Part 1, Chapters Conception - Gestation, pp. 31-52 Summary

After their honeymoon, the newlyweds move into a furnished villa in the Masaryk section of the city. Viktor is upset that he has to live in such an ostentatious place. He cannot wait for their new, streamlined, modern house to be built. Rainer comes to inspect the site on which the house will be built. Liesel is excited to see Rainer, but does not understand why she wants to see the architect. The trio now seems themselves as old friends. Rainer tells Liesel and Viktor that he wishes to not only design the outside of the house, he now wants to "create a whole world" on the inside of the house. He promises together that he and Liesel will build a work of art together. Liesel reveals to Rainer that she...