Summary

After Dahlmann recovered from his injury, a “hackney coach” (169) dropped him off at a train station. Dahlmann felt overjoyed when he recognized the fresh autumn air in Buenos Aires. Realizing that he had some time to spare until his train arrived, Dahlmann went to a café nearby, knowing that it housed a large cat.

Dahlmann arrived at the café and began to read “The Thousand and One Nights,” while stroking the cat. He envied the fact that the cat lived in the “eternity of the instant” (170). When his train arrived, Dahlmann returned to the station and embarked the train. As the train moved through the city, past the suburbs, and into the countryside, he tried to read his story. However, he was unable to do so, because he was distracted by the sights around him, and he just wanted to enjoy life.

While...