Part 1, Storm In June: Chapter 22 Summary

Charles Langelet has no complaints about his arduous journey to Montargis, and thinks that the common folks who discuss the horrors of their experiences are perversely thrilled by melodrama. He is "scandalised" when he realizes how many people are so highly uncultured, and he has deprecating thoughts of how they will describe their experiences later. He plans to under-react to it all, and thinks fondly of his precious porcelain crated up in his car. He prides himself on being focused on things like art and architecture, which he values above human life. Ignoring an auto accident, he avoids the main road, taking more obscure roads as he drives.

Running out of fuel, he finds himself stranded but afraid to leave his car. Passing motorists, predictably, do not have any petrol to share with him, and...