Chapter 4 Summary

Minke returns to the Mellema home, where he finds that Annelies indeed appears sick, but that his arrival sparks life back to her face. This time, Minke comes with luggage, as he intends to stay here. Annelies unpacks for him in his room. She finds three unread letters, and asks why he hasn't read them. Minke again does not read the letters as he would rather spend time with Annelies. They converse in the garden, where again Annelies hints that something bad happened with her father when she was in primary school, and that is why she did not return to school.

Annelies departs to do work, and Minke begins writing about his experiences with the family to date, dreaming that perhaps someday he can turn them into published stories.

He has dinner with Annelies and Nyai, with no sign of the male...