Part 3, Chapter 1 Summary

Two official-looking letters await Persse in Limerick. One is from Skinner, reminding him of the publisher's interest in his thesis, and the other is from the Royal Academy of Literature informing him his poetry has won a ?1,000 prize. It will be awarded in three weeks at a reception aboard the Annabel Lee. Flush with money, Persse immediately asks department chief Liam McCreedy for a sabbatical to study structuralism. McCreedy aggress to consider an unpaid leave of absence. Persse advises Skinner that his thesis will require extensive revision.

Zapp flees to the guestroom when it becomes clear that Ernesto expects attention along with Fulvia. In the morning, Ernesto has left for Rome, and Fulvia is coolly polite. A Villa Serbelloni limo picks Zapp up and delivers him to a much more comfortable environment. Zapp reflects on how publishing a single good book...