Summary

The chapter opens with a man, Laurent, trying to get ready in his apartment. Laurent owns a bookstore right near his flat. While the job itself is convenient, he feels like he is trapped since his work and home life are so close. On his way to work, Laurent discovers a handbag on top of a trashcan. The handbag makes him think of his wife Claire, who always used to hold onto her handbags. He decides that it must belong to someone and wasn’t meant to be thrown away, especially when he sees how filled up it still is. He tries to bring it to the police, but they tell him it will be a long wait to file it away. He decides to return later, since he needs to get to work.

Analysis

The other main...