Why not take up an activity where the fluid is evacuated naturally, like sweating or weeping? Piepold is a Harvey resident and a murderer, who spends his days dreaming up ways of killing people, especially ways of murdering Merivel now that he has arrived. Merivel...