Chapter 1, Part 2 Summary

The story moves from the Fliegler's bedroom on Lantenengo Street to the smoking room of the Lantenengo Country Club. The smoking room, built for men but now co-ed, is the hangout of the inner circle of club members. There are about 20 people in this in-crowd, which is made up of the big spenders and drinkers of Gibbsville, including Julian English. After these socially secure members have plenty to drink, they become more welcoming to people lower down the social scale. It is just after 3:00 a.m., and everyone is drinking. The drinks are mostly rye and ginger ale, since most people in this Prohibition Era have to get their liquor by buying drug store rye on prescription. A few of the biggest spenders have Scotch.

At a large table in the corner of the room, an Irish Catholic named Harry Reilly...