Summary

The narration in the first part of this chapter describes Deven’s return home on an early morning bus, uncomfortable and disillusioned and guilty for having done something as awful to Nur’s poetry as he did. He also feels deeply dismayed and somewhat angry that Nur’s life, as he had imagined it, turned out to be human and messy and unpleasant. He resists friendly offers of comfort from fellow travelers, and refuses to go to sleep because he believes he will only dream of everything he saw at Nur’s house.

When he arrives back home, Deven decides to go straight to class and teach, rather than face the anger of his wife, Sarla. After he has taught, he finally does go back to his house. There, he finds Sarla in conversation with a judgmental neighbor, who makes pointed comments about how...