Summary

In Part V, Rudolph finished telling Father Schwartz his story. Having relieved himself of the sinful tale, Rudolph waited for a reaction. He was sure God would not kill him "as long as he was in the room with this priest" (84). Father Schwartz stared at the carpet. The clock "ticked insistently toward sunset" (84). Something mundane arose from outside the window. The priest felt anxious. His rosary beads stretched out on the table like a snake (84). He was unsure what to say. He was acutely aware of Rudolph's eyes, but could not look at the boy.

The longer the silence stretched between them, the less Father Schwartz was able to remember what he was supposed to say. Then he suddenly looked up and told Rudolph: "When a lot of people get together in the best places things go glimmering" (84). Rudolph did not know how to...