Part 1, Chapters 7, 8 and 9 Summary

Nicholas arrives in Greece and immediately finds himself captivated by the landscape, the light, and the atmosphere. As a result, his interest in continuing the relationship with Alison diminishes even more, with his letters to her eventually ending, and her letters to him indicating that she's planning to return to a former boyfriend. As the result of getting this information, Nicholas realizes he actually wants to hurt Alison.

Meanwhile, Nicholas is becoming increasingly disillusioned by his experiences with both the boys at the school and his fellow schoolmasters, all of whom he feels are dull and not really worth his time or interest. The only person who comes close to being a friend is the other English-speaking teacher, Demetriades, who seems to spend all his free time drinking and visiting brothels. At one point Nicholas accompanies him, but contracts...