Chapter 10 Summary

At a restaurant in a hotel in Parian, the consul drinks mescal, a local alcoholic beverage, while Hugh and Yvonne spend time in the hotel's pool. While listening to Yvonne and Hugh talk of their travels, the consul imagines seeing people from his past. He wishes for happiness, but despairs that it will remain beyond his reach.

At dinner, Yvonne and Hugh make fun of the waiter's poor English. They seem to pass a pleasant afternoon, despite the consul's drinking and subsequent delusional states.

The consul continues drinking through dinner. He realizes that Hugh and Yvonne have become upset, but seems to fail to understand the reason behind this. The group argues for a while on local politics and world affairs. Then, they listen to a guitar player for some time.

After this lapse in conversation, the consul imagines that he talks once...